Why some top evangelicals are standing by Trump
| Washington
The Republican Party is reeling after the release of a 2005 video in which Donald Trump speaks in vulgar terms of his aggressive sexual behavior toward women.
Top Republicans 鈥� including Sen. John McCain of Arizona 鈥� have abandoned Mr. Trump and Some have called on him to drop out of the presidential race, and urged the Republican National Committee to replace him with running mate Mike Pence.
Others have rebuked Trump for both his language and actions of 11 years ago 鈥� but are in wait-and-see mode. Trump鈥檚 second debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, Sunday night at 9 p.m. Eastern, will be must-see TV, as he is expected to try to talk his way out of the biggest crisis of his campaign.
But perhaps the most curious aspect of this unprecedented episode is the reaction of evangelical 海角大神 leaders. As Republican politicians 鈥� some in tight reelection races 鈥� have dumped Trump, prominent members of the 海角大神 conservative movement have stood by him, even as they express revulsion over his actions.
The 鈥済rossly inappropriate language鈥� in the Trump video 鈥渄oes not change the reality of the choice facing this country,鈥� Gary Bauer, founder of the Campaign for Working Families PAC, said in a statement.
鈥淗illary Clinton is committed to enacting policies that will erode religious liberty, promote abortion, make our country less safe, and leave our borders unprotected,鈥� said Mr. Bauer, a veteran of the Reagan administration and a GOP presidential candidate in 2000. Mrs. Clinton will continue economic policies that are 鈥渄estroying鈥� the American working class and middle class, he added.
Ralph Reed, former leader of the 海角大神 Coalition and head of Trump鈥檚 religious advisory board, took the same approach 鈥� decry Trump鈥檚 language, but defend his candidacy, in the name of the policy choices Trump represents versus those of Clinton.
鈥淧eople of faith are voting on issues like who will protect unborn life, defend religious freedom, grow the economy, appoint conservative judges and oppose the Iran nuclear deal,鈥� Mr. Reed said in an email to The Washington Post.
Perhaps the most extraordinary comment came from Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, which hosts the annual 海角大神 Voters Summit in Washington 鈥� a major conference of social conservative activists.
Mr. Perkins said that his support for Trump in the general election 鈥渨as never based upon shared values rather it was built upon shared concerns."
John Green, an expert on religion and politics at the University of Akron in Ohio, says this type of reaction isn鈥檛 surprising.
鈥淚 do think it bespeaks a kind of pragmatism,鈥� says Professor Green. 鈥淲e see this a lot in American politics. If people are principled, they are often ineffective. On the other hand, if pragmatists are effective, then they lose credibility. So they鈥檙e in a tough box here.鈥�
Still, he says, the posture of evangelical leaders doesn鈥檛 mean that the rank-and-file will follow suit. Though the early indication, from a taken Saturday, is that Trump voters are sticking with him.
It鈥檚 also true that some prominent 海角大神 conservative leaders have never supported Trump. Russell Moore, the chief policy spokesman of the Southern Baptist Convention, and prays that he repent of all sins and find Jesus. Of the Trump video, 鈥淭o be pro-life means to say to the ethic of Margaret Sanger *and* to the ethic of Howard Stern: #Never.鈥�
In another tweet, the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary also showed the cracks that have emerged among evangelicals over the Trump candidacy.
鈥淚 am humiliated by arguments about character I am hearing tonight from some evangelicals. Lord, help us,鈥�
Perhaps no committed evangelical is in a tougher position than Trump鈥檚 running mate, Governor Pence of Indiana. He is reportedly beside himself over the video, and laid down the gauntlet to Trump on Twitter.
鈥淲e pray for his family and look forward to the opportunity he has to show what is in his heart when he goes before the nation tomorrow night,鈥�
Trump has already apologized for his lewd comments, and also made clear that he is fighting back in his usual way 鈥� playing defense by going on offense.
That was his approach in late Friday night,聽in response to the lewd 2005 video, which was from 鈥淎ccess Hollywood.鈥� And it means going after former President Bill Clinton for his own aggressive sexual behavior toward women, and also accusing Hillary Clinton of and of discrediting claims that turned out to be true.聽
鈥淲ithout overstating the case, [evangelicals鈥� defense of Trump] does remind me of when a lot of prominent feminists came to the defense of President Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky matter,鈥� says Green, of the University of Akron. 鈥淭hey said, 鈥榃e deplore the conduct, but look at all the positive things the Clinton administration has done for women.鈥� 鈥�
For the Republican Party, the idea of getting Trump to quit the race and run Pence for president instead may have some appeal. After all, in his debate last week against Democratic veep nominee Tim Kaine, Pence was viewed as the 鈥渨inner,鈥� leading some Republicans to wish out loud that he was at the top of the GOP ticket. But in practical terms, it鈥檚 late for such a move. The election is Nov. 8, and early voting has begun in some states.
In tonight鈥檚 debate, not only does Trump have to address the video scandal, he has to overcome his poor performance in his first debate, which he followed with days of attacks against a former Miss Universe and questions about his taxes, after the leak of damaging information from an old tax return.
But Trump has made clear that he鈥檚 not dropping out 鈥� and not staying away from Twitter.
鈥淭remendous support (except for some Republican 鈥渓eadership鈥�). Thank you,鈥�
