GOP 2016-HUCKABEE-EVANGELICALS
Religious appeal part of Huckabee’s second White House bid
HOPE, Ark. (AP) β Former Gov. Mike Huckabee has launched his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination with an unabashed appeal for evangelical support.
In his hometown of Hope, Arkansas, Huckabee said America has lost its way morally on issues like abortion and gay marriage and is “now threatening the foundation of religious liberty by criminalizing Christianity.”
The Southern Baptist minister turned politician portrayed himself as an economic populist and foreign affairs hawk with deeply conservative views on social issues.
As the Supreme Court weighs whether states must allow gay marriage, Huckabee said the justices “cannot overturn the laws of nature or of nature’s God.”
He preached a more muscular response to the rise of Islamic State militants, saying, “we will deal with jihadis just as we would deal with deadly snakes.” As for Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Huckabee said, “Ayatollahs will know that hell will freeze over before they get a nuclear weapon.”
Sound:
232-a-12-(Former Governor Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., at presidential campaign announcement)-“of nature’s God (applause fades)”-Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee says judges have no authority to redefine marriage. ((longer version of cut used in wrap)) (5 May 2015)
< 230-w-34-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark.)–Former Governor Mike Huckabee has launched his Republican presidential campaign with an unabashed appeal for evangelical support. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (5 May 2015) < 233-a-20-(Former Governor Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., at presidential campaign announcement)-“guys really are (applause fades)”-Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee says President Obama is morally confused. ((note length of cut)) (5 May 2015) < 231-a-17-(Former Governor Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., at presidential campaign announcement)-“of natural marriage”-Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee says America has gone wrong. ((longer version of cut used in wrap)) (5 May 2015) < BIBLE MARATHON Entire Bible being read aloud on US Capitol steps WASHINGTON (AP) β On the west steps of the U.S. Capitol this week, the entire Bible is being read aloud, non-stop, from Genesis to Revelation. The 26th annual U.S. Capitol Bible Reading Marathon began Sunday evening and will continue around the clock until noon on Thursday, the National Day of Prayer. The event’s director, the Rev. Michael Hall, says it takes about 90 hours to read through the Bible aloud. Volunteer readers step up to the podium and take turns, sometimes under umbrellas in pouring rain. The readers have no microphone or speakers to amplify their message, so tourists often give the readers a curious look and pass by. But Hall says foreign visitors sometimes express surprise that Americans can read the Scriptures aloud at their seat of government. Sound: 271-a-06-(Jamie Farris, Bible reading volunteer, reading from the Bible’s Psalm 108)-“all the Earth”-Sound of volunteer Jamie Farris, reading from the Bible’s Psalm 108. (5 May 2015) < 272-a-07-(Jamie Farris, Bible reading volunteer, reading from the Bible’s Psalm 108)-“among the nations”-Sound of volunteer Jamie Farris, reading from the Bible’s Psalm 108. (5 May 2015) < 269-w-35-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with Bible reader Jamie Farris and the Rev. Michael Hall, director of the U.S. Capitol Bible Reading Marathon)–On the west steps of the U.S. Capitol this week, the entire Bible is being read aloud, non-stop, from Genesis to Revelation. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (5 May 2015) < TEXAS MOSQUE-ATTACK Police investigate beating of man outside Dallas-area mosque RICHARDSON, Texas (AP) β Police say a Muslim leaving a prayer service at a Dallas-area mosque was slightly hurt after being attacked in the parking lot by two men who fled. Richardson police Sgt. Kevin Perlich (PER’-lik) says investigators are trying to determine a motive in Monday night’s attack. He says no words were exchanged and no property was taken. Leaders of the Council on American-Islamic Relations want the attack investigated as a hate crime. Other worshippers at the Islamic Association of North Texas scared the attackers off. The attack came a day after two men were shot to death in neighboring Garland after opening fire outside a contest featuring cartoons of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. PROPHET CARTOON CONTEST-SHOOTING Islamists in Pakistan celebrate cartoon gunmen ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) β About 50 Islamists have held a special service in Pakistan to honor the two men who were killed in Texas after they opened fire at a cartoon contest featuring images of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad. The cleric Mohammad Chishti led the service for Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi at a public park in northwest Pakistan. Chishti told journalists that the two men were martyrs and that he organized the service to pay tribute to them. MILITARY BASE-CHILD ABUSE Son testifies in New Jersey military child abuse case NEWARK, N.J. (AP) β The teenage son of a New Jersey military couple charged with abusing their three foster children has told a jury that his parents used Bible passages to justify their actions. John Jackson Jr. took the witness stand Tuesday in federal court in Newark and described how his parents used a paddle, a ruler, a belt and a stick to hit the younger children. He also said they forced them to drink hot sauce as punishment. John and Carolyn Jackson were charged two years ago with crimes including endangerment, assault and conspiracy. A first trial ended in a mistrial last fall. The Jacksons were living at Picatinny Arsenal in northwestern New Jersey when prosecutors say the abuse occurred. The couple denies the charges. John Jr. is one of the Jacksons’ three biological children. VATICAN-CUBA Vatican says Cuban president to visit Pope Francis this week VATICAN CITY (AP) β The Vatican says Cuban President Raul Castro will visit Pope Francis this Sunday at the Vatican. A brief statement from Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi Tuesday said Francis would receive Castro in the Apostolic Palace for a “strictly private audience.” Lombardi noted that Castro has publicly thanked Francis for his role in bringing about the rapprochement between the United States and Cuba. Francis is due to visit Cuba before he arrives in the U.S. at the end of September. POPE-AUTOGRAPHED BASEBALL Duluth priest says Pope Francis signed baseball for him DULUTH, Minn. (AP) β A Duluth, Minnesota, priest says Pope Francis signed a baseball for him during a recent trip to Rome. The Rev. Richard Kunst told WDIO-TV that he met with the pope last week, taking along a baseball for Francis to sign. Kunst says the meeting lasted about a minute and that he was on “cloud nine.” Kunst says he asked the pope to sign a baseball because of the “rarity and uncommon nature of it,” and because it could speak to people who aren’t interested in matters of faith. The baseball that Kunst says the pope autographed has “Francis” scrawled on it. LEPROSY PATIENTS-HAWAII PENINSULA Remote home of leprosy patients could open door wider HONOLULU (AP) β A remote peninsula on the Hawaiian island of Molokai (moh-loh-KY’-ee) where missionaries have cared for leprosy patients since the 19th century could be opened more fully to the public as the last remaining residents near the end of their lives. Now called Kalaupapa National Historical Park, the site is now only open to 100 adults per day and is accessible exclusively by plane or mule. The area has strong connections to the Roman Catholic Church because Saints Damien and Marianne cared for leprosy patients there. Nuns from the Sisters of St. Francis continue to care for the remaining patients, who range in age from 73 to 92. Once the last patient dies, the National Park Service would like to open the park to more visitors, according to a draft of the agency’s long-term management plan.
