Roy Barnes’ list of African-American clergy

One of the key questions next Tuesday will be whether African-Americans, for the first time, comprise 50 percent or more of the vote in a Georgia Democratic primary.

It’s a matter of some interest to all the Democratic candidates for governor. But it matters most to Attorney General Thurbert Baker and former Gov. Roy Barnes.

With the last Sunday before the primary quickly approaching, the Barnes campaign this morning showed off the kind of support his campaign might receive in pulpits across metro Atlanta.

The strongest recorded statement of support came from Bishop Eddie Long, the influential pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in south DeKalb – Baker’s stomping grounds.

“Roy is the only candidate in this race who has consistently been a friend to our community. He is the only one I trust to guide our state in a better direction,” Long was quoted as saying.

One name missing from the formal roster of endorsements was the name of the Rev. Gamaliel Warnock, senior pastor of historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Baker occupies a pew. But Warnock was at the Barnes event.

The list of metro Atlanta pastors for Barnes:

K.J. Anderson III

Mr. Joe Beasley

Rev. Frank C. Brown

Ms. Robin Brown

Bishop Dr. Tonya Summer Brown

Ms. Angie Buck

Rev. Dr. Richard Cobble

Rev. Dr. Anthony Cooper, Sr.

Rev. Dr. Howard Creecy

Pastor Jesse Curney

Rev. Dr. Gerald Durley

Mr. Mack Glover

Rev. Michael Harris

Ms. Dorothy Herring

Rev. Dr. Toussaint Hill

Bishop Wiley Jackson II

Rev. Dr. Frank Jones

Rev. Michael Jones

Rev. Dr. Walter Kimbrough

Rev. Dr. Barbara King

Mr. Curtis King

Pastor Eric Lee, Jr.

Elder Diane Lewis

Bishop Ralph Lewis, Sr.

Bishop Eddie Long

Rev. Albert E. Love

Rev. Yevette Massey

Rev. Dr. Samuel Matthews

Rev. Timothy McDonald

Rev. Cal “Happy Preacher” Merrell

Pastor Craig Oliver

Mrs. Cleophas Orange

Rev. L. K. Pendleton

Rev. Roderick Perrymond

Murjan Rasheed

Rev. Edward Reynolds

Ms. Rachel Simmons

Pastor Tony Simmons

Rev. Dorothy Sims

Bishop Ruth Smith-Holmes

Rev. Evelyn Taylor

Rev. Eric Todd

Rev. Harris Travis

Siegfnel D. White

Rev. Jasper Williams

Pastor Joseph Williams

Ms. Carolyn Wilson

Ms. Dawn Wilson

Rev. Jerry Woodfork, Jr.

Rev. Richard Wynn

Ambassador Andrew Young

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.

50 comments Add your comment

Air force one

July 13th, 2010
6:51 pm

Who cares?? Not there members.

ron

July 13th, 2010
7:04 pm

Their endorsement isn’t worth a “warm bucket of spit.”

Truth

July 13th, 2010
7:11 pm

Just goes to show you that the black churches and leaders are using it’s influence for politics. Most of the time for black only canidates. Blacks in America are the most racist of all. Don’t believe me? Go downtown to city hall and see for yourself. In Atlanta or the ATL as some of you call it has become a very racist city lead by blacks for blacks. How come black preachers are aloud to preach politics for the church ? They should all lose their tax exempt from thr IRS.

Sam the Sham

July 13th, 2010
7:21 pm

I’m sure Charles Walker would endorse him too. How soon we forget.

khc

July 13th, 2010
7:35 pm

truth, i am sure you never thought or did anything that might be construed as racist

Tomb

July 13th, 2010
7:57 pm

Barnes has got the cash for the “walk around” money. Thurbert does’nt

Jon Lester.

July 13th, 2010
8:14 pm

Truth, I’d like to end church tax exemption entirely, regardless of who the parishioners are. I’ve also noticed much more (and egregious) political activism from white churches.

This is Mrs.Normain Maine

July 13th, 2010
8:28 pm

I could care less if Eddie Long in his tight muscle shirt endorsed anybody.

No that’s wrong, I do care. Barnes just lost my vote. If Eddie Long is on his side, he must be shady.

Still Angry!!!!

July 13th, 2010
8:36 pm

Looks like Roy is buying the vote…I mean spending his money!

Nick

July 13th, 2010
8:41 pm

Truth – Really? Black ministers are supporting the WHITE canidate and they are racist…guess we can’t win huh..if “All racist black people” supported Thurbert Baker then we would REALLY be racist…funny stuff..

Bitter EX democrackkk

July 13th, 2010
8:42 pm

Lotsa shady characters on this list…

Karen Handel is the ONLY sensible choice for Georgia, and the black clergy know it.

Tim

July 13th, 2010
8:42 pm

Who freaking care who the preacher votes for in the election. Since Wiley Jackson is voting for Barnes, I will vote for Mickey Mouse.

Martin

July 13th, 2010
8:54 pm

Why is it that whenever I read the comments on this site, all I find are white people accusing black people of racism?

PhD

July 13th, 2010
9:02 pm

These churches should not be exempt from taxes on any money that they receive. When is someone going to do something about this????? I guess not the current President!

Will Jones - Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis

July 13th, 2010
9:26 pm

Eddie Long was a big supporter of George W. Bush, and Bush, having been cheated into office by only the Roman Catholics on the Supreme Court, committed 9/11 (Viz. “The New Pearl Harbor,” Griffin, Ph.D.).

That makes Bush – whose father assassinated John and Martin, and whose grandfather was the money conduit from the Roman Catholic Church’s American collection plates through the coffers of the Vatican banker Rockefellers’ Chase Manhattan Bank to the author of “I Paid Hitler,” Prescott Bush’s fellow papal knight Fritz “The Rockefeller of Germany” Thyssen – part of the revealed Anti-Christ.

So “Bishop” Eddie Long – who buys cars for the “single” mothers in his congregation – is a known supporter of the revealed Anti-Christ in America.

Hmmm. Any discerning souls “do the math” on Roy Barnes’ endorsement by Eddie Long?

No wonder Barnes tries to hide his baldness.

mjct1

July 13th, 2010
10:32 pm

Truth wrote a very disrespectful comment. When the black church, which as the article shows is not involved, we are threatened about our tax exempt status. Black ministers stated their given right to free speech and desired to cast their support for Former Governor Roy Barnes. Make up your mind. They supported a non African American candidate. They did not say in the name of their church of God. They seem to have supported a candidate that you dislike. It seems that the need you want is acceptable if they go along with what you think. Please just state you disagree with their support and not make something obvious!!!!!!

mjct1

July 13th, 2010
10:37 pm

Sam the Sham, what about the many people that followed Jerry Farwell. What about the many people that followed our past president. We must attack because of weapons of mass destruction. Then later, okay there were no weapons of mass destruction.

mjct1

July 13th, 2010
10:38 pm

Still Angry, If the ministers had supported your candidate, would the buying vote statement surfaced?

mjct1

July 13th, 2010
10:40 pm

PhD. Do not these politicians still show up on church benches on Sunday? WHY????

cs

July 13th, 2010
10:42 pm

dang. no white honky pastor list? whats the world coming to……….gag.

mjct1

July 13th, 2010
10:43 pm

Newt Gingrich supporters are all over this article. I am sorry. Maybe the Sarah Palin endorsers are reviewing this article and she has lately ONLY endorsed ANY FEMALE CANDIDATES IN A RACE. Does that not show a certain sign.

mjct1

July 13th, 2010
10:43 pm

CS, now I do agree with that thought.

mjct1

July 13th, 2010
10:48 pm

IN the word. Peter was told to go and look into the mouth of a fish and pay his taxes. Personal opinion- we are were we are because more church people or only on the pew and not in elected positions. I wish tax exempt status would go away. Our preachers tell us that the God we serve will provide. Give Caesar is taxes church. God will provide away to give back and more. THAT IS WHAT IS ALSO SAID ABOUT OUR TITHING!

mjct1

July 13th, 2010
10:50 pm

I must apologize and reword my thought about CS comment. I ask is there a list of ministers that are not African American wish to show their support for Roy Barnes. There truly was some that greatly came out against our present President but stayed quiet while Younger President Bush was in office.

Dee

July 13th, 2010
11:16 pm

Bishop Long is my minister, and I love him but I WON’T be voting for ROY because I don’t like him
or his policies.

truth hurts

July 14th, 2010
12:06 am

yea, its true you got some racist blacks and you def got some peckerwood redneck klansmen in NE GA.

A lot of ppl are so black and white they forget the browns will take over in 2050 if the numbers keep goin the way there are.

just think of it like this we pushed the Native American from their lands and now they are coming back. cause if you havent noticed Mexicans are more Indian than Spanish.

crowdog

July 14th, 2010
4:14 am

Barnes is pimpin the clergy like he is pimpin the teachers union. These clergy disgust me. They look for handouts from the Democratic party. Is it better to teach a man to fish or just give him a fish. Democrats have enslaved black america too long and with clergy support. Some are so bold these clergy they will tell people from the pulpit who to vote for like a fool these blind sheep follow their shephard to their slaughter.

a_word

July 14th, 2010
4:30 am

I, for one will not be voting for Mr. Barnes…mainly because I can’t forget his last election. When Mr. Barnes did not when, he stated he lost because the African-American voters did not show up to the polls because of the rain. I mean, really!!! Yes it was raining, and Yes, I showed up to vote…but why is it the only time we physically see you in the African American community is during election time?

a_word

July 14th, 2010
4:32 am

that should be: When Mr. Barnes did not win! (for the grammar police)

Mitch

July 14th, 2010
6:45 am

So much for separation of church and state!

Jim 007

July 14th, 2010
6:50 am

Didn’t Barnes have all the teachers vote aganist him the last time he ran for Gov ?

Georgia Teachers Do Not Forget….

Barnes is Bad News !!

Barne's has long list of supporters & short list of issues

July 14th, 2010
6:53 am

Take a look at Barne’s web site. Under issues ( http://www.roy2010.com/issues ) he lists jobs, education, water, and transportation. These are important but he’s missing something here that is very important to progressives.

Barnes’ makes no mention of the $2 billion that leaves our state every year that goes for the purchase of coal. The burning of coal for electricity accounts for 67% of our electricity production. It poisons our waterways with mercury and adds to the problem of climate change. To make matters worse, power companies want to build more coal plants! Where do the clergy stand on this, where does Mr. Barnes stand? He should stand by the science and support local/green elctricity production. Doing so would be good for our economy and our environment and it’s the right thing to do.

Maybe some of these esteemed people listed above will remind Mr. Barnes of this moral obligation.

J.R. Ewing

July 14th, 2010
7:23 am

Don’t ever trust a lawyer named Barnes !

Jason T

July 14th, 2010
7:59 am

Nice “separation of church and state”, huh?

claire

July 14th, 2010
8:19 am

truth….white churches do the same thing. And its “allowed” not “aloud”.

Sister Christian

July 14th, 2010
8:27 am

How could any church support a candidate that is pro-abortion and pro gay marriage ?

Bobby Kahn

July 14th, 2010
8:58 am

Don’t worry doubters. These “men of the cloth” will have to make the usual financial contributions once I am back in power – or they will not be allowed in my sanctuary of power.

Oh Well

July 14th, 2010
9:11 am

to say that these church leaders have followers who act like “sheep” is disrepectful and insulting…

while no one on the list is a leader at my church – even if they were, I can make my OWN mind up, thank you very much. And I don’t care who endorses who…

this goes for not only Black church leaders but other races as well. And it doesn’t stop at church leaders – this also includes political leaders/sports stars/music stars – WHOMEVER!

Because if you go with that analogy – that means that if I’m conservative then whenever Rush/Hannity/Boortz/Gingrich etc say something or endorse someone, then I blindly go ahead and vote/support that person?!?!?

C’mon, people!

Strong White Woman

July 14th, 2010
9:24 am

These things are only “bad” when blacks do it, duh. My church has Oxendine for Gov signs all up and down the block. But it’s alright, cause it’s all White! :-)

Why don’t you post a list of all the clergy that will be endorsing Oxendine?

Sanity

July 14th, 2010
9:32 am

When Roy Barnes visited my church and our pastor introduced him as “the next governor of Ga”, there was a collective slow clap amongst the congregation, many of us who are educators that have not forgotten what Roy did to us during his last run. Please do not think that we don’t have the capability to think for ourselves, Roy will NOT be getting my vote no matter how chummy he is with my pastor.

Will Jones - Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis

July 14th, 2010
10:26 am

Barnes is clearly “circling the drain.” Any who care for him should suggest he visit to a competent physician.

The Porters, in Georgia’s honored high offices, will help light up the Nation.

For once, in this modern era, all Americans will see what true, vigorous Georgians are, so blessed to be in this most wonderful area of America, to which millions are drawn from near and far, for opportunity, great climate, physical beauty, family raising, and fun.

Georgia is G-d’s country. Carol and DuBose Porter, as our leadership team, in goodness and truth, will be a refreshing and inspiring change, and a great example to our youth.

Annuit Coeptis

Intown

July 14th, 2010
10:28 am

Barnes has this thing locked up. He is just a better campaigner than Baker. It’s a shame they couldn’t work something out. The Dems don’t really have the luxury of missing a chance to have one of their strongest incumbents on the ballot in the general election.

Will Jones - Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis

July 14th, 2010
10:50 am

Barnes may have the draft-dodging closet-queen vote “locked up,” but that isn’t the majority in Georgia.

[...] Every election candidates often suddenly appear in the congregation as “special guests” of the preacher. Blogger Jim Galloway is keeping an eye on which preacher is lining up behind which politician. Read more. [...]

oldtimer

July 14th, 2010
12:25 pm

Will the churches and the preachers ever go back to helping people in need and not big business and politics. I will give my money directly to people in need until the churches get out of big business and politics! To list these preachers as supporters of Barnes is insane.

khc

July 14th, 2010
9:04 pm

anyone watching the debates knows baker, nice guy that he is, is really a light weight….

Catlady, Jr.

July 14th, 2010
11:05 pm

I love Roy. We played poker together last night. I love Roy. Bobby K. had to keep serving us Pina Coladas! He actually wrote down everyone that I ordered. What’s wrong with this Cat (no pun intended)?

Mid Ga Retiree

July 15th, 2010
9:33 am

Could these preachers be sending a message to Baker, who supposedly endorsed and supported Hillary Clinton in the presidential primaries, while Barnes supposedly endorsed and supported Obama?

[...] Dem-Gov: Former Governor Roy Barnes (D) has released a lengthy list of endorsements from black members of the clergy. Barnes’ closest opponent in the Democratic Gubernatorial Primary is Attorney General Thurbert Baker (D). [...]

Patrick

July 18th, 2010
2:47 pm

Truth, Maybe if you could distinguish the difference between “allowed” and “aloud”, you wouldn’t be in the complaining position that you are.