Phil Gingrey walks out on Barack Obama’s prayer address
A spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey confirmed this afternoon that the Marietta Republican walked out of President Barack Obama’s address at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, offended by what the congressman said was an injection of political rhetoric into an occasion of non-partisan reflection.
“He was glad that the president attended, but he felt that there were 364 days in a year to give a speech on your policies or campaign rhetoric,” said Gingrey spokeswoman Jen Talaber.
She said Gingrey enjoyed the remarks by the event’s keynote speaker, conservative author Eric Metaxes, who was in South Carolina last month campaigning with GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum.
Here are the opening paragraphs from the Associated Press account of Obama’s remarks:
WASHINGTON — Blending politics and religion, President Barack Obama said his Christian faith is a driving force behind his economic policies, from Wall Street reform to his calls for the wealthy to pay higher taxes.
Obama’s remarks Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast were his most explicit account of how his personal religious beliefs factor into his decision-making on the nation’s pressing problems. The comments came amid election-year criticism from Catholic groups and some Republicans that the president is waging a war on religion following his decision to require church-affiliated institutions to cover free birth control for employees.
Speaking to more than 3,000 people at the annual breakfast, Obama said “faith and values” should play as much as role in tackling the nation’s challenges as sound decision-making and smart policies.
Talaber, the spokeswoman for Gingrey, said the Georgia congressman – a devout Catholic — listened to “several minutes” of Obama’s remarks.
“[Gingrey] said he was disappointed, because he wanted to know what was in the president’s heart, and not just rhetoric,” the spokeswoman said. “So he said that he decided to quietly get up and leave because he felt that it wasn’t the time or the place, and that the president didn’t seem to be aware of the meaning of the breakfast or why so many people came to hear him speak. He was offended by the very tone of the speech.”
Talaber said she didn’t know whether any other members of Congress who followed Gingrey’s example. “He wasn’t trying to rally the troops,” she said.
The AP account backs up one of Gingrey’s points, reporting that the president’s defense of his policies was a “rare injection” of politics into the annual bipartisan event. Here’s the remainder of the piece:
[Obama] said, for example, that his own call for fairness in the tax code — a central tenet of his State of the Union address and his 2012 campaign — is both economically sound and consistent with the teachings of Jesus.
“If I’m willing to give something up as somebody who’s been extraordinarily blessed, and give up some of the tax breaks that I enjoy, I actually think that’s going to make economic sense,” he said. “But for me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’s teaching that ‘for unto whom much is given, much shall be required.’ It mirrors the Islamic belief that those who’ve been blessed have an obligation to use those blessings to help others, or the Jewish doctrine of moderation and consideration for others.”
He also said the Wall Street reform he championed both “makes the economy stronger for everyone” and abides by God’s command to “love thy neighbor as thyself” because it helped people who had been hurt or treated unfairly by financial institutions.
And Obama said he believed in a “biblical call” to care for the poor and to follow “the responsibility we’re given in Proverbs to ‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.’”
The president’s remarks came one day after Mitt Romney, the front-runner for the Republican nomination, created a flap with clumsy comments about the poor.
Romney said wasn’t concerned about the “very poor” because they have a safety net. He also said he wasn’t concerned about the very rich and intended to focus his campaign on the middle class.
“You can focus on the very poor; that’s not my focus,” Romney said.
While the White House said the president’s remarks were not meant to be political, his comments did fit neatly into the Obama campaign’s effort to draw sharp contrasts between the president and Romney.
The former Massachusetts governor is among Republicans who have criticized the president for not exempting religious organizations from a requirement in the 2010 health care law that requires insurers to cover birth control for their employees. Romney said this week that the president was ordering “religious organizations to violate their conscience.”
GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich said Obama has “declared war on the Catholic Church,” and House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday the mandate violates the Constitution.
Obama never mentioned the controversy in his remarks Thursday, nor did he reference his Republican rivals by name.
But his broader defense of his policies was a rare interjection of politics into the annual prayer breakfast. The breakfast is organized by bipartisan congressional lawmakers, but speakers often avoid overt political references beyond calling for civility and respect in Washington.
While Obama speaks often about his faith, he prefers to worship in private. He said Thursday that he starts each morning with a brief prayer, then spends time reading scripture. Sometimes, he said, pastors come to the Oval Officer to pray with him, for his family and for the country.
He also described his own religious transformation in deeply personal language Thursday, from growing up in a non-religious home to finding Christ later in his life. He recalled a visit a few years ago with the evangelist Rev. Billy Graham, which ended with the president feeling compelled to pray for the aging Graham.
Obama said when he found himself at that moment not knowing what to say, the Holy Spirit interceded.
“I have fallen on my knees with great regularity since that moment, asking God for guidance not just in my personal life and my Christian walk, but in the life of this nation and in the values that hold us together and keep us strong,” he said.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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710 comments Add your comment
Question
February 3rd, 2012
8:58 am
How dare Obama talk about Bible and Jesus?
We all know Jesus belongs only to the Republicans and Phil Gingrey was right to walk out..
SHAME ON YOU
February 3rd, 2012
9:00 am
It amazes me to see all you Demacrats so freely backing a President who cares nothing for this country. You call him a Christian but he has no Christian values. Even Satan can speak the word.
Shannon
February 3rd, 2012
9:01 am
Phil is a complete moron, heck look at his hair it is hard to take him seriously. The only time a politician is not “campaigning” is maybe when they are asleep. I take that back they are probably dreaming about “campaigning”
helpus
February 3rd, 2012
9:01 am
Who is trump? who cares about trump, he aint nothing!!! and also, so if President Obama is a Muslim, he is a good one, plus U dont know what if he is a Muslim. He is there to get the job done for all people. he cares about the POOR!!! he will serve second term!!! believethat.
Contractor
February 3rd, 2012
9:01 am
Who wouldn’t walk out of a Barack Obama speech? The guy talks down to everyone and makes everyone feel like they’re not doing their share, and continues to peddle lies. By his own omission he should be a one term president. He is QUOTED in saying that his policies and the results from those policies should make him a one term president. The guy is garbage, and he’s from an even slimier city in Chicago, so that should be all you want to know, and add on top the last three years of pathetic policy and you should have your answer of where to send this loser. He does not command respect from anyone, because he has done nothing to help any of us. He wants the rich to pay their fair share, but I don’t see him writing a personal check from his multi-million dollar bank account to help out. Warren Buffett is the only one who has put his money where his mouth is. Make the smart decision and get this trash out of office, and elect anyone else, heck even another Democrat would be better than this fool.
Quagmire
February 3rd, 2012
9:01 am
How dare President Obama talk to Christians about a Hewbrew!!!!!!!!!
Georgia, 50th in education – 200 years and going!!!!!!
MrLiberty
February 3rd, 2012
9:03 am
A consumate war criminal like Obama should not even be allowed at a prayer breakfast unless he is there praying for his own soul. Given the voting record of Gingrey and the majority of the rest who were there the same thing would apply. It is disgusting that the same people who are secretly plotting a false flag event to justify the slaughter of millions of Iranians to keep the government of Israel happy and their friends in the military industrial complex wealthy consider themselves worthy at all in the face of god.
The government of this country is truly disgusting.
helpus
February 3rd, 2012
9:04 am
I LOVE MY President, He is a MAN!!! A REAL MAN.he got swag.
John Galt
February 3rd, 2012
9:04 am
Well done Gingrey.
I don’t think Obama wants to do to religion for his economic policies. In the Old Testament it says that those who won’t work (not can’t) shouldn’t be fed.
Paddy O
February 3rd, 2012
9:04 am
Shine is an atheistic liberal.
Goober
February 3rd, 2012
9:04 am
Right Shame, how can a guy be Christian with only one wife.
hornblowermg
February 3rd, 2012
9:05 am
you people who seem to look down your nose at Georgians need to get the hell out of our state. and carry a few of your carpetbagger friends with you.
Quagmire
February 3rd, 2012
9:05 am
“Cling to their Bibles and their Guns”………..A very wise man said that once
sheepdawg
February 3rd, 2012
9:06 am
wish gingrey would keep walking and never come back to Georgia
sheepdawg
February 3rd, 2012
9:06 am
wish gingrey would keep walking and never come back to Georgia
sheepdawg
February 3rd, 2012
9:06 am
wish gingrey would keep walking and never come back to Georgia
John Galt
February 3rd, 2012
9:06 am
Tony @ 8:57
Don’t speak of Jesus, your comment suggests that you know little of Him-
TallaDawg
February 3rd, 2012
9:06 am
Just like a Conservative. “If I do not agree with you, I will not listen, and it’s your fault for making me feel bad.”
vote
February 3rd, 2012
9:08 am
Here is the thing. It is not Christian to have the government taking care of the people. God calls His people to be hard working and dependent on Him for their needs.
The President’s rhetoric is the furtherest from a Biblical perspective on charity and poverty.
Quagmire
February 3rd, 2012
9:08 am
Us out of towners have come to the state of Georgia to stop all of the inbreeding that is destroy this state.
Proofer
February 3rd, 2012
9:09 am
Just another pathetic stunt by Gingrey to get his name in the paper and his unattractive face on TV. He’s a jerk!!
TallaDawg
February 3rd, 2012
9:09 am
@John Galt – I guess from your comment you are not a Christian. From the Christian perspective, Jesus upended the harsh Old Testament law.
ATLHawk
February 3rd, 2012
9:10 am
Ya he has swag .,. . . . are you kidding me, helpus? Its people like you who shouldn’t vote. Watch a debate please and become educated. There are so many people on here that have been misled by Obama. What has he done in the past 4 years? He keeps talking, but no actions have been made. He doesn’t listen, just talks. So many unaware people on this blog. Good thing we live in GA, if you don’t like this state, please move. You can’t pick a president by what he says, look at his track record.
helpus
February 3rd, 2012
9:10 am
So, LET him Walk, no skin off our back. President knows now that he is not for him. LET him GOOOO!gingrey, walk no skin off our back. He’s from GA.
Contractor
February 3rd, 2012
9:10 am
TallaDawg,
Well until a Liberal can bring factual evidence to the table instead of calling people names, pulling the race card, and just plain crying, then there is no reason to listen to your pathetic excuses. And there’s no way you’re a Bulldog fan, because the University of Georgia doesn’t stand for being a loser, it stands for people that want to actually be educated and making the most they can of theirselves. I.E. being successful and making money to take care of theirselves, everything the Liberal agenda is against.
Quagmire
February 3rd, 2012
9:11 am
You know President Obama will ban Sunday School and make it only availble on Pay Per View in Cobb County
jms
February 3rd, 2012
9:11 am
Rural education: “Once an idiot always an idiot”
Gingrey is a GA Tech grad and a doctor. I’ll wager he’s far smarter than you.
joe
February 3rd, 2012
9:12 am
Atta Boy Phil!!!!
Quagmire
February 3rd, 2012
9:13 am
Bulldog fan, because the University of Georgia doesn’t stand for being a loser
You want to ask Boise State, UCF, West Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Michigan State, LSU, should I continue
TallaDawg
February 3rd, 2012
9:14 am
vote – The big problem with your statement and with much of the right-wing view is not understanding that WE are the government. The government is not some external entity. However, a government of 300 million is never going to do exactly what you want all of the time. Even, in a family of four you do not get your way all of the time (unless you are a heavy-handed, egotistical, narcissist or a spoiled brat, but that is another topic for another forum).
Joe Mama
February 3rd, 2012
9:14 am
Going Right — “Samuel Johnson, in among his many quotations, said: “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
Samuel Johnson also said “take your traveling manners with you when you go out in public and don’t act like a Richard.”
FedUp
February 3rd, 2012
9:15 am
Good grief, Obama quoted the bible is like a stripper leading a Girl Scout troup. If he would dive into the verses about “unto whom much is given, much is required” had NOTHING to do about them giving all their money to the poor and sharing the wealth. It also says in the bible that if a man doesn’t work, then he shouldn’t eat. Socialist policies is what Obama is pushing. Nothing else. His speeches amount to nothing more than ridiculing the United States and those that have worked hard and took the risk to make the money they have. Who is going to employ, invest and continue to grow the economy if you take from those with the means to do so? I’m sorry but he doesn’t have a clue!
Quagmire
February 3rd, 2012
9:15 am
President Obama has misled us…………………..
Like the good Christian President that led us into 2 falsified WARS – WMD’s
congo dawg
February 3rd, 2012
9:17 am
It ocurs to me that on this post, most of the critisism is coming from the so called “Im a Christian and people on the left”. It is amazing to me what people choose to tolerate from this President and elecvted official while putting blame on anyone who stands against him and also against what the Bible says. The GOP haters dont want to look at the fact the Obama came from Chicago politics as a community organizer, and what knd of philosphy is behind Chicago politics! Nor do they want to look at all the spending that has taken place under this administration! You DO NOT show up at a prayer event and talk about ME ME ME, bc remember he stated the he was EMBARRASSED of Americans! People on the Left also cant say, Gingrey walked out bc he was a republican and was going to disagree with whatever the President said bc that makes you a complete HYPOCRITE! Its time for the so called “Christians” to join together instead of fighting amongst us! Now Ill be waiting for my corretion and how I should think about this situation!
Reality
February 3rd, 2012
9:17 am
@Suuurrreee-
Bush was treated as such because of his decisions and his policies.
Obama is disrespected simply because he is black.
Big difference.
Capt-Dax
February 3rd, 2012
9:17 am
The Cult of Alinsky: “True revolutionaries do not flaunt their radicalism, Alinsky taught.
They cut their hair, put on suits and infiltrate the system from within.
Alinsky viewed revolution as a slow, patient process.
The trick was to penetrate existing institutions such as churches, unions and political parties….
BradC
February 3rd, 2012
9:17 am
Bravo Rep. Gingrey.
Contractor
February 3rd, 2012
9:17 am
Quagmire,
You want to throw out any teams that have never lost a game ever? I’m really interested in seeing if you can find an answer to that. So by your measure, all schools are losers.
Anyways, I’ll bet my life on the fact that you couldn’t get into Georgia, or have what it takes to even graduate from such a school. Seeing as your handle is that or a cartoon, I think that speaks for itself and you’re just another blogger that makes smart little comments that hold no water to make himself feel better. Have a nice day, and come join the big kids table when you’re actually ready to make a decent comment.
Who Cares?
February 3rd, 2012
9:18 am
And Quagmire, since you brought up Georgia’s history, I’m sure that you’re aware that Sonny Perdue was the first Republican Governor in Georgia since reconstruction. Rufus B. Bullock, the last Republican Governor before Perdue, served from July 4,1868 until October 30, 1871. So, from 1871 through 2003, Georgia’s Governor was an elected Democrat. That’s 132 consecutive years of Democratic policy in this state. So, my friends, all you liberals poking fun at what an embarrassment Georgia is can place the rightful blame on the failures of the policies and programs of your party. It’ll take some time, but little by little, Georgia will right the ship. Now, go back to your baseless rants.
Sick of the BS
February 3rd, 2012
9:19 am
How rude of Cong. Gingrey. This is a perfect example of why Congress has virtually no respect from the American public – neither side is willing to listen to the other. And the issue should NOT be politics in religion – the issue should be religion in politics. Ask our founding fathers – religion and government are separate issues and should not be mixed. Keep your god(s) out of our government!!
Reality
February 3rd, 2012
9:19 am
@congo dawg -
Your post is a bit all-over-the-place. However, I want to point out that this was a prayer breakfest of politicans. You combine religon and politics and you end up with the President relating his policies to his views on religon.
How is this about ME, ME, ME?
gapeach
February 3rd, 2012
9:19 am
Give me a break!!! I am sick to say I am from the same state as that man. There are going to be people in this world you don’t agree with but in a position held like a Congressman, how rude and disrespectful to get up and walk out of a speech by our president. You might not have voted for him (hell I might not have) but he is in office and can’t do anything about it. The point is show some respect…….don’t walk out!!! How childish!!!!! That is what is wrong with this country and what we are becoming……..childish, disrespectful ways! The children of this country are being raised to be the same way as well.
FedUp
February 3rd, 2012
9:20 am
Well, Quagmire, Maybe Obama can take those “Savings” he speaks about from fighting in Iraq and use it to build roads, etc.. (NOT) It’s not savings from not fighting in Iraq, that money was BORROWED. How can you spend money that was borrowed and call it savings? Well the stupidity of this nation eats it up because when you are borrowing 1.3 Trillion dollars to cover the budget, money not spent should be bringing the deficit on a yearly basis DOWN! Oh, and I am glad that the President believes it’s a good choice to CUT the Defense budget while sharing our defense technology secrets with the Russian, who no less support N. Korea and Iran. Really good!
helpus
February 3rd, 2012
9:20 am
Are you kidding me atlhawk, It’s people like U, should not VOTE. what did brush do for the people, he mess up the US and ran, but people like U like that, President Obama is trying to help the US. brush mess it up so bad, it made a way for a black man to straight it out. He will. He does have SWAg and he is bright, intelligent and all of that. LOVE, PEACE and soul!!!
TallaDawg
February 3rd, 2012
9:21 am
@jms – Just becasue he may be smart in one field does not mean that he is has common sense or understands economics (doctors are notoriously poor business people). Further, being smart does not preclude being a rude S O B.
BradC
February 3rd, 2012
9:22 am
@Reality
His skin color has nothing to do with his dis-respect .It is about his policies. Like his policies of putting in an AG who wouldn’t prosecute black panthers with nightsticks at a polling place in ‘08. Like his policies of pushing through a health care bill he was told over and over again nobody wanted. Like his policies of continuing to allow countries that hate our free drill for oil while he prevents it here. Like his policies of giving grants to “green energy” companies run by donors who he knows will return a portion of the grant to his campaign even though the company had no business model for success.
Those are the reasons we oppose Obama. He is eliminating our freedoms and turning us into Greece.
A.E.
February 3rd, 2012
9:24 am
Typical GEORGIA PECKERWOOD REDNECK. You brought us here, we are here, we will stay here AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO CLAIM OUR PART OF THIS POWER STRUCTURE. GET USED TO IT OR GET THE HELL OUT !!
Jim163
February 3rd, 2012
9:24 am
“But for me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’s teaching that ‘for unto whom much is given, much shall be required.’
Yeah, that is what is wrong with this country, nobody thinks anything was earned any more. Everything was apparently given.
Reality
February 3rd, 2012
9:24 am
@Fed Up -
Totally agree with you….
Give Paris Hilton a break! She has worked very hard all of her life for her millions. She had to get student loans for her college education. She started as an underpaid intern and worked her way up. We all need to leave her alone. She now employs millions of Americans and is helping to reduce unemployment. She deserves to pay less taxes than someone making only $30,000 per year!
Give the kids from Jersey Shore a break! They also got student loans to attend undergraduate and also medical school. So, they started in debt to the tune of almost $100,000. They have worked very very hard to get to where they are today. It takes physical sweat to accomplish everything that they have done, not to mention high IQs.
We all just need to back off.
FedUp
February 3rd, 2012
9:25 am
TallaDawg, One thing for sure, our President doesn’t understand economics. It’s a joke! All of you who were complaining about gas prices under Bush, where are you? When Bush left office the gas per gallon was $2.07. Today, well anywhere from $3.35 to $3.60 in Ga depending on the day. Oh, I cannot wait to hear all of you say it’s the oil companies fault. Do your research, oil companies average .12 cents of profit from your gallon of gas. The government and state? .55 cents. Figue it out. Maybe we should kick the GOVERNMENT out.