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
rbd
February 2nd, 2012
10:02 pm
I can only imagine.
Phil Grahamer
February 2nd, 2012
10:02 pm
Irregardless of what that buffoon Centrist had to say, its literally none of you’re business what affect loosing respect for the President has on they’re ability too govern effectively; rest assured the President is nonplussed by Gingrey’s reaction and could really care less.
PubilusPost
February 2nd, 2012
10:02 pm
Did this hypocrite, gingrey, ever walk out on the last President? Its amazing how people are showing their true colors. Think of all the things the gop has gotten away with in the area of just disrespect for the office of the Presidency. They call the president a Muslim and not Christian and criticized his Christian Pastor. They say he was not born in America (mostly out of ignorance of not knowing Hawaii is a state), yet McCain was born in Panama(ignorance on their part again, McCain was not born in Panama City). They claim he does not know the Constitution, yet the President taught the Constitution at a major University.
You can dis-agree with the POTUS politics but temper your hate and respect the Office, gingrey!
Centrist
February 2nd, 2012
10:05 pm
Must use a different spelling to get past the robo-censor.
crocktail might work.
Dennis
February 2nd, 2012
10:05 pm
And I was not a big fan of a LOT of what Bush did..but he was also majorly disrespected, and accused of bombing innocent civilians on his watch
KEON
February 2nd, 2012
10:05 pm
REALLY PHIL!? REALLY!?
It would be laughable if it weren’t sad. If the president had prayed in the name of the trinity, or just the name of Jesus, or just the name of the Father…or in no name they would have a problem. Really, it’s being seen more and more that this guy is HATED by the other side and nothing he does will be acceptable to them. They can say this has nothing to do with race but students of history know the signs and cues. If this were the a different time…say 1950 or even 1960…(one he probably wouldn’t be in the office) but I could only imagine what actions would be taken by the opposition.
InAtl
February 2nd, 2012
10:06 pm
Thank you, Congressman Gingrey, for standing up for what is right. Bringing politics into a religious breakfast was beyond the pale. Nothing new for our clueless commander in chief.
KEON
February 2nd, 2012
10:07 pm
P.S. it sounds like Phil was being pricked in his own hear and conscious like the one’s who stoned St. Stephen when he retorted to them the faith in him from the beging or moses to his time. How dare you compare the ministry of Jesus with concern for people!?
John Boehner's Tanning Bed
February 2nd, 2012
10:07 pm
Have any of these evangelicals actually read the New Testament? Do they know what is says about the least of thee? The poor, widowed, and orphaned? Do you think Jesus would deny someone health care? Do you really think Jesus would say drill baby drill? Really?
Tyson
February 2nd, 2012
10:08 pm
Way to go Gingrey! Stand up and walk out!
Sheila
February 2nd, 2012
10:08 pm
Religous groups use the goverment to bully all people. Moochers use the government to bully all people (that work). Please just go away! If you don’t like this state, just go away.
David H
February 2nd, 2012
10:08 pm
Good for Gingrey! This Jew is disgusted with the wanna-be Muslim Obama waging holy war, in the form of “ObamaCare” against the Catholic Church. If the kumbahyah cheerleaders are offended, GREAT! It’s time Obama was smacked in his smirking face and told that he is a pig!
Good man
February 2nd, 2012
10:09 pm
A man who stands for his belief! Good for him,
Mike Hunt
February 2nd, 2012
10:09 pm
Now thats what I call CLASS. Way to go Gingrey, you really showed em.
Bonedaddy
February 2nd, 2012
10:10 pm
None of this matters…..Obabma is going to get his ass handed to him in 10 months. Yes, Obabma. This I will thank the Lord for.
Bob
February 2nd, 2012
10:10 pm
Rep. Gingrey has every right just like I do and you do to walk out if he wants. That is what makes America so great. In Germany during Hilter, you had to sit and listen. We don’t have too, even if its the President of the United States. WE HAVE THE RIGHT!!!!!!!!
yuzeyurbrane
February 2nd, 2012
10:10 pm
Another “good Christian”.
InAtl
February 2nd, 2012
10:11 pm
And you have so much class yourself, “Mike.”
td
February 2nd, 2012
10:12 pm
This is Mrs. Norman Maine
February 2nd, 2012
10:01 pm
Phil Gingrey is a low-class cretin and yet another embarassment to the state of Georgia. He is apparently so filled with partisan hate that he couldn’t stand listen to someone profess their philosophy of helping the poor…..at a prayer breakfast nonetheless
It appears that you are the one professing partisain hate on these boards. I did not read anything in Phil’s statement that was hateful. As for Obama’s helping the poor, it is all in the details. If he wants to take from the producers to hand out to the poor then that is pure evil. If he wants to tell them they have to work for what they get then it is good.
PeaPatch
February 2nd, 2012
10:13 pm
I don’t hardly see how this is newsworthy but I can’t say that I blame Gingrey for walking out on yet another stump speech by the condescending one. I wouldn’t blame if he had dropped trou, bent over and farted at him. Guess he has too much class.
Bonedaddy
February 2nd, 2012
10:13 pm
Any one of you idiots researched Obabmas percentage of charitable contributions for last several years versus Romney? Look it up.
Barbara
February 2nd, 2012
10:13 pm
Most Republicans hate President Obama. Gringrey walking out is no surprise. All politicians make political speeches where and when ever they can. The president is no different.
Dennis
February 2nd, 2012
10:15 pm
Jesus NEVER advocated taking from some to give to others..that was Robin Hood…LOL..giving is VOLUNTARY…the top 2% of earners pay nearly half of the taxes in this country. It’s the fact that this President (and President Bush, to some extent) do not understand economics! The stimulus was a failure and Obama even said it himself, that there were not many shovel-ready projects..although he said that at the beginning and then he said there weren’t..was that a lie, ineptitude, or misspeaking (on purpose) to get through what he wanted? People, wake up! This has nothing to do with his race…I’m personally GLAD America was able to vote in an African-American man – it’s his policies that stink! I’d gladly take Allen West, Allen Keyes, JC Watts and others who actually have DONE something in their lives prior to becoming President. Unfortunately, and I lay the blame partly at the feet of the Democratic party, but also at Obama, he had done absolutely NOTHING prior to becoming president..never ran any organization, never created a job, never passed any meaningful legislation..all he’s ever done is run for office…what has he done while in office that has made this country better? I will give him killing Bin Laden, using the VERY policies he lambasted Bush on. People, wake up!
Bonedaddy
February 2nd, 2012
10:15 pm
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and his wife Michelle gave $10,772 of the $1.2 million they earned from 2000 through 2004 to charities, or less than 1 percent, according to tax returns for those years released today by his campaign.
The Obamas increased the amount they gave to charity when their income rose in 2005 and 2006 after the Illinois senator published a bestselling book. The $137,622 they gave over those two years amounted to more than 5 percent of their $2.6 million income.
Romney charitable contributions
Tax year Taxable income Charitable donations Donations as % of income
2010 $21.7 million $2.98 million 13.73%
2011 (est) $20.9 million $4 million 19.14%
Ken
February 2nd, 2012
10:15 pm
Wow, Mr. Galloway, you’ve got a lot of angry, looney liberal followers! More predictable liberal propaganda for the liberal lemings from one of the AJC rank and file.
InAtl
February 2nd, 2012
10:15 pm
Wrong, Barbara. Re-read the article. This was a historically religious event – non-political.
Fishawk
February 2nd, 2012
10:15 pm
Gingrey and the rest of his party continually thump the Bible as if it were something they had written. When Obama uses the pulpit he walks Out? Please. Let’s get rid of these jerk-offs and move on to responsible governing. Broun, Gingrey and this ilk need to go!
You go, Gingrey
February 2nd, 2012
10:16 pm
Well, it’s obvious that this blog is full of Obama-ade drinkers tonight. Dennis, bud, you got it 100% correct in your posts. Obama is without a doubt the worst president this country has every had. He wants the government to CONTROL every aspect of everybody’s life, and you fools are willing to be slaves on the government plantation. Yes, that’s right I said SLAVES, and Obama is your MASSA. As Dennis said, Jesus taught that we should GIVE to those in need, not that somebody else should TAKE it from us and turn around and do what they decide is best with it. Nobody will win under Obama, except him and his cronies. That’s the way of socialism and SLAVERY. And you fools are willing to take it and vote for him again. I don’t care who the Republican candidate ends up being and whether he is a Christian or not, I WILL NEVER VOTE FOR MASSA OBAMA
Sonny LIED!
February 2nd, 2012
10:16 pm
Congressman Phil Gingrey is a Back stabbing Liar!Pure and Simple! Hell NO, we “ain’t” fergot!
atlfunlver
February 2nd, 2012
10:16 pm
What a hero…a fourth tier politician disrespects the President.
Dennis
February 2nd, 2012
10:17 pm
what has Obama actually accomplished in his time in office? Seriously, what has he done, factually? I’m all ears, if someone wants to discuss what he’s done, vs. what he INTENDED to do? Intentions are great but CONSEQUENCES are what matter!
Fidlin1
February 2nd, 2012
10:17 pm
I would have ruined everybodys breakfast. I don’t think I could have gotten out before throwng up.
save GA
February 2nd, 2012
10:19 pm
another redneck from ga is upset at the president i luv it get used too it he is gonna be around for 5 more yrs gods little rednecks will be pissed off for a long time Obama will be reelected and we all know it lol
TimothyZ
February 2nd, 2012
10:19 pm
Why should anyone be SURPRISED? Most of the Republicans have been D-I-S-R-E-P-S-E-C-T-I-N-G
him, ever since he won the presidential election! (And, many KNOW the reason why.)
cynthia
February 2nd, 2012
10:20 pm
Shameful, rude and disrespectful.
Barbara
February 2nd, 2012
10:20 pm
Who cares? That racist is doing what is expected!
FedUp With the BS
February 2nd, 2012
10:20 pm
Gingrey-Gingrich
It must be the water in this district that spawns this kind of incivility.
“Devote catholic” – my ass. The next time I go to Mass, I think I now
have all the example I need to walk out on the Priest’s homily -
making loud noises as I leave the sanctuary – as my right to disagree
is fully established by Phil “No Class Whatsoever” Gingrey.
Ref
February 2nd, 2012
10:21 pm
Neither President Obama, stumping at an apolitical event, nor Phil Gingrey, stomping off like a child as a political publicity stunt, showed one iota of class today.
The only grown ups were everyone else in attendance.
ATLER
February 2nd, 2012
10:21 pm
uppity
February 2nd, 2012
9:49 pm
I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how that man is President of the United States of America! What have we become?!
Link
Report this comment
You’ve become a racist my friend!!!!
InAtl
February 2nd, 2012
10:23 pm
Amazing how many people think this is a racial issue. It says a lot about THEM.
td
February 2nd, 2012
10:24 pm
PubilusPost
February 2nd, 2012
10:02 pm
“Did this hypocrite, gingrey, ever walk out on the last President?”
Did the last President use a non partisan prayer breakfast for a partisan speech?
“Think of all the things the gop has gotten away with in the area of just disrespect for the office of the Presidency.”
And the left never ever did anything disrespectful to Bush.
“They call the president a Muslim and not Christian and criticized his Christian Pastor.”
Not a Muslim but a Liberation theology and it is pure Marxism.
“They say he was not born in America (mostly out of ignorance of not knowing Hawaii is a state), yet McCain was born in Panama(ignorance on their part again, McCain was not born in Panama City).”
Get your facts straight. The claims are not that he is not a citizen but does not meet the qualification of being a “natural born” citizen because his father was not a citizen. ”
“They claim he does not know the Constitution, yet the President taught the Constitution at a major University.
I would argue that no socialist understands the Constitution. This is not an Obama issue alone.
Dennis
February 2nd, 2012
10:24 pm
I do not believe Gingrey disrespected the President..he walked out quietly. To be disrespectful, he would have had to upstage the President. I’m sure there were others who had to leave because of prior commitments and nothing was said about that. Wealth redistribution is EVIL, plain and simple. Want an example? Look at Mozambique, once one of the most prosperous agricultural nations in Africa. The current leader confiscated all property and gov’t controls all industry. Their inflation is absolutely insane, because a gov’t has no incentive to do anything well! People left the country in droves and people are SUFFERING because of the government, who SUPPOSEDLY did this to help EVEN things out…when will people wake up?! Seriously, when will people wake up? Do you know what Hitler did and how he started his plan? With the healthcare system! Now, I’m NOT equating Obama with Hitler…Hitler’s intentions were evil and I do not think Obama’s are…but, if someone else gets in office after him with evil intentions, what do you think is going to happen? The retarded and mentally disabled were taken by the German state in Hitler’s time,supposedly to be taken care of..only to never been seen again. Our freedom’s are going away! and note, I’m NOT a Ron Paul-bot but he is right on a number of things in my opinion.
Oblama
February 2nd, 2012
10:26 pm
Description of a liberal: Oblama is going to save the world with YOUR money. He has 5 mansions fully stocked and equiped with maids, gardeners etc., and he wants us to bail out foreclosed homes that people never were qualified for in the first place. He has tripled the number of people on food stamps since he has been in office. The number of those on disability has quadrupled. These people are afraid not to vote for Oblama. These handouts to those that are not disabled and to those that are not really poor are just another way to buy votes. It is disrespectful to use the National Prayer Breakfast as a political tool. Where is Ross Perot when we need him?
Republicrat
February 2nd, 2012
10:26 pm
No matter how much you hate our President, we will hate your President even more when he or she is elected. I can promise you that.
You go, Gingrey
February 2nd, 2012
10:27 pm
Herman Cain doesn’t like Obama or his policies either. Does that make him a racist? There are several black editorialists who don’t like Obama or his policies either. Does that make them racist? You people trying to turn this into a racial thing are the REAL RACISTS
Real American
February 2nd, 2012
10:27 pm
Phil Gingrey is a nitwit.
Next.
Jonesy
February 2nd, 2012
10:27 pm
Wow many bed wetters chiming in…..way to go Phil. All the pres. Knows how to do is speak and campaign. Bad part is that’s all he is good at. Economy is still crumbling, and they all stay on board. Well, folks you get what you pay for. I have a cush job over 6 figures and Obama can’t touch that, but often I let folks go so I can keep my cushy life. That’s your Obama in a nutshell. He hasn’t done anything for you middle classers.
InAtl
February 2nd, 2012
10:27 pm
“No matter how much you hate our President, we will hate your President even more when he or she is elected. I can promise you that.”
How mature. Are you 12?
Dennis
February 2nd, 2012
10:28 pm
Can someone answer what Obama has actually done, instead of calling people rednecks? What has he accomplished? He had a Democratic house and Senate for 2 years and what did he do? He dug us a deeper hole! He cannot blame that on Bush or the Republicans. And I’m NOT saying the Republican are without fault; they are just as big government as the current President. What has Obama done with a Congress and Senate controlled by his party? What? What has he done? NOTHING! NO BUDGET!! Wake up!!
You go, Gingrey
February 2nd, 2012
10:28 pm
Republicrat, you can hate the man who beats Obama all you want, but I bet you’ll have more money OF YOUR OWN in your pocket when it happens.