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
gabugman
February 3rd, 2012
7:36 am
Here’s the plain and simple solution everyone;
re-elect no one!
Pat
February 3rd, 2012
7:38 am
Way to go Rep Gingrey, let that pompous, arrogant communist a-hole know what we the people think of him.
Peter
February 3rd, 2012
7:39 am
Please the Republican’s rally all religious groups in what ever favor they want.
Gingrey has not a clue, and any Republican who says religion and politics are not part of the current political scene is nuts.
RBE
February 3rd, 2012
7:40 am
Typical disrespect for the President from a Republican. It’s ok to disagree (and they have shown for 3 years that anything that President Obama says they will automatically disagree with), but respect the office.
Frederick Douglass
February 3rd, 2012
7:42 am
Anne @ 7:07 am
It’d be nice if Obama could bring this country to its knees, maybe then people would pray while they’re down there instead of worshipping money, and their own particular hatreds.
GINCERY AND HYOCRITES!
February 3rd, 2012
7:42 am
Ideologues like Gingery are the biggest HYPOCTITES in the world. They run on right-wing, faith based politics– act like Fox News is the Bible; then scold the President for linking his faith to his decisions.
HYPOCITES! How in the world can a hypocite like Gingery support an adulterer like Gingrich? His faith is one of convenience! He is a total embarrassment to the state of Georgia.
DoctorJ
February 3rd, 2012
7:43 am
GIngrey was right to walk out. Obama claims to be a Christian only when campaigning. Those of you who responded with comments supporting Obama are utter morons who do not deserve the benefits of democracy.
God Bless the Teacher!
February 3rd, 2012
7:46 am
To all incumbant republicans, all I have to say is “tick, tock, tick, tock…your time in office is running out.”
notagingreyfan
February 3rd, 2012
7:46 am
Gingrey is a joke. Everything that comes out of his mouth is total BS.
GINGERY IS A LOSER
February 3rd, 2012
7:47 am
The real untold fact is: President Obama probably doesn’t even know who Phil Gingery is! I doubt he noticed this “representative” was even in the room– or out of it when he left.
GEORGIA BOY FOR LIFE
February 3rd, 2012
7:49 am
DISRESPECTFUL!!!!!!! He should be kick out of GEORGIA and Congress. Who is he, to walk out on the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITEDSTATES OF AMERICA?! “JACK-AXX!!!!!!
COBBIT
February 3rd, 2012
7:50 am
Obama is a complete loser. He is destroying our nation…spending money we don’t have to fund junk we don’t need. Obama and Congressman “Tip-Over” Johnson are two peas in a pod.
MT
February 3rd, 2012
7:52 am
Gingrey & the rest of those GA ya-hoos are the reason I moved West over 10yrs ago. We do not have all of the greed & arrogance that is in the south. Everyone works for the good of the state and their community regardless of difference. We prospered thru this economic crisis, gwb caused. My belief is God does not reward arrogance & greed, sorry for all of you good people left in that situation.
Logic
February 3rd, 2012
7:52 am
Since 47% of American pay ZERO income tax…Obama can always count on the support of at least 47% of Americans. We are about to reach the tipping point. When we do, good-bye America.
BH
February 3rd, 2012
7:53 am
The Republicans are so self-righteous. They all seem to say lets blame everything on the black guy. They think that the only news sources that people watch are the cable news channels. The GOP will have you believe that all of Obama’s policies are destroying this country. The fact is, that Obama along with Congress kept most of Bush policies in place. This is all being done on purpose for some elite agenda but the main stream media will never report this information.
BuckeyeinGa
February 3rd, 2012
7:53 am
Even if you disagree with the President, it would be nice to show some respect. I guess it’s hard being a mature Congressman.
Capitol Idea
February 3rd, 2012
7:54 am
Phil Gingrey is a disrespectful individual. Fortunately he does not represent me.
Dawg
February 3rd, 2012
7:54 am
This is the problem with our nations politics today! Not one elected official cares about the condition of our nation or the American people. They would rather walk out on opne another than try to solve the country’s problems.
Throw them all out!!
GINGERY IS A LOSER
February 3rd, 2012
7:54 am
I assume “Docor J” is for jackass. President Obama doesn’t conveniently laud his religious beliefs like the shameless wing nuts who bow down to Fox News, kiss Donald Trump’s ring, etc. I mean two candidates: 1. A serial Adulterer
2. A ruthless venture capitalist. these are the GOP two offerings– and YOU are criticizing a decent, honest man.
The good news is: Neither of those men will beat Obama! That gives you and all those jerks at Fox News, Karl Rove, the string-haired ugly blond girl on Fox, and all the other fools four more years to complain and whine 24-7.
PR
February 3rd, 2012
7:55 am
Gingrey’s an ass. What do you expect from a Georgia cracker. Stupid ignorant hick!
HERE COMES THE JUDGE
February 3rd, 2012
7:57 am
Why not comment AFTER the event instead of being an a**hole…sure, come on back to Georgia, get your hooded sheet out of the closet and stick out your chest and announce that you showed that “n-word” a thing or two…ANYTIME a politician speaks at an event, it’s a POLITICAL event. Just reiterates what the rest of the country thinks about Georgians…a bunch of back wood hicks!!
stevcue
February 3rd, 2012
7:57 am
Phil should be ashame of himself!! Where was he when George Bush said his faith led us to war with Iraq where we lost over 4,000 soldiers!!!
Pat
February 3rd, 2012
7:58 am
I have all the respect in the world for the OFFICE of the president of the United States of America, but have absolutely no respect at all for Obama!!!
Tyrone
February 3rd, 2012
7:58 am
Attention MT at 7:52am
Thanks for leaving.
LeeS
February 3rd, 2012
7:58 am
To Republicans concerning the President’s faith:
Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged!
Duper
February 3rd, 2012
7:59 am
only wish ‘bama had turner it into a lib pep rally
similar to the way the MLK day lectures have twisted lately
mj
February 3rd, 2012
8:00 am
Touche td!
randy
February 3rd, 2012
8:00 am
obama sux
Community Organizer
February 3rd, 2012
8:01 am
Obama is doing a wonderful job.
He is turning water into wine and making America shine.
However, it may take some time to turn the economy around. Meanwhile, he can always blame Bush. The dumb masses are just stupid enough to believe him.
EJ
February 3rd, 2012
8:01 am
If the President was white, leaving would not have been a option for Mr. Gingrey. Agree or not, The President is due a certain level of respect from a United States Rep.
Deadbeats and Free Loaders for Obama
February 3rd, 2012
8:02 am
Keep voting for Obama. It is easier than getting a real job.
READY FOR THE IRAN WAR?
February 3rd, 2012
8:03 am
Of course not. But every GOP wanna-be running for President (except for Ron Paul) is waving his sabre. And that is exactly why the Las Vegas casino boss is giving Gingrich all those millions. This is the same party that gave us Iraq– which also extended the war in Afghanistan. And people want ot put them back in charge!
Ideology and arrogance are all the GOP (Gingrich, Romney, Trump, Cain) have to offer. QUESTION: And if you are a blue-collar working stiff, why would you support those filty-rich jerks? What’s in it for you?
red herring
February 3rd, 2012
8:03 am
I’m starting to think obama is following any trucks that have news cameras on them. This guy has been campaigning for re-election ever since he was elected. 5+ trillion in more debt since he was elected after promising to cut the deficit in half in his first term. There is no way he can blame all of his failed policies and spending sprees on GW Bush— by the time gas prices go sky high this summer and the economy continues to tank all those unemployed will be looking for ABO “anybody but obama” to vote for. He told people he was going to transform America when he was elected the first time and people didn’t understand that he meant he was going to transform it into Greece. This man is not a leader and is certainly not a unifier. He is a divider and has done so very successfully. This was his goal from day one and people just didn’t read between the lines of his “messages”. He has a department of injustice that has allowed illegal immigration, voter intimidation, running of guns into mexico, and on and on yet Obama will not take action to get rid of Eric Holder and straighten out this important Department. Sad state of affairs in washington d.c. now—it was a good thing the 2010 elections gave the house back to Republicans that’s all that saved this country thus far. Let the man campaign on his own time not at a prayer breakfast.
tiredofIT
February 3rd, 2012
8:04 am
“If disagree with liberals they start calling you names….”
Then please explain the republican campaign rhetoric. Certainly no name calling going there!
fulldawg
February 3rd, 2012
8:05 am
Gingrey does not seem to understand (as many of here do not) that in spite of who the POTUS is the office of President of the United Sates should always be respected.
Jerk
Suuuuurreee...
February 3rd, 2012
8:07 am
For you out there that actually believes that Obama is a Christian…… I have swamp land to sell you in the Mojave Desert.
SouthernGal
February 3rd, 2012
8:08 am
It was a BI-PARTISAN PRAYER BREAKFAST…NOT THE TIME FOR A STUMP SPEEECH!
gm
February 3rd, 2012
8:08 am
Community Organizer
I know I feel safer at night knowing my President has killed top 10 terrorist in the world, who could care rats if you are rep or dem, maybe Obama should just let one get by so you bigots anti Americans on the right can get a reality check.
Maybe he should scare you in to voted for him like Bush did in 2004, this great President has taken the fear of attacks, but country red necks like Gingrey has no respect for the President of the United States, I bet this tea party bigot would not have walked away from a UGA football game””’
PEE ON ME
February 3rd, 2012
8:09 am
Red herring: Your hooded sheet is ready to be picked up at the cleaners!!
Joe The Plumber Too.
February 3rd, 2012
8:11 am
cynthia, obama may not have bowed down for rev. wright but I’ll bet he bent over for him and raum emanual and bill ayers and eric holder and……….
Nortley
February 3rd, 2012
8:12 am
Gingrey always walk away from any everything. He never stay with anything. We in the Repubilcan party needs to start looking for a young Republican who can turn Georgia image around. Gingrey has completed his erra.
Alice
February 3rd, 2012
8:12 am
Obama’s decision to threaten Catholic institutions by forcing them to provide contraception to their employees AND the timing of the decision is an intentional slap in the face to Catholics. Gingrey is Catholic. A practicing Catholic, not simply someone whose parents baptized them in infancy. With that mindset, I imagine he was deeply offended by the President’s words at the supposed “prayer” breakfast. He quietly left. His office did NOT trumpet his leaving. You might disagree with his actions, but your name calling speaks volumes about you and says little about Gingrey’s leaving.
SickOfConservativeSh*t
February 3rd, 2012
8:12 am
Typical of right-wing conservatives still angry at the fact that there is an intelligent African American sitting in the White House..man, after 2008 the bigotry in this country rose like the phoenix and everyone still tries to deny that it exist; post-racism..give me a freaking break…white america, get over it
stephen
February 3rd, 2012
8:13 am
Gingrey = classless hypocrite bound for re-election.
Deke
February 3rd, 2012
8:13 am
Republicans badger Obama for being a Muslim, which he never was. When he publicly embraces his faith, Republicans walk out on him. The Republican party grows less relevant every day. They are not so much a political party any more, but a parody of one.
Kramer
February 3rd, 2012
8:13 am
How amusing that a far left secular progressive wants to quote the bible. Man, I bet he pi**ed off a bunch of his base yesterday. The guy is all talk and needs to be judged by his actions and not his words. If people will pay attention to his actions, he will be gone in November. Worst president since peanuthead Carter.
Disrespect
February 3rd, 2012
8:14 am
Just another example of the disrespect that President Obama has received since being in office. When did it become OK to disrespect our Commander in Chief? Why not issue a statement after the speech expressing your concerns instead of drawing attention to yourself by walking out. Gingrey’s action are an example of how childish and disrespectful our country has become.
Suuuuurreee...
February 3rd, 2012
8:15 am
This guy should have never walked out on Obama…. Then again, Obama does not act like a President. This country is in sad shape. It does not matter who wins this upcoming election because neither Romney, going by the polls, or Obama believe in Jesus Christ.
What Obama said was all lip service for the Christian vote and shame on anyone that actually believes what he said. This man is pushing companies in their health care to pay for abortions!! Yeah, he’s a Christian.
Romney is plain and simple, he’s a Mormon, they don’t believe in Jesus Christ.
Until this country does get on it’s knees and prays for forgiveness and goes back to the values this country was built on, the downward slide will continue. Why does China own us…. It’s not coincidence.
AnotherOne!
February 3rd, 2012
8:16 am
How many times have we had to sit and listen to one of these pale-faced, lying, selfish, devils advocate ass crackers. Thats why there will never be any respect for you MF’s, U dont have common decency and common sense.
4REAL
February 3rd, 2012
8:17 am
Seriously No respect regardless