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
DawgInaTruck
February 3rd, 2012
8:18 am
You get to know a lot about a person by observing how they act when they think no one is looking. Like myself Gingrey is a UGA alum and I have have had the (dis)pleasure of tailgating alongside he and his family. Besides being total slobs, they insisted upon placing empty beer bottles on our grill (we had stoppd cooking and it was cooling off but it was never intended as a trash can). We politely asked them to discontinue this; our mistake because it only encouraged their behavior.
We were at Georgia Teach for the annual rivalry game and, while I always desperately want to win that game, I have respect for the Tech folks and for their facilities. As a Georgia fan and graduate I was embarrased at the mound of debris our congressional rep and his family left in the parking lot.
In the grand scheme of things, littering is not a huge thing to obsess over but it was an interesting glimpse into the lack of respect he and his family have for others and, ultimately, themselves.
Southern women conservatives idiots
February 3rd, 2012
8:19 am
SouthernGal
Why do Obama bother passing bills for women equal pay for work(Ledbetter act) so country conservatives women can continue to be treated like crap by the southern conservative male.
Once again another african American male fights for equal rights for all and white women take the advantage of it (civil rights leaders) not one rep President pass a bill for equal pay for women, are these rep women playing with a full deck ? or they like being craped on by men””’
WoW
February 3rd, 2012
8:21 am
Way to make Georgia look like a classless, back-water, hick state, Dr. Gingrey. Take your moral outrage and shove it.
Reality
February 3rd, 2012
8:21 am
Jesus is not a republican! Why do republicans think that they own Jesus and own the Bible?
Oh yeah – they want to own everything anyway, so why not them too?
UGAly
February 3rd, 2012
8:21 am
Barack OBama is a socialist zealot with no personal character. I appreciate Phil Gingrey for representing our state.
Suuuuurreee...
February 3rd, 2012
8:21 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?”
You mean the same way the Democrats treated Bush right!! This is just the way of politics these days. No one cares about anything, but their affiliated party.
This country took off and prospered when we put God 1st! That’s not made up, it’s a fact! Let’s just keep taking God out of everything because we might “offend” someone…… Only person I’m fearful of offending is the Lord himself. The President come next January has absolutely NO CONTROL over this economy. The Politian’s have absolutely NO CONTROL of the economy. There is only one true Commander in Chief in this world and His name is Jesus Christ!!
John14:6
Reality
February 3rd, 2012
8:23 am
I am sad for the people of Marietta….
Suuuuurreee...
February 3rd, 2012
8:23 am
Reality – “Jesus is not a republican! Why do republicans think that they own Jesus and own the Bible?”
Lost me there, who said this?
Niki
February 3rd, 2012
8:24 am
How embarrassing for Georgia. When will our elected officials stop trying to “make news” and get to work on the issues effecting our state?
WWJD
February 3rd, 2012
8:24 am
Phil Gingrey is a posturing idiot.
Cynic
February 3rd, 2012
8:25 am
Did anyone else listen to the speech? They must have lost his teleprompter. It was a fumbled choppy clusterF@!K. So i guess all of you liberals out there would expect Barney Frank to sit politely if Romney was give a prayer breakfast talk and he touched on God’s views of homosexuality and not walk out, out of respect for the commander in chief?
DawgInaTruck
February 3rd, 2012
8:26 am
@ Suuuuurreee…
They believe in Jesus Christ they just don’t recognize Him as our Savior. They view Jesus as a prophet and don’t think the Savior has come yet. As a conservative voter and a Christian, this is what troubles me about Romney. I don’t want to vote for a person who does not recognize Christ as Lord and Savior. Because of his obvious problems and blatant hypocrisy I have significant problems with Gingrich as well.
I believe we, as a Christian community, have been taken for granted by the Republican party. They know we won’t vote for a candidate who is pro-choice (typically a Democrat) and they have chosen to ignore us, believing they have us in their pockets regardless.
I honestly don’t believe we have a good choice in this election cycle.
T Man
February 3rd, 2012
8:26 am
Double Zero 8 re: asking BHO for $$$ for Savannah. He is not a King that controls the checkbook although too many do treat him like a king and taht is why he actually thinks he is a king and not President. Last I knew the money is contolled by Congress.
Jeff and the Camaros
February 3rd, 2012
8:27 am
This is consistent with the lack of respect the Republicans have for the Presidency, unless their guy is in it. Our President has had shouts during the State of the Union, still is dealing with claims in court that he isn’t an American, has had a wacky governor in Arizona wag her finger at him, a Minority Leader in Sendate claim the two year goal was to make hima one term President (not help the country, not look for ways to move forward, but to make him a one-term President). This is not very different from when Bill Clinton was elected, Bob Barr practicallly had his impeachment papers already filled out. The Republicans are sore losers when they are not in charge. Makes me sick.
Duper
February 3rd, 2012
8:27 am
in the spirit of freedom (sans the chains D gov’t keeps tightening ’round us) don’t ?? dem dems evah
Drewbob
February 3rd, 2012
8:28 am
Maybe Gingrey had to go freshen his triple dark hair dye. Wouldn’t want his soul, er, roots to show.
OutsideAJCLookingIn
February 3rd, 2012
8:28 am
Go back to first page a read “Eli’s” comments: they don’t make a lick of sense, especially the first one. Is he illiterate?
Voter
February 3rd, 2012
8:30 am
Very Dump and Disrespectful
Rod
February 3rd, 2012
8:31 am
No surprise here. Just more grand standing!!
A Liberal in ATL
February 3rd, 2012
8:33 am
I find it interesting that so-called Christians would refer to others as so-called Christians. I guess it takes one to know one.
SHAME ON YOU
February 3rd, 2012
8:35 am
Shame on you Demacrats for thinking it’s OK for Obama to use the prayer brackfast as a campaign platform. Obama has never nor will he ever be a Christian, his actions speak louder than his words. The Bible also states that if a man doesn’t work he doesn’t eat.
Paul
February 3rd, 2012
8:37 am
Gingrey represents all that is wrong with politics today – blind partisan baggage.
MARTA Rida
February 3rd, 2012
8:38 am
What a disrespectful congressman.
angie
February 3rd, 2012
8:39 am
We wonder why children do not respect authority. We wonder why teachers are having a hard time with students these days, why children do not respect police officers, why principles can no longer control our children. LOOK…at the adults. Any time that elected officials…our so called leaders….disrespect the highest office in this great nation where our children are seeing this, you can’t help but wonder if it stamps a seal of approval for them to keep disrespecting authority. I expect more restraint from our elected officials. All of us have been in a meeting at work or school where we did not agree with all of the content, but probably most did not walk out. These so called Republicans are out of control. They look more like a band of thugs rather than leaders. They are really do a disservice to their own party. NO CLASS at all and they pretend to love this great country. If you love it, then start acting like professionals rather than a bunch of thugs on the playground.
Independent voter
February 3rd, 2012
8:40 am
Gingrey is a republican and he from racist Gerogia what else can you expect.
Republican are disgrace to our country, They dont have respect for our president.
Big Brother
February 3rd, 2012
8:41 am
Just because someone is President does not make that someone right. U.S. history if full of presidents who were wrong. Talk of “economic fairness for everyone” is intellectually bankrupt — no one can define the “fair share” beyond whatever it takes to pay for what we want. But it is also morally bankrupting for a society to take from one group in a way that consigns another group to crippling dependence.
Roekest
February 3rd, 2012
8:41 am
I’m pretty sure that when Jesus said “for unto whom much is given, much shall be required”, it wasn’t a call for the Roman Empire to tax their citizens more, against their will. Jesus’ intent was for the wealthy to give freely, from their own heart. It’s called charity. Obama has “taxation” and “charity” confused. In fact, I’m pretty sure he’s got a lot of things confused.
Nice man, stupid president.
gm
February 3rd, 2012
8:42 am
SHAME ON YOU
White Christians conservatives hypocrites””’
When will you white conservative rep christians stop it, no one take you people serious after voting for Newt, 3 times adultry, 30 ethic violations as speaker.
I rather have Obama christians values, family values then Newt any day of the week, you people give christians a bad name”””
Suuuuurreee...
February 3rd, 2012
8:42 am
DawgInaTruck – You are 100% correct. I guess, for me, if you don’t believe that Jesus Christ s the Son of God, then you really don’t believe in Him as our Savior.
And I mostly agree that wiht either candidate this Fall this country does not have a true leader in Romney or Obama. The slide will continue! Of course, I also believe that this is God’s plan. The consequences of this countries actions towards Him have to be leveled at some time. God loves us, but there are consequences to our actions!
Habakkuk 3:18
FCM
February 3rd, 2012
8:43 am
I left a church for 18 months because the pastor used the pulpit as his politico soap box.
Gingrey is human….if he wants to practice Civil Disobedience because his spirit/concious is led too then good for him. He did not make a big deal of it, he did not lead a rousing course of “We Shall Overcome” or otherwise be rude to President Obama.
Or is Civil Disobedence another thing white folk can’t do?
Quagmire
February 3rd, 2012
8:43 am
He wanted to leave early so he can get back to the Georgia Mountains and kiss his sister before his dad. Plus he said his brother has a Pretty Mouth(Deliverance)
jimbo
February 3rd, 2012
8:43 am
Way to go Mr. Gingrey!
The great campaigner-in-chief deserves more treatment like that, after all he has turned his back on this country to force his agenda through.
soetoro is an idiot
Michele
February 3rd, 2012
8:43 am
I truly wish that the word RESPECT would remain in the vocabulary and actions of these Republicans. It is so sad that this President is being disrespected on every front but if the shoe was on the other foot, they would raise holy hell!!
Buzz G
February 3rd, 2012
8:44 am
It is breakfast time and I am praying for a President who does not have an agenda which will destroy this country with debt.
Who Cares?
February 3rd, 2012
8:44 am
I’m pretty sure that I can predict a pattern here. I’ll bet that the majority of these these posts are from residents of Fulton, DeKalb, and Clayton counties. Purely a guess, but I’m probably correct.
FCM
February 3rd, 2012
8:44 am
Oh I am not for Newt.
Harvey
February 3rd, 2012
8:44 am
Huh.
Why in the world would any Christian in any setting ever suggest that Matthew 5 through Matthew 7 meant anything other than some partisan sentiment.
If you can’t stand the Word, Rep. Gingrey, get out of the line for free bagels.
This is rather snarky for those of you who dint noticiate.
Progressive Humanist
February 3rd, 2012
8:45 am
Gingrey is an anti-American hick. He’s an embarrassment to Georgia.
Claire
February 3rd, 2012
8:45 am
It says more about Gingreys lack of class. I wish politicians would stop embarrassing Ga.
hoppy
February 3rd, 2012
8:45 am
when I received news letters in the past from gingrey, I would respectfully open
the letter, read it and toss it in the trash. Now it will go straight to the shredder
unopened.
Ol' Timer
February 3rd, 2012
8:45 am
Those of your friends, relatives and acquaintances who lost their jobs, had healthcare emergencies or other calamities would have been up crap creek without a paddle if the GOTP had been in the Oval Office. The extended unemployment and food stamps were life-savers to lots of people for millions.
However, those of you who are GOTP are hard working, industrious and self-reliant and probably didn’t lose your job and do not know any “low-lifes” that drew unemployment or used food stamps.
And, by the way, when did Obama impose a tax increase on you?
FCM
February 3rd, 2012
8:47 am
Gingrey is a republican and he from racist Gerogia what else can you expect.
Lincoln was a Republican. The Republican party was founded on Abolisionsit ideals. They felt ALL men had the right to earn a living and do what he/she could to provide for their family…..they did not believe that a welfare state with a dependent class should be created.
ATR
February 3rd, 2012
8:49 am
I’m with Eli. It is all legal.
Suuuuurreee...
February 3rd, 2012
8:49 am
gm – My question to you would be, “When did Obama show, not talk, but should Christian values as a President.”
Was it when he said “we are not a Christian nation.” was it when he pushes his healthcare for companies to pay for abortions. Help me out here please. I’m not a Newt voter by the way. I would rather have Santorum in the White House because he IS a Christen and understands the impoertance of having God 1st leading a country.
Also, why the reference towards color? Personally, I don’t care what color you are because God made each of us to His perfection and loves each of us equally.
Adrianne
February 3rd, 2012
8:50 am
It’s odd that a person can’t mention God at a prayer breakfast. I don’t know why anyone would be surprised that the subject of God would come up.
TruthSpoken
February 3rd, 2012
8:51 am
I use to be a Republician for over 30 years, but no more. They are the biggest hypocrites in the world. As a Christian, the whole party seems to act the opposite of what Jesus would do. At this point I can never see myself EVER becoming a Republican again. In politicis everything is about politics. For Gingrey to disrespectt the President of our country and anyone praying to the Lord is a shame. Was President Obama swearing? Was he blastpheming the Lord? Was he calling anyone names during his prayer? Was he calling on Budda on high? Gingrey is just another idiot that can’t stand to see a Black man in power and it’s hurtful to Gingrey, his KKK party, and his for fathers. Oh, what a shame.
Duper
February 3rd, 2012
8:54 am
becuz he’s black, the prez can never be ??
ya FEEL me?
Willis
February 3rd, 2012
8:55 am
JD is right. What Gingrey did was a political act. Of course he’s campaigning too even though he doesn’t need to in his district. With the (R) behind his name he’s a shoein.
Tony
February 3rd, 2012
8:57 am
President Obama’s words about the theological impetus for some of his policy initiatives are right on the mark and truly reflect the teachings of Jesus and other historically significant religious leaders. For Mr. Gingrey to walk out because he was offended by the president’s remarks is a strong indicator to me that Mr. Gingrey is out of touch with Biblical truth.
JiminGA
February 3rd, 2012
8:58 am
It appears Obama interprets the bible much like he does the constitution. Bottom line? The National Prayer Breakfast has always been about asking for God’s guidance, not having the Obama-god give it. Gingrey was right, the event was not the proper venue for a campaign speech and Obama claiming biblical support for his political goals.