President Clinton Tries To Keep Politics Out Of A Church, Without Much Help From Its Bishop

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President Clinton Tries To Keep Politics Out Of A Church, Without Much Help From Its Bishop

February 16, 2008 1:38 PM

ABC's Sarah Amos reports: President Clinton took a break from campaigning this morning to stop by an AME Founder's Day service in Dallas, Texas.

"I came here today, when I heard you were going to be here, and I knew I was gonna be here to say thank you," President Clinton told the crowd this morning, thanking the AME churches for all the work they do in the community.

Since the morning stop was a church event, not a campaign event, Pres. Clinton went out of his way to keep politics out of his speech, saying "This is not a political meeting and I don't want to make a political speech." The only veiled reference to his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, came when he spoke about his current foundation work.

"In the life I have today, if it weren't for a certain candidate I wouldn't be involved in politics at all," said Clinton explaining the various charities he now devotes a majority of his time to.

Clinton also took a moment to reference the race between his wife and Sen. Barack Obama. "We celebrate today, at least the people in my party do, that we are going to shatter a remarkable ceiling with this election," Clinton said, adding the caveat, "but the world has not kept up with our politics."

Clinton's careful speech this morning was largely due to the fact that tax-exempt churches are not supposed to be used as campaign venues for politicians -- if they want to stay out of trouble with the IRS. In the week leading up the California primary, Pres. Clinton stopped by a series of churches in the Los Angeles area. Later that day when talking to members of the press, Clinton said he had campaigned for his wife at series of churches. The comment was called into question by some members of the press and by some of the other campaigns.

Of course, just because Clinton didn't want to talk politics, didn't mean the one of the church's bishops couldn't mention it.

When Clinton finished his speech, the Bishop Gregory Ingram kept him up by the pulpit and said, "Now the truth of the matter is, he is very, very sensitive, he came here and said this isn't a political meeting and I said, now Mr. President, at least you are going to call your wife's name? Now you know, all of us are sensitive to this, and if your family was running, you know, we are not that shy. And we are not that insensitive, and we are grown people and we can make choices, you are going to do that. But we thank you. Now you all know his wife, now we are not making political endorsements, but you know his wife is running -- Hillary Clinton. So I don't care, let's give his wife and Pres. Clinton, let's give them some love."

President Clinton quickly pointed out the previous events, saying "I just know I was out in California last week and I said some nice things about my wife at a church and I said, later in the day I would be campaigning, and somebody in the other party said maybe the IRS ought to investigate that, so I was trying to protect you. Just like she will try and protect you if she gets elected."

February 16, 2008 in Bush, George W. | Permalink | User Comments (11)

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With all due respect, was this article all that newsworthy? It's obvious that it's a slow news day because not much on the main Politics page of ABC has changed since yesterday, but between this and the Obama sexist non-story, it seems like people are just desperate to spin news when there is no real news. Are we really going to be fed each and every one of the candidate's church stops and restroom stops?

Clinton was sensitive and wise to keep politics out of church and the IRS off his back. Good for him. The pastor did his best to honor his guest without offering any endorsements (honestly, are we going to deny the ex-President some applause when he visits an institution? I don't think so). But this is really not worthy of a news story.

Next up, Michelle Obama makes a stop at a department store to buy a new jacket. She avoids talking loudly about Barack because campaigning is not allowed in the store, or customers might complain. She also doesn't want false, negative stories being written in the press about her allegedly using campaign money to buy clothes, in case it escalates into another John-Edwards-and-his-expensive-haircut story. Nevertheless, the sales assistant calls attention to her and tells everyone in the store that Michelle is there. Come shake her hand! It's Mrs. Obama! Michelle makes it clear to everyone who comes shake her hand that she is not there to campaign on Barack's behalf.

Is that newsworthy too?

Posted by: Cat Scratch | Feb 16, 2008 2:12:01 PM

Bigger story:

The Houston Chronicle endorsed Obama.

Sheila Jackson Lee, Hillary's big supporter in Houston heads off to Pakistan.

Posted by: Jb | Feb 16, 2008 2:33:54 PM

that's funny....first dumbya commits actions contrary to Jesus' teachings, committing the great sin of distorting his name to justify them, and now some idiot wants dumbya to further damage his chances of getting into heaven by attacking churches which take up Jesus' causes (charity, etc.)

Posted by: chris | Feb 16, 2008 5:02:01 PM

Well, yesterday Hillary gave a speech at St. Mary's University on campus in San Antonio, TX. It caused a stir because campus officials failed to notify the Archbishop of Clinton's speaking engagement. His office was flooded with e-mails and phone calls from upset Catholics thinking he was endorsing a candidate who espouses pro-choice!
He was compelled to give a statement which included his reiteration that St. Mary's, a tax-exempt school, wasn't endorsing Hillary. It was big news in San Antonio, a Catholic liberal arts university's Unofficial endorsement of Hillary Clinton. I still don't know whether university officials who arranged the event made a terrible faux pas or deliberately didn't consult Archbishop Gonzales.

Posted by: shortnativetexan | Feb 16, 2008 5:34:16 PM

Does anyone understand what it means about seperation of church and state. It just means that the founding fathers didn't want a national church like in England. This is where Queen Elizabeth is the head of the church of England. It would be like if the President of the United States was the head of the Babtist Church and that would be our national church. Let us get it right.

Posted by: Lynne | Feb 16, 2008 6:50:31 PM

Can we spend one day without looking for news stories on=line...that's why we'll know each time HRC sneezes or Hussein O. goes to the John. We're hooked on this stuff. We should be on our knees pleading with our Higher Power to give this country a good leader. Only He knows what we need.

Posted by: daniebordo | Feb 16, 2008 10:21:10 PM

Bill C. will do anything underhanded.
But it's OK he does it with a smile.

Posted by: Michael A. James | Feb 16, 2008 11:29:10 PM

I am certain Bishop Gonzales will get everything straightened out. After all things said and done the Church is Pro-Life and hopefully the people inside the Church know why we need to hold to that policy.
However, do you have someone running for Office of President other then Huckabee, that is Pro-Life. Not any longer. I really hate to see a primary cut short due to Politics. The Conservatives needed a candidate as well as the Moderates and Liberals. They are ready to sell your property and tax you so much that tithing will be a thing of the past.

Posted by: CharlesJr | Feb 17, 2008 4:16:02 PM

Let me go on record to say that God is everwhere and there is no way you can separate him because he has the power to do what he wants. This separation of church and state is full of it. I do not believe in that. If someone wants to put up a cross in their back yard that would be up to them. The trouble with people today all they do is complain about everything. In the 30's & 40's neighbors didn't care about those picky things. They didn't care how many dogs and cats you had. Neighbors today are too busy meddling into other people's business. No wonder this world is in a mess because a lot of the people are the cause not just Bush. Too many gangs and too many killings. And it is not going to get better it is going to get worse. No president can change that.

Posted by: Mariann Pepitone | Feb 17, 2008 6:38:31 PM

Posted by: Mariann Pepitone | Feb 17, 2008 6:39:03 PM

I am glad someone stood up for Bill Clinton, in Obama's quest to become president he has done his best to try to distroy the Clinton Legacy (no one is blaming him for that that is what he must do) but Bill has been a champion for African Americans for years and actions speak louder than words. As how many AA were in high government jobs prior to Bill now all you obama people google that. S

Posted by: AA Male for Hillary Clinton | Feb 18, 2008 2:37:07 AM

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