Reply #5: Reed is the worst kind of hypocrite [View All]

[SquireJons]

He has no conscience nor principles. I went to ODU in Norfolk during the 80's and had a front row seat to the Christian Coalitions rise and fall. A couple of things about him and the organization come to mind. First, Pat Robertson formed the Christian Coalition in response to two personal failures. The previous year, he had lost badly in his attempt to gain the nomination for republican presidential candidate. That was a big lose of face in the macho right wing world. Also at that time, Robertson was found to have paid a large amount of money to a secretary at his 'university' to keep her quiet about a sexual affair that he had with her. So Robertson was reeling and needed a new organization to use for his attempted rise in power and influence. But he couldn't lead it himself because he had so much negative baggage. Enter Ralph Reed.

The second thing that comes to mind is an interview that Reed gave several film crews during the 1996 presidential campaign. In an attempt to display his and the Christian Coalition's clout, he gave friendly media a tour of the Coalitions headquarters in Va Beach. He was making claims that he represented 'tens of millions' of Americans and set himself as the leader of a powerful grass roots political organization. The media crews went from room to room throughout the headquarters and were treated to a frenzy of activity everywhere they went. All went as planned for the event and the Christian Coalition got lots of free publicity and a seat at the table of power. Unfortunately for Reed, it was later revealed that the Christian Coalition headquarters walk through was mostly a sham. Like Russia under Catherine the Great, the Christian Coalition had hired actors to pretend to be busy talking to members and receiving hundreds of donations at their phone banks. None of it was real. It was these revelation's that first got the Coalition in hot water with the electoral commission and paved the way for Reed's exit and the ultimate downfall of the Christian Coalition.

Quite frankly I am amazed that Reed is still on his feet (rather than on his stomach in a prison cell). My guess is that either powerful republicans owe him big time or he has (or had) a firm grip on the short hairs of these same pug fat cats. Otherwise, it doesn't make sense that he has survived multiple scandals and failures. Perhaps he has pushed his luck a little too far this time, but only time will tell. Southern rural conservative christians are nothing in not stubborn and willfully ignorant.