Stealth, secrecy are Ralph Reed's calling cards

[seemslikeadream]

Consultant relies on Christian connections

By ALAN JUDD
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 10/23/05
Ralph Reed's clients wanted to promote a relaxed U.S. trade policy toward China. So, as he has often done since leaving the Christian Coalition to become a corporate and political consultant, Reed tapped into his vast network of conservative religious activists.

Soon the Alliance of Christian Ministries in China was telling Congress that free trade would open doors for missionaries in a nation that is officially atheist.

Ralph Reed has said of his style: 'I want to be invisible. I paint my face and travel at night. You don't know it's over until you're in a body bag.'

The alliance, however, was a facade. Reed arranged for its formation and used its evangelical goals to serve the interests of his paying clients, a coalition of businesses including Boeing Co., which had a more secular objective: to sell the Chinese government $120 billion worth of airplanes.

Such stealth defines Reed's eight years as a corporate and campaign consultant, the work that bridged his career from Christian activist to Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of Georgia.

By working through grass-roots groups, some of which he formed himself, Reed repeatedly has let conservative Christian groups make the case for causes that benefit his clients while obscuring the clients' identity and shielding them from controversy.

These efforts, a close examination of his consulting work shows, often capitalize on Reed's connections in the evangelical Christian community even as they contradict positions he advocated as one of the nation's most prominent spokesmen for the religious right.

more
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/1005/23reed.html

[sandnsea]

1. Fliers on car windows at church

Just like they do. Expose these charletans, these wolves in sheeps clothing. Nice clear money map of the shell organizations and the corporate interests behind them. I suggested it last year and we should have done it. It could have easily made the difference in Ohio.

[mamalone]

10. Absolutely!

Sadly, the average Christian in this country is all too trusting of anyone who wears the Christian badge and talks the lingo. Criminals like Ralph Reed need to be exposed! I believe the run of the mill "Christian conservative" folk really do have basically good hearts, they are just easily deceived..well, that and too lazy to dig for the truth..

[MasonJar]

2. He couldn't possibly be a true Christian because he would know

his actions are damning his eternal soul. I could add Bush and Ashcroft, Santorium and all those Bible spouting hypocrites to that same sentence.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Ralph Reed faciliated the sale of 120 billion dollars worth of airplanes

to the Chinese? How has he escaped National Security scrutiny? What bastards!

[JoFerret]

4. I wonder how this connects to his sex life

.

[tanyev]

27. "I paint my face and travel at night"

Wouldn't surprise me a bit.

[JoFerret]

28. Exactly

...like a closet case at a time of repression. (Not intended as a homphobic remark - merely an observation of what severe oppression can lead people to do.)

[psychopomp]

31. lol

too funny.

But, at any rate, this type of talk from an avowed Christian is just wrong. Why would an evangelist (in the original sense) of a religion of peace use images such as putting opponents in body bags? Of course, Ralph is neither a Christian nor does he evangelize for peace...

[aquart]

5. A Christian criminal.

[Pithy Cherub]

9. building a Christian mafia....

:hide:

[VegasWolf]

6. Hey, why not use the Evangelical Christian fools? Bush and everyone else

does it.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. The Why Not is: Your tax money, your sons & daughters, your country.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. Stealth and secrecy -- sounds Monty Python-ish:

"NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again."

[daleo]

8. My first thought too. n/t

[shenmue]

11. He is one creepy sonofagun

From his days as the scheming leader of Operation Rescue to this now, he just gives me the instant frights whenever I catch sight of his sorry ass on C-Span or what have you. He reminds me of a dictator. He just doesn't care what other people want, he is going to force them to live by his way of thinking. Religious fascism, plain and simple.

There is something wrong with his eyes.

[Judi Lynn]

17. Utter insincerity is part of it. Hostility,insufficient maturity,as well.

Here's a photo:

This one appears in a Sean Hannity tour site:

He seems very tiny. That may be part of his problem. Tall people notice the "man man's complex" in diminuitive people, and really find it unpleasant.

[belle]

20. He looks like a cross between a dormouse and Shannon Doherty in drag.

[Judi Lynn]

25. Just realized I was in too much a hurry earlier.

Meant to say "small man's complex," which is irritating to tall people, rather than "man man's complex." Very embarassing.

My husband is tall, and he finds the need to dominate in certain tiny folks to be completely unpleasant, as well as absurd.

Something unnatural seems to be driving this little guy, and it's a real shame, as he's made things far uglier for others than they would have been without his assistance.

[madrchsod]

12. he deals with people

who condones mass abortions ,sterilizations, and all forms of censorship. another christian criminal

[Orsino]

13. "You don't know it's over until you're in a body bag."

Must be from the Bible. John the Baptist said that about Jesus, right?

[Critters2]

14. Yep

And Jesus painted his face and traveled at night, too. What a piece of work!

[roguevalley]

23. only a physical coward who is a pussy would use terms like that.

that boy has been whooped on since his howdy doody face was born and he's getting even the way he always has, by being sneaky and cowardly. I hope he gets life in prison.

[Maven]

30. Exactly.

He's a real-life Uriah Heep.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

29. I think he's been hanging around his gangster homey Abramoff too long.

Abramoff probably walks the gangster walk, but Reed just likes to play tough soldier, like *.

When he "paints his face and travels by night", it's probably for a somewhat different reason than leaving people in body bags.

[saltpoint]

16. I agree with DUers here who have disparaged Ralph Reed.

He's a well-oiled little fascist who qualifies as much as anyone and more than most as the AntiChrist.

Jesus would puke if he encountered Ralph Reed.

[greekspeak]

18. Murka's most preciousest little Christo-Fascist, Ralph Reed

He has that wierd, creepy, Chuckie-like charm, like he is a cute-ugly little doll that will sneak in and knife you in your sleep. I trust him not at all. I think he makes Pat Robertson look downright clean. I hear conservatives calling John Edwards a used car salesman look-alike. Well what about this little turd-burgler? I bet he would sell his own mother down the river for a Coke and a smile.

[young_at_heart]

19. Ask Max Cleland about Reed

Ralph Reed worked hard to discredit Cleland and now Saxby Chambliss is in his place. Reed pretends to be religious and his phony smile is repugnant!

[kurth]

21. Ralph Reed is a SlimFast version of Karl Rove

Creepy as hell, and just as dangerous.

[vogonjiltz]

22. wtf

'I want to be invisible. I paint my face and travel at night. You don't know it's over until you're in a body bag.'

[Hekate]

24. What would Jesus do with Ralph Reed?

Something about that parable with the "whited sepulchers" -- attractively painted tombs with rotting corpses inside -- seems to fit this sanctimonious little SOB.

Reed makes my skin crawl.

Hekate

[DeepModem Mom]

26. Very good reporting, AJC! Reed should be investigated...

for criminal wrongdoing, not being considered by voters for public office.

[wildcat78]

32. Exactly why I stopped giving

Great example of how the church takes their donations and uses it in other places than biblical charity and church upkeep.

I thought my pastor was immune from shit like this until I found out he strong armed the financial committee to buy a new furnace from his son-in-law when the furnace in the pastor's residence stopped working. Rather than calling in a repairman to fix the furnace, our church paid more than the retail price for a furnace.

[salin]

33. Ralph Reed: making religious conservatives into a commodity

he can sell (regardless of whether the issue is religous or not) to enrich himself by manipulating his Christian Coalition (and beyond) connections.