CNN asks evangelical leaders Tony Perkins, Franklin Graham why they give Trump a pass on Stormy Daniels
White evangelical Christians are President Trump's electoral rock, and while there's significant erosion in the group, evangelical political leaders are still firmly aboard the Trump train. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, explained to Politico that evangelicals gave Trump "a mulligan" and "a do-over." On CNN Tuesday night, Erin Burnett asked him why, especially after porn star Stormy Daniels' detailed account of an extramarital affair she says she had with Trump in 2006.
"If this behavior were occurring today, right now, as he is president of the United States, I can assure you that my support and the support of evangelicals would be dissipating very rapidly," Perkins said. Trump won over evangelicals by promising to appoint pro-life judges, making Mike Pence his running mate, and embracing "the most conservative party platform ever, and yes, evangelicals, conservatives, gave him a mulligan, they let him have a do-over," Perkins said. "Evangelicals understand what a second chance means."
Later Tuesday night, CNN's Don Lemon interviewed Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, who also noted that Trump's alleged affair was years ago. "Not that we give anybody a pass, but we have to look at the time line," Graham said. "And I think the president has changed quite a bit in the last 11 years ... and I think there's a maturing of the president." "Have you read his Twitter account?" Lemon asked incredulously. "I believe Donald Trump is a good man," Graham responded.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Graham told Lemon he believes Trump's denials about his affair with Stormy Daniels, "and I believe that he's a changed person, and I've never seen anybody get attacked like he gets attacked." "Have you ever seen any other president attack other people as much as he attacks other people?" Lemon asked, and when Graham laughed, he asked if "turn the other cheek" wasn't a Christian value? "I went to Catholic school, I went to catechism, and then I went to Sunday school at my Baptist church, and the Bible and everyone always taught me to do unto others and to not attack others, and that's all this president does," Lemon said. "He's not the pastor of our country, Don," Graham said. Peter Weber
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
7 beautiful towns to visit in Switzerland during the holidays
The Week Recommends Find bliss in these charming Swiss locales that blend the traditional with the modern
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Werewolf bill
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'This needs to be a bigger deal'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
GOP's Mace seeks federal anti-trans bathroom ban
Speed Read Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina has introduced legislation to ban transgender people from using federal facilities
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine fires ATACMS, Russia ups hybrid war
Speed Read Ukraine shot U.S.-provided long-range missiles and Russia threatened retaliation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freeze
Speed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bans
Speed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler group
Speed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Gaetz ethics report in limbo as sex allegations emerge
Speed Read A lawyer representing two women alleges that Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, and one witnessed him having sex with minor
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden allows Ukraine to hit deep in Russia
Speed Read The U.S. gave Ukraine the green light to use ATACMS missiles supplied by Washington, a decision influenced by Russia's escalation of the war with North Korean troops
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sri Lanka's new Marxist leader wins huge majority
Speed Read The left-leaning coalition of newly elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won 159 of the legislature's 225 seats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published