Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

Updated: 09:34 AM EDT
Clinton Honors Graham During Pastor's Last U.S. Crusade
By RACHEL ZOLL, AP


NEW YORK (June 25) - As his final American revival meeting continued Saturday, a fragile Billy Graham was met onstage by former President Clinton, who honored the evangelist, calling him ''a man I love.''
Clinton spoke briefly before Graham's sermon and recalled how the man known as America's pastor had refused to preach before a segregated audience in Arkansas decades ago when that state was in a bitter fight over school desegregation.

''I was just a little boy and I'll never forget it,'' said Clinton, who was joined by his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. ''I've loved him ever since. God bless you, friend.''

Graham called the Clintons ''wonderful friends'' and ''a great couple,'' quipping that the former president should become an evangelist and allow ''his wife to run the country.''

Graham, 86, then launched into a short sermon that was interrupted by applause five times. Organizers estimated 80,000 people had come to the crusade at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens - about 20,000 more than the opening night Friday. The rally ends Sunday.

The evangelist is suffering from fluid on the brain, prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease. He uses the walker due to a pelvic fracture and is largely confined to his home in Montreat, N.C. He had said previously that the rally ''will be the last in America, I'm sure.''

Despite his many ailments, he spoke strongly for about 15 minutes, in an address meant to appeal to young people. He peppered his speech with pop-culture references from Madonna to Bono to MTV. He wove a parable about bad decision-making from the plot of ''Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith,'' in which Anakin Skywalker becomes the villain Darth Vader.

''The decisions you make tonight will effect your whole future and your eternal future,'' he said, before inviting people forward to accept Christ.

Seats began filling hours before the event began, as temperatures reached into the 90s. Speakers repeatedly encouraged people in the audience to drink water to avoid fainting. Graham waited to go on in an air-conditioned tent, with aides nearby in case of a medical emergency, and the stage was shaded by a massive canopy.

Graham's pulpit has a movable seat hidden from view, so he can sit if he feels unsteady. He used the seat Saturday only after he finished his sermon.

Graham is considering a request to hold a rally in November in London, but Franklin Graham said his father no longer adjusts well to time zone changes and does not like to be away from his wife, Ruth, who is also in ill health.

Graham has preached to more than 210 million people in 185 countries. He has been sought out by U.S. presidents and leaders worldwide and, more than any other religious figure, has come to represent the American evangelical movement.

Marie St. Louis, 34, who came to the event hours early Saturday with friends and family from her New York church, called the rally ''bittersweet'' because it was Graham's last in the United States.

''It's sad because he's such a legend,'' St. Louis said. ''When you think of Billy Graham, you think of a lot of things a Christian should be.''



06-26-05 08:18 EDT

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Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hillary Clinton to "run the country" (straight into the ground)

(yes, she *could* do an even better job of that than George W.!! which is hard to believe!!)

btw, George W. is not a republican

The Republican Party has been hijacked by the Religious Right and Corporate America.

It could not be further from what President Lincoln envisioned than how it exists in its current manifestation.

(Beholden.)

Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

She ran it for 8 years already. Where was Billy? So she technically, in accordance with the Constitution, is prevented from running again. :lol:

Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

you can forever. you just can't serve more than two consecutive terms anymore.

Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

I feel like I woke up in Bizarro world

Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

Bizarro World, yes.

First an evangelical Christian is urging Hillary Clinton to run for President.

Next, someone tries to tell me that george W. isn't a Republican.

I suppose next I should go and start printing my Reds World Series tickets then, eh?

Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

The Republican Party is supposed to be the Party that supports limited Government; i.e. less Governmental spending.

George W. Bush has signed into legislation every single piece of legislation that increases governmental spending throughout his first two terms in office. Every Single One. The only piece of legislation that this buffoon threatens to veto is legislation dealing with stem cell research!! Please!! If either of this man's daughters were in a car accident and paralyzed, why do I feel like one of the few remaining viable stem cells would be somehow made available for her use?! History, twenty years from now, will judge President Bush very harshly on his idiotic views towards Stem Cell Research.

George W. Bush has presided over deficits the likes of which America has not seen since the Hoover Administration!!! You know what era the Hoover Administration ushered in, right? The Great Depression!?!?!?!

The Republican Party is supposed to be for keeping the Government OUT OF your life. George W. Bush's F.C.C. is perhaps the most draconian organization of his entire government, which is truly saying something!!! His Office of Homeland Security, under the guise of protecting Americans from terrorists, has truly become empowered to disempower anyone whom Big Brother decides to take an interest in!! If you think that this legislation was ushered in solely for "fighting terrorism" then please look at a Bush Federal Bureau of Investiations which concluded that "Terrorism Training" is not an essential skill of newly hired agents,,,,,, HMMMMMMMMMM... So they're not necessarily trained to fight or identify terrorism effectively, but they can sure as hell invade a private citizen's life if they deem it "necessary?" How are they qualified to decide when such an invasion is necessary if they aren't even properly trained to identify the "terrorists?"

I'm an Independent, and support many true Republican ideals, but George W. Bush is not a Republican!!! If you think he is, you truly are living in a Bizzaro world!!

Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

And Hoover was a ??????? ;)

Reagan ran up some huge deficits also. Maybe Clinton has been the best Republican President the last 20 years? :)

Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

What about...

Dick Cheney
Karl Rove
Paul Wolfowitz
Condi Rice
Bill Frist
Rick Santorum
Don Rumsfeld
John Ashcroft

...are they not Republicans either? Becauase either your definition of a Republican is skewed, or your cohorts in the Bush Administration have been doing a horrible job upholding your idea of "core Republican values."

Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

Looks like WilyMo didn't leave the Republican Party, the Republican Party left him. ;)

Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

I said I was an Independent didn't I? I also said that the Republican Party has been hijacked by the Religious Right and Corporate America. All of the names you just rattled off to me fit into that personification rather nicely.

Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

No, there are lots of people willing to accept the lesser of two evils (Bush > Kerry; barely) but if a candidate presented himself who talked seriously about controlling our borders, limiting our government etc. etc. etc.; true Republican ideals, I think he/she'd win in a landslide.

Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

They are not cohorts of mine!!

Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

Well, then, doesn't it stand to reason that perhaps your view of what the Republican Party should be doesn't match what the Republican Party actually is? You may think that the Republican Party should stand for all of those things you mentioned above, but if it doesn't, then perhaps your definition or expectations are out of date.

I'd argue that what you're seeing is exactly what the Republican Party is nowadays. "Hijacked" by the Religious Right and Corporate America or not, the Republicans are in power in this country and this is exactly what you get with it. What you're arguing the Republican Party should be sounds nice, but it doesn't fit with reality.

Re: Rev. Billy Graham calls for Hilary Clinton to "run the country"
 

And this too shall pass...

How should people who are discontent with how their party is being mismanaged respond? I can still remember the way the Republican Party used to be; do I have to accept these current holders-of-power as the final say in what my Republican Party will be? No! They're the imposters, not me!! There's a reason that Bush's approval ratings are beginning to dip below 40%!! I'm not the only Republican who has been forced to become an Independent, and I'm sure as hell not going to take it lying down!