Here's how Wikipedia describes Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell (yes, I see the irony since I wrote this earlier in the week, so here's confirmation):
Kirbyjon H. Caldwell is the American pastor of the Windsor Village United Methodist Church, a 14,000-member megachurch in Houston, Texas. He is one of President George W. Bush's most influential spiritual advisors (sic).
Wikipedia also tells me that Caldwell introduced Bush at the Republican National Convention in 2000, did the benediction at Bush's 2001 adn 2005 inaugurations, and earlier this year presided over Jenna Bush's wedding.
How weird it is, then, to read this in WSJ's Washington Wire:
A recently launched Christian-based political action committee, the Matthew 25 Network, will air a television ad in support of Barack Obama touting his family values that will coincide with a faith-based forum on Saturday hosted by Pastor Rick Warren at the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. ...
On a conference call with reporters today, the group and its affiliated pastors touted Obama for having a "sterling reputation as a family man," according to Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell.
Now, I had read repeatedly that the Matthew 25 Network (Facebook) was a liberal Christian group, but if they have the guy who Bush has do inaugural benedictions then this is not a liberal group. It's an evangelical group, sure, but I don't know that liberal covers it.
Caldwell appears to be not just pro-Obama (he endorsed in January 2008), but to have some pretty strong feelings about John McCain, cracking on McCain offering his wife up for a motorcycle rally beauty contest he may or may not have known was topless earlier this month.
"My personal opinion, and based on my opinion of the Christian faith, that’s not the type of expression a presidential candidate or anyone following the Christian faith ought to make," Caldwell said, adding that the statement "helps to juxtapose the DNA of Sen. Obama with DNA of Sen. McCain."
Asked by a reporter if Caldwell was making a veiled criticism of McCain’s marital record, the pastor responded, "His marital history has been duly recorded."
"At the end of the day, again, I think the American public deserves full revelation of the candidate’s character and competences," Caldwell added.
And this is the pastor George Bush wants performing the marriage ceremony of his daughter!
What's even better is the McCain response to the ad, and to Bush's pastor's take on McCain.
In response to Caldwell and Vanderslice, McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said, "These smears on John McCain’s character and faith expose the utter hypocrisy of Barack Obama’s claim to represent a new kind of politics. It’s disgraceful." He went on to say that Americans "know that John McCain’s faith and character were tested and forged in ways few can fathom."
Ha ha ha ha ha! McCain's campaign is accusing Bush's pastor of smearing him! Oh, the joy.
Too bad the smear accusation is buried in a WSJ blog and here on Daily Kos. Seriously, how is this not front page news given the idiocy of our current political media discourse?