Karl Rove, Other Conservatives Denounce Anti-Mormon Comments
Karl Rove has criticized Texas Gov. Rick Perry for not strongly denouncing evangelical Baptist minister Robert Jefress after the Texas pastor described former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney's religion as a "cult," during last Friday's Values Voter Summit.
Appearing on Fox News on Oct. 10, Rove, a political adviser to former President George W. Bush, said Jeffress' statement was "a terrible mistake" that "doesn't belong in politics," and said that Perry needed to be stronger in his disagreement with Jeffress. "I wish Perry was a little bit stronger in denouncing this," Rove said.
Rove's statement followed conservative TV host, and former Republican congressman, Joe Scarborough, who in an opinion article published through Politico, said: "Modern American politics as practiced by Jeffress and his ilk require that Jesus Christ be thrown under the bus with great regularity by the very same people who claim His name."
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The Perry campaign did address Jeffress' remarks through spokesman Robert Black, who told reporters on Friday, "The governor does not believe Mormonism is a cult. He is not in the business of judging people. That’s God’s plan."
Still, this appears woefully insufficient to conservatives like fellow Mormon Jon Huntsman, who said on CNN, Monday:
"The fact that, you know, some moron can stand up and make a comment like that, you know, first of all, it's outrageous,” said the former U.S. Ambassador on "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."
Huntsman continued, "Second of all, the fact that we are spending so much time discussing it makes it even worse."
The former Utah governor has called on Perry to disassociate himself from Jeffress, saying he should make "an immediate and decisive break, period."
"This kind of talk, I think, has no home in American politics these days. You know, anyone who has associated with someone willing to make those comments ought to stand up and distance themselves in very bold language and that hasn't been done. And Rick ought to stand up and do that," he concluded.
