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The outspoken Rev. Franklin Graham claimed today that the “majority of Christians” did not vote.
“We know that from of the statistics that I’ve heard that the majority of Christians in this country just did not vote for whatever reason,” he told the Christian Broadcasting Network’s David Brody. “The vast majority of evangelicals did not go to the polls.” He added, “God is in control, and if Christians are upset, they need to be upset at themselves. We need to do a better job of getting our people- the church to vote. Now, I’m not trying to tell you how to vote, you can vote, but vote, my goodness, and vote for candidates that stand for Biblical values.”
But Graham’s assertion -- and implication that had white Christian evangelicals just showed up in bigger numbers, President Obama would have lost -- is off base.
In fact, white evangelicals/born-again Christians made up the same percentage of the electorate as they did in 2008 – 26%. They voted for Mitt Romney, a devout Mormon, by a wider margin than they did for Sen. John McCain four years ago.
And, they made up a larger share of the electorate in 2012 than in 2004, when the Christian Right supposedly fueled George W. Bush’s reelection. They also voted for Romney with the exact same margin as for Bush in 2004, 78%-21%.
Not to mention, Obama won the 48 percent of the electorate that was Christian and not Protestant or Mormon -- 50%-48% among Catholics (25% of the electorate) and 50%-49% of "Other Christians" (23% of the electorate).
In Ohio, they were 1 point more of the electorate than 2008; in Colorado, 4 points higher; in Iowa, up 7 points; in Nevada, up 2.
White evangelical voters in select swing states
CO: 25%, 76-22 Romney; 2008: 21%, 76-23 McCain
FL: 24%, 79-21 Romney; 2008: 24%, 77-21 McCain
IA: 38%, 64-35 Romney; 2008: 31%, 65-33 McCain
NV: 18%, 69-28 Romney; 2008: 16%, 72-27 McCain
OH: 31%, 69-30 Romney; 2008: 30%, 71-27 McCain
They did decline as a share of the electorate in North Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin. But the drops in states like North Carolina (Graham’s home state) and Virginia likely have less to do with apathy and more to do with demographic changes – transplants in North Carolina’s Research Triangle and growth in the Washington, D.C., suburbs of Northern Virginia, for example.
The fact is, Virginia and North Carolina are looking less and less like the Old South and more and more like Mid-Atlantic states.
White evangelical voters in the South (where exit polls are available)
MS: 50%, 95-5 Romney; 2008: 46%, 94-6 McCain
AL: 47% , 90-10 Romney; 2008: 47%, 92-8 McCain
NC: 35%, 79-20 Romney; 2008: 44%, 74-25 McCain
VA: 23%, 83-17 Romney; 2008: 28%, 79-20 McCain
Are there Christian evangelicals who did not vote? Certainly. But that’s true every year and of every demographic group.
Evangelicals make up 26 percent of adults in the country, according to a major 2008 Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life survey. They matched that this election.
The U.S. Census says there are more than 311 million people in the United States. If evangelical adults are 26 percent of them, then there would be 80 million potential voters.
So far, 123 million votes have been counted in this election – and that number will get higher by the millions as votes continue to be counted like in 2008. Evangelicals made up 26 percent of them, therefore, about 32 million evangelicals voted – less than half of their population.
But there’s a need for context here: (1) They make up just 14 percent of the registered-voter base in the NBC/Wall Street Journal poll. They outpaced that percentage in the presidential election, (2) This is true every other demographic group in the country as well.
Latinos, for example, according to the U.S. Census, are nearly 17 percent of the country, but only made up 10 percent of the 2012 electorate. They make up just 8 to 9 percent of the registered-voter base of the NBC/WSJ poll.
That would mean just 12 million of the 52 million adult Hispanics voted.
If this was Australia, and the U.S. had compulsory voting, Graham’s argument that evangelicals would have tipped the balance would not hold up very well.
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The bible can't fix the deficit. Christian or not, people in general should vote the candidate who is best suited to run the business we call the government. Just because one is half-8lack does not indicate anything other than the fact that there are as many r@cist 8lack people as there are white people.
Biblical Christians did vote...however it was tough because there was not the clear choice that Rev. Graham portrays and perhaps there is a deeper message here that will eventually realized. Obama is a Christian....how far are pacts willing to be blindsided to keep their perceived team going....what will the compromise be. Admittedly gay marriage and abortions are not something to vote for but they can be handled another way through individual laws and that is where faith needs to focus.
"Now, I’m not trying to tell you how to vote, you can vote, but vote, my goodness, and vote for candidates that stand for Biblical values.”
I'm not telling you how to vote, but vote Biblical values.
Only a conservative Christian can contradict himself in one sentence and not see the jokes on him.
The GOP is happy again having 4 more years to whine and plenty of different demographic groups to put the blame on.
Sodom and Gomorrah this
End of the World that
Libs get what they deserve this
Evolution is made-up that
So tiring to those of us with higher learning degrees and a dental program.
Ok, I had to give props to the last-minute snark.
What is it about 'fault' ? If Republicans had put forward a reasonable candidate, if Republicans had come to the center, if Republicans would have acted like real small-government, efficiency minded Republicans and not gone on about this abortion BULL@!$%#, they would have won. Republicans are too much about naked hikes, gay sex in minneapolis airport bathrooms, and burning holy books
perhaps God did not want Romney to win... or does Rev. Franklin Graham believe he speaks for the Almighty?
Christ said the greatest commandments are to love GOD AND to love thy neighbor as thyself and these laws are above all biblical laws of any prophets.
Grahams and their cult members seems to rather believe their own version of the greatest commandments which are to love GOP AND to hate thy neighbor who are colored, gay, poor, women or any other excuses they can find from the bible.
Who said my creator is their God.
He (Graham) would not be much of a Christian leader if he passed up a perfect opportunity to make his followers feel guilty and shameful..... "Now, folks, if you want to be forgiven, be sure to double up on your contributions when the basket is passed...."
The best way to honor God is to cast off the shackles of religion and religious "leaders".
Franklin has reduced Christ to the mascot for right wing politics.
The Graham legacy is a joke.
I guess they want a Christian version of Sharia Law? What is up with this group? They despise minorities and poor people? I don't get it.
ghandi said, "i like your christ. you christians, not so much. why are so many of you so unchristlike?"
These "Christians Incorporated" people just couldn't care less if what they say is true or a lie.
Dogband ur post resonates well. Faith is personal. As a center right independent, my decision for O was based solely on the substance of addressing issues facing the country. The Republicans offered more rhetoric than specifics. Now that we have more people power, it’s time to solve real issues domestically and engage the world.
dogband
I was wondering what took this so long, when I noted the B.Graham newspaper ads before the election.
Both myself and my wife are lifelong Christians and we voted for Obama, among the many reasons are that the GOP is a party of angry white men who start wars, and PRIMARILY: you cannot legislate morality.
Who is in the white house will not change mans attitude towards sin and God. Shaking this sin / God thing is just a tool that the GOP uses to its advantage whenever it suits them--no more, no less.
GOP or Democrats are neither one closer or farther from God. This is a personal thing.
My mother voted for Obama BECAUSE she's a Christian.
Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,—as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen [Muslims],—and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan [Muslim] nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
Now be it known, That I John Adams, President of the United States of America, having seen and considered the said Treaty do, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, accept, ratify, and confirm the same, and every clause and article thereof. And to the End that the said Treaty may be observed, and performed with good Faith on the part of the United States, I have ordered the premises to be made public; And I do hereby enjoin and require all persons bearing office civil or military within the United States, and all other citizens or inhabitants thereof, faithfully to observe and fulfill the said Treaty and every clause and article thereof.
This from one of our founding fathers and the entire Senate at the time, now I ask you,what kind of Christians were they? How do you create one of THE most important documents in history and never mention the words "Jesus" or "Christian" in either the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution?
The Treaty of Tripoli from where the above verses come from was due to the Barbary Wars with the pirates, personally I think it settles a long standing lie that the right wing loves to spout that the United States was founded on the Christian religion, I think our founding fathers would flatly deny that premise.
This article is blanket BS.
Damn straight Christians played a HUGE part in NOT voting for Romney.....the REAL reason WHY?
He's a Mormon, THAT'S why.
By re-electing Barry, you'll get what you deserve...
Unfortunately, you'll take the rest of us with us.
'Father, forgive them for they know NOT what they do.'
Did you even read the article? Evangelical Christians voted for Romney in numbers equivalent to the their vote for McCain/Palin in 2008 and Palin was a darling of the right wing fundamentalist and evangelical Christians. Your comment therefore makes no sense!
Mr. Graham trying to keep the illusion that his sect of Christianity is the king maker and they are still relevant. He may also trying to say that if Romny was not a Mormon the Christian would have voted in greater numbers. Either way you slice it the IRS should revoke his non-profit status.
Whatever Franklin Graham has to say these days is no longer worth listening to, Graham has transformed himself into nothing more than a partisan right wing ideologue. A much more brilliant idea and goal than Graham has ever apparently contemplated is to keep church and state separate.
So I notice FOX news is saying 0bamacare is causing people to lose their jobs. But that can't be can it since FOX news ALWAYS LIES doesn't it?
I don't suppose any of you "progressives" are hiring are you?
Well
Reverend Frank, it's a shame that your particular brand of ideology makes you
blind to the hypocrisy and fabrications overflowing from the Bible and from
your supporters. Many of the same people who describe themselves as
"Pro-Life" would love to have the US bomb Iran and kill thousands of
innocent people in the process. Many of them thought that fighting two wars
while simultaneously cutting taxes was somehow OK. OK that is until President
Obama came along and attempted to fix the catastrophe that the Republicans
created with their irresponsible and I believe criminal, policies created. All
of the sudden, the deficit became the most important thing in the universe. At
the same time, the party that created the economic meltdown refused to
cooperate in any way to save it. They preferred that thousands of people lose
their jobs and homes - so the Republicans could get back into the driver's
seat! When the big three auto makers ran into problems, Romney told the nation
to let Detroit go Bankrupt! Later, when he needed votes in Ohio, he amended
that to "I meant that in a good way". The man has no shame and
neither do you for implying that God somehow cares who wins the election. I am
not religious but I know that your bible warns of false prophets and I sincerely
believe that if you want to see and hear one all you have to do is step in
front of a mirror.
Bill Maher was right; it was his comment which I do not want to repeat and his audience that voted for the new president!
When so called "Christians" are called upon to vote on issue's like gay marriage, birth control and abortion, but then turn their backs on the poor, elderly, children and disabled, and want to cut programs that help out actual people in need, and to protect the rich's coffers and Corporations, well that just shows how distorted and partisan this country has become.
We all should have access to medical care, without it bankrupting families. Smaller Government means stay out of our bedrooms and our reproductive rights and healthcare choices!
Republicans in many states are back at the let's de-fund PP when millions of Women rely on PP for all their healthcare needs...
I think "Christians" need to dust off their bibles, and start to remember what would Jesus do, being that he was a Liberal socialist!
Welcome to unemployment you loser liberals. You need to cling to your food stamp president and Allah! Scumbags yoda says all of you.
Uh, what?
Bill- Gee so it's all "loser liberals" that don't have jobs and we were the only ones suffering from the Bush recession?
Well Bill why don't you explain to me why so many red states, Alabama for example are so dependent on government monies? And have been for decades?
Did Corporations just start downsizing and outsourcing in the last four years?
Did 12million people sneak over the border in the last four years?
Blaming the unemployment and economic woes on us Liberals maybe a great Fox news talking point, but facts and history don't back you up...
Why are republicans so against going back to the Clinton era tax rates? Why won't the republicans even discuss stopping the billions we spend handing out corporate welfare to the oil and energy Co's? Just easier to blame everything on the poor and entitlements, not two unfunded wars and tax breaks...
Keep your blinders on and keep talking the faux noise talking points, no wonder fox news has the most misinformed audience, keep drinking the weak tea, it isn't as sweet as it used to be now is it?
who really cares about franklin grahams opinon anyway he is a minor player in america politics ! THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO CARE ARE RIGHT WING CHRISTIANS WHO ARE ALSO MINOR VOICES ALSO !
Poor reverend Graham, will he ever stop being an ignorant and intolerant man? Most probably he will not. Evangelicals came out in full force this election, but Romney lost because the majority rejected his ideas, it is pure
and simple. It is not surprising that some evengalicals voted for Obama, albeit they kept it quiet. The good reverend needs to stay away from politics. Mixing government and religion works only in Heaven and not here on earth.
Oh. Well, if they didn't vote, I guess they can shut up and accept the government that socially-conscious Americans chose.