Discussion: Evangelicals for Harris Launch $1M Anti-Trump Ad Featuring Billy Graham
A recent ad campaign by the political action committee Evangelicals for Harris has sparked controversy by using footage from the late evangelist Billy Graham to criticize former President Donald Trump. The $1 million campaign, airing in battleground states, draws from a sermon Graham preached on 2 Timothy 3:1-5, where Paul describes the characteristics of evildoers in the last days. The ad pairs Graham’s reading with clips of Trump, suggesting that he embodies these negative traits, such as being “greedy,” “proud,” and “reckless.”
This campaign has provoked strong reactions, particularly from Franklin Graham, Billy Graham’s son, who condemned the use of his father’s image to attack Trump. He emphasized that his father supported Trump in 2016 for his conservative values and suggested that Billy Graham’s views would not have changed. This situation raises questions about the ethics of using religious figures in political ads and how far is too far when it comes to political messaging.
What are your thoughts on the use of religious imagery and messages in political campaigns? Is it appropriate to use the words of influential religious leaders to make political statements?
It isn’t right because it’s blatantly dishonest. The Harris campaign does this often in growing desperation. The Teamsters Union was polled and voted two-to-one to support Trump, yet they were unable to endorse him because of the optics of a union supporting a Republican, so then Harris insists that the Teamsters didn’t endorse Trump. Technically a true statement, but an entirely dishonest representation of what happened.
So too with the Border Patrol-- overwhelmingly behind Trump, yet Kamala is suddenly visiting the border after four years of ignoring and opening it to all. 13000 convicted murderers welcomed in and released into our neighborhoods, but we are to believe that she now loves the border wall, wants to strengthen it, and that she supports the Border Patrol. No one is fooled, least of all those agents.
When the Fraternal Order of Police Officers-- the nation’s largest union representing more than 377,000 police officers endorsed Trump I saw her campaign announce the support of a law enforcement group without mentioning that the group had only been formed in March of this year… in other words, they created a group in order to announce it’s support. So fake.
Police Leaders for Community Safety represents “dozens” of police officials. yawn.
