This is easily one of those you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me kind of stories.
Yesterday, I noted the growing rumor that Jerry Falwell has been tapped to deliver the invocation at the Republican National Convention in New York. I simply couldn’t believe it was even possible for the GOP to ask a polarizing, hate-filled TV preacher who blamed the 9/11 attacks on Americans to take on such a role.
But, apparently, this may be more than just a passing rumor.
Blogger John Aravosis heard from the Rev. Mel White, a long-time Falwell foe, who attended a service in which Falwell told his congregation that he would deliver the GOP’s invocation. Aravosis added to the report this morning:
I interviewed a second source yesterday who confirmed that during the 11AM services at Jerry Falwell’s Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, VA on Sunday, July 11, 2004, the crowd was told that Jerry Falwell will be delivering the opening invocation (prayer) at the upcoming Republican Convention in NYC. The source also confirmed that the crowd was told this would be a historic first, that there has never been a prayer opening the convention (hard to believe this fact is true).
So, either Falwell really has been asked to deliver the opening prayer or he’s lying to his congregation. Both, at this point, seem equally plausible.
This strikes me as perhaps one of the dumbest possible moves the Republicans could make with their convention, so I can only hope it’s true. I suppose it’s possible that the GOP’s far-right base was so irritated with the placement of moderates in key, prime-time speaking slots that Republican officials decided this would placate the party’s lunatic fringe.
Still, Falwell is the kind of person the party should be keeping as far away from the convention as possible, not giving him a high-profile responsibility. If true, this can only be characterized as breathtaking in its stupidity.
And if, by chance, you’re only passively familiar with Falwell’s twisted record, here a few reminders about his background.
Postscript: If you’re wondering if I’m going to be obsessing over this for the next month or so, the answer is a definite “yes.”