“We don’t have a skin problem in America. We have a sin problem in America.”
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee explains how people should understand the Bible’s teachings about how to heal the nation’s troubles in a video sent to supporters. After the clip, he asks in the email for campaign donations.
The crowd at Iowa’s Family Leadership Summit applauds his sin-skin statement. “That is the root and the heart and the cause of racial strife and I cannot be reconciled by the government stepping in and making pronouncements,” he says. “There is a prescription.”
The video then zeroes in on a Bible passage: “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways....” Huckabee then notes, “Those are the conditions that he says he will hear from heaven, he will forgive our and he will heal our land.”
The Southern Baptist pastor explains, “I think forget people forget God will heal this land. He won’t do it if we don’t meet the conditions for him for him to heal it.” The audiences offers lots of appaluse and cheers.
The email urges “After watching this video I hope you will consider making a donation to my campaign for President so I can bring this message to voters across the nation. If you have watched this video already, please consider an immediate donation in the amount you can afford here.”
Huckabee, who won the 2008 Iowa Republican caucus, has said he respects people of all faiths. He’s a big favorite of the Christian right, though he has tough competition this time from several candidates, including former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.
David Lightman: 202-383-6101, @lightmandavid