Nuts, Kooks And Crazies

So has the White House's courting of the evangelicals over the past six years been just a cynical ploy, or a heart-felt effort? Ha! You make the call. MSNBC (10.11.06):

"More than five years after President Bush created the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, the former second-in-command of that office is going public with an insider’s tell-all account that portrays an office used almost exclusively to win political points with both evangelical Christians and traditionally Democratic minorities." Exclusive: Book says Bush just using Christians

"'Tempting Faith’s' author is David Kuo, who served as special assistant to the president from 2001 to 2003. A self-described conservative Christian, Kuo’s previous experience includes work for prominent conservatives including former Education Secretary and federal drug czar Bill Bennett and former Attorney General John Ashcroft." Jeez. Talk about being in the belly of the beast. David says that "some of the nation’s most prominent evangelical leaders were known in the office of presidential political strategist Karl Rove as 'the nuts.'" Really. "'National Christian leaders received hugs and smiles in person and then were dismissed behind their backs and described as ‘ridiculous,’ ‘out of control,’ and just plain ‘goofy,’' Kuo writes." David's been questioning the veracity of the Administration's "commitment to the faith-based agenda" for a while now. John DiIulio was the guy George tapped to be the first director of the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives back in early 2001. He wasn't happy about how the Office was being used either. Ahhh yes. The Reign of the Mayberry Machiavellis.