Without the slightest appearance of tongue in cheek, President Obama linked Jesus to his economic policies Thursday. In his speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Obama said the nation's challenges require strong values as much of smart politics.
It was Obama's third appearance at the breakfast. He hastily used his time at the microphone to justify many of his actions, such as his call for wealthy Americans to pay more taxes and his health care law (Obamacare). He claimed they are not only economically sound, but also rooted in Christian values.
“When I talk about shared responsibility, it's because I genuinely believe that in a time when many folks are struggling and a time when we have enormous deficits, it's hard for me to ask seniors on a fixed income or young people with student loans or middle-class families who can barely pay the bills to shoulder the burden alone,” said the long-winded president.
“But for me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus' teaching that, for unto whom much is given, much shall be required,” he said to a stunned audience surprised by the Jesus comparison and the purely political nature of his talk.
The remarks came just one day after Mitt Romney's clumsy quotes concerning his opinion on the poor in this country. “I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net out there. If it needs repair, I'll fix it. I'm not concerned about the very rich. They're doing just fine. I'm concerned about the very heart of America, the 90-95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling. You can focus on the very poor, that's not my focus.” Romney said.
The president did not mention the former governor by name, but the defense of his own policies was a rare instance where politics have entered the prayer breakfast's topic of discussion. Speakers usually refrain from any direct political references, sticking instead to calls for civility and respect in Washington.
It seems Barack Obama has never seen a podium that didn't require him to make a partisan political speech. This time he did it with the help of Jesus and a total absence of his familiar teleprompter.
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