Gage Skidmore
Audio By Carbonatix
First Baptist Dallas Pastor Robert Jeffress is not a stooge. In fact, if one even raises the idea that he’s totally in the tank for President Donald Trump, providing evangelical cover for keeping kids in cages, hush money payments to porn stars and absolutely anything else Trump decides to during a given week, he gets his dander up.
“I agree 100% that no pastor should be a stooge for a political party or for a government leader. I agree 100% with that, but I don’t know anyone on the current team that is,” Jeffress said in response to comments from J.D. Greear, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, over the summer. “If he is insinuating, and I think he is, that those of us evangelical leaders who support Trump are somehow being co-opted by him, that is absolutely not the case at all.”
It’s a good thing the reverend hasn’t been co-opted, otherwise the March 1 event at his church might be a little suspect.
“Dr. Robert Jeffress will be interviewing former White House press secretary Sarah Sanders live about her life in Washington, D.C., as a career woman, wife, mother and believer in Christ on Sunday, March 1 at 9:15 and 10:50 a.m. in the Worship Center,” First Baptist Dallas’ press release reads. “An early supporter of President Trump, Sarah joined the Trump campaign as a senior adviser in February 2016 during the Republican primary, and continued in that role through the President’s defeat of Hillary Clinton, one of the greatest and most unexpected victories in American history.”
When news happens, Dallas Observer is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If the Dallas Observer matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Dallas
Gage Skidmore
There’s no way the twin interviews, both held smack in the middle of Sunday worship, are pushing a political agenda. No way at all. No chance Sanders is doing this event ahead of a run for governor in Arkansas, either. The whole thing’s just a big Baptist coincidence.
“Upon her departure from the administration, President Trump described Sarah as ‘irreplaceable,’ a ‘warrior’ and ‘very special person with extraordinary talents, who has done an incredible job,'” the press release goes on. “Sarah has been named one of TIME Magazine‘s ’40 under 40’ and is recognized as one of the best political operatives of her generation.”
The press release’s copy is less than forthcoming about who has recognized Sanders as “one of the best political operatives of her generation,” but we digress.
Jeffress is doing this event for the right reasons. We can all rest assured of that because the president likes him. As President Trump said last week, “I don’t like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong.”
