It's long been known that while the White House kowtows to the right-wing Christianist nut cases who have taken over the Republican Party, they're loathed in private.
David Kuo was second in command in the president's Office of Faith-Based initiatives for three years and has now written "Tempting Faith," an unflattering look behind the curtain.
Reports MSNBC:
"[Kuo] says some of the nation's most prominent evangelical leaders were known in the office of presidential political strategist Karl Rove as 'the nuts.'
"'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.
"More seriously, Kuo alleges that then-White House political affairs director Ken Mehlman knowingly participated in a scheme to use the office, and taxpayer funds, to mount ostensibly 'nonpartisan' events that were, in reality, designed with the intent of mobilizing religious voters in 20 targeted races.
"According to Kuo, 'Ken loved the idea and gave us our marching orders." Among those marching orders, Kuo says, was Mehlman's mandate to conceal the true nature of the events.
"Kuo quotes Mehlman as saying, ' . . . [I]t can't come from the campaigns. That would make it look too political. It needs to come from the congressional offices. We'll take care of that by having our guys call the office [of faith-based initiatives] to request the visit.'"
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