Matthew 25 Network PAC Hits Christian Radio with Pro-Obama Ad as Christian Conservative Leaders Decide to Support McCain (UPDATED 1X)

David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network is apparently Obama’s chief water carrier for Obama’s hard press to win evangelicals. As reported in my earlier post (Part 1 of 2 on Obama’s Conservative Meeting Guests), Brody and CBN got the first heads up about Obama’s June meeting with religious conservatives in Chicago. Now, Brody is reporting disseminating a press release from the Matthew 25 Network PAC which heralds his new radio ad on Christian radio.

In a story dated July 1 with the title “Barack Obama Radio Spot Hits Christian Radio,” Brody writes:

Now playing on Christian radio: Barack Obama!

The Brody File has learned that the Matthew 25 Network which is a religious political action committee supporting Obama has put together a radio ad in which Obama’s faith is highlighted. And get this….they are airing it on Christian radio in Colorado Springs, the home to James Dobson and Focus on the Family.

You can listen to the radio ad here.

Note the exclamation point at the beginning…a mark of Brody’s true journalistic professionalism…not.

Brody then quotes some of the accompanying press release:

The Matthew 25 Network today launched an initial radio ad campaign to reach Christian voters with Obama’s positive message of how faith informs his life and enhances dialogue in the public square.

The ad entitled “From his Heart,” comes on the heels of Senator Obama’s historic speech earlier today about the instrumental role faith communities play in caring for the “least of these” in our society and the importance of public partnerships with faith-based programs that have proven track records.

The Matthew 25 Network ad will first run in Colorado Springs, CO, home of James Dobson who garnered much media attention last week for attacking Senator Obama’s faith. The group will run run ads in Ohio, Michigan, Virginia, and other swing states.

Dobson had accused Obama of “distorting the Bible” in a speech in late June.

Brody goes on to provide the script of the radio spot, which he finds impressive, but also states that another group may start running ads in opposition:

I think the ad is EXTREMELY strong.

It stays away from public policy and really focuses in his personal commitment to Christ. That is a type of message that Evangelicals will want to hear.

The flip side here is that another group may start running radio spots on Christian radio detailing Obama’s liberal positions on issues which may conflict with some Evangelicals.

McCain has also been courting evangelicals since many don’t think he “shares their values.” However, in a story reported by Mark Halperin of Time yesterday (7/2/08), conservative leaders meeting on Tuesday in Denver agreed to support John McCain. We’ll now have to see how many of the pastors and other religious leaders who attended Obama’s pow-pow will wind up supporting him versus McCain.

By the way, one of these new McCain supporters is Steve Strang, who runs Strang Communications “a multi-media communications company focused on spreading the name and fame of Jesus throughout the world through the mass media” which publishes 7 magazines and also publishes books. Steve Strang is the father of Cameron Strang, who runs Relevant Media Group which targets “young adult Christians” and whom I profiled in Part 1: Obama’s Conservative Meeting Guests–Non-Pastors.

Anyway, it looks like we’re in for a load of religion coming our way. Oh, boy. And maybe “religious wars.” I can’t even stand the thought of this stuff hitting us until November, while other issues go by the board.

UPDATE July 9, 2008

Also attending this meeting–Steve Strang, the father of Cameron Strang. See his latest report where he discusses his attendance at thethe meeting with Obama and the Denver meeting. Steve Strang was the only one to attend both. In his report, Strang senior says his son got a phone interview with Obama (which he says made Obama sound more moderate), but he is still trying. He provides a link to Cameron’s report on his interview with Obama which apparently occured on July 1.

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For more background on Obama’s religouis push:

So, What’s Obama Going to Give Away to Conservative Religious Leaders and Constitutional Law Profs Who Work with Ken Starr??(Just Say No Deal)

Part 1: Obama’s Conservative Meeting Guests (Non-Pastors)

Part 2: Obama’s Conservative Meeting Guests–The Pastors