Sunday best: '08 edition (UPDATED: With video)

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Posted: November 2, 2008 - 4:31 pm

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From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage

Several of the ushers wore campaign buttons for Sen. Ted Stevens this morning at the Anchorage Baptist Temple, where it was hard not to read something into Pastor Jerry Prevo's candidates' day sermon.

Every Sunday before an Alaska election, local politicians flock to the church to say a quick hello to the congregation. This year, the Stevens campaign was one of the first to arrive, and Stevens sat three seats down from competitor Mark Begich as Prevo talked about giving thanks - and forgiveness.

"We should not judge people based on losing one or two innings, or bouts, in life. We ought to judge people based on their whole life," he told the congregation.

Was he talking about Stevens, who was found guilty Monday on seven counts of lying on his federal disclosures?

"The message was generic, and everybody will take that message and apply it to that frame of mind that they're in today," Prevo said after the service.

I asked Stevens the same question.

"I think he was talking about all of us, wasn't he? Like you too," Stevens said. He said he could relate when Prevo talked about a complicated relationship with his father, for example.

"I thought it was a very good message. But you're turning it political, and I'm not politics in church. Get that straight," he said.

A CNN crew dangle a microphone above Stevens' head as Stevens could be heard telling a reporter "the jury did not hear what the court said about the prosecution using false testimony..."

(The Democratic party gathered a group of local lawyers today to counter Stevens supporters who call the trial unfair. This was no kangaroo court, the lawyers told reporters. More on that later.)

"How angry are you about this?" the reporter asked.

"Well, not really that angry," he said.

The Baptist Temple congregation leans hard right, particularly on social issues. Asked if this was a home crowd for Stevens, Begich acknowledged Stevens has his fans at the church. "I also know many came to my booth and said hello," he said.

Prevo said the church has been inviting candidates since the early 1980s. At the beginning of the service, the politicians are given a moment to introduce themselves. Rep. Bob Lynn threw in a quick "I am pro life" before sitting down.

Candidates sat six pews deep as massive gray television cameras swept over the congregation. When it was time for tithing, Begich and Rep. Don Young - who sat a pew apart - reached into their pockets to ready their cash while a choir of 60 sang "every day is a day of thanksgiving."

Afterward, candidates shook hands as churchgoers flooded to the door. Teresa Obermeyer circulated in the crowd. People plucked candy from the Ralph Nader-for-president booth, and Rep. Don Young told someone "I'm never taking this personally ... we'll see what happens."

Begich planned to head to Fairbanks for more campaigning, while Stevens and Young drove to the Valley for a 2 p.m. rally in Wasilla.

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