Donald Trump called for healing in his first comments after claiming presidential victory. But the president/CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters didn’t go much for unity in a formal statement congratulating the president-elect.
“NRB commends voters for repudiating the demands of the radical Left,” wrote Dr. Jerry A. Johnson after congratulating the Trump-Pence ticket. “Sadly, that agenda has been aggressively advanced by the Obama administration. But Americans still value life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
NRB’s statement ran to 571 words (compared to NAB’s 71). The organization describes itself as nonpartisan, and Johnson did go on to say it’s time to “unite in common cause to advance these basic principles, principles that bond citizens across political and demographic lines.” He said debates over the future of the judicial branch “and, indeed, even the fundamental constitutional separation of powers among all the branches” remain in view; and he reiterated NRB’s opposition to “unprovoked assaults on religious ministries that only seek to aid their communities.” (Read it here.)
He also said he was “encouraged that early evidence suggests strong participation by Christian voters in this election,” and noted that NRB had conducted a campaign of PSAs called Christians Vote. “These messages were used by NRB-affiliated radio stations and others to encourage evangelicals to fulfill their biblical duty to vote.”
He added that the election “demonstrates the wisdom of NRB’s recent decision to relocate our headquarters to Capitol Hill.” And Johnson noted that Vice President-Elect Mike Pence was the 2009 recipient of NRB’s Faith & Freedom Award.
