Christian Evangelicals Not Invited to GOP Convention?

(Aug. 12) - Some prominent evangelical Christians say they have not been
invited to participate in or attend the Republican National Convention less
than three weeks before the event is to begin.

Analysts said the move likely reflects a GOP desire to sideline its more
polarizing supporters during a tight presidential race, but convention
organizers deny they're marginalizing the religious leaders. Republican
strategist Ralph Reed said Wednesday that invitations just started going out
to evangelical figures, but he would not release any names.

The Rev. Franklin Graham, who delivered the invocation at President Bush's
inauguration, has had no request to attend so far, said Graham spokesman
Mark DeMoss.

The Rev. Jerry Falwell, who offered a prayer at the 2000 convention, said he
has not yet been asked to do so this year. He plans to go "quietly in and
quietly out" of the New York event, although he insists no one in the
Republican campaigns asked him to keep a low profile.

The Rev. Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition and a one-time
Republican presidential candidate, said, "I've had no request from anybody
to be there." Unlike Falwell, Robertson believes the GOP is deliberately
keeping him and other evangelicals away.

"In the last convention, the thought was to keep all the conservatives out
of sight," said Robertson, who has attended every Republican convention
since 1988, but said he won't go this year. "The general thrust will be to
entice the so-called independent moderates and I am not sure that there
would be much reason for a conservative to be there."