The group Evangelicals for Harris has released a video that features a clip of evangelist Billy Graham – with a shorter clip of Donald Trump spliced in:
Graham: "But you must realize that in the last days, the times will be full of danger. Men will become utterly self-centered and greedy for money."
Trump: "My whole life I've been greedy, greedy, greedy. I've grabbed all the money I could get. I'm so greedy."
Graham: "Keep clear of people like that."
In a statement to American Family News, a spokesman with the Billy Graham Evangelical Association explains that in his interaction with 11 presidents of both parties, Rev. Graham sought only to encourage and never to criticize, and would object to the use of his sermon in the Evangelicals for Harris ad. The late evangelist's son, Franklin Graham, told Christianity Today the pro-Harris group is "trying to mislead people" by positioning his father's remarks against those of the former Republican president.
Christian apologist Dr. Alex McFarland, who is not affiliated with BGEA, says the whole notion of Evangelicals for Harris is perplexing. "Not only do they not speak for Christians, if they're voting for ungodly things – which that's what Kamala Harris stands for – they're not living as Christians," he argues.
McFarland says the group's assertion that Trump is irredeemably crass and self-serving is inaccurate – but more importantly, it's irrelevant.
"I've met Donald Trump. I was on many, many phone calls during his first administration. He's a nice person," McFarland tells AFN. "But we shouldn't care [if] he's nice or not. He is a constitutionalist."
The Billy Graham Evangelical Association reportedly sent a demand letter to the liberal group, threatening a lawsuit if the ad is not removed. Lawyers from Evangelicals for Harris responded saying the use of the Graham video was legal under fair use laws and they will not be removing the ad.
