Pastor of MLK’s church calls on Isakson to denounce Trump

In an open letter to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published Friday, the Rev. Raphael Warnock wrote that Trump "went over the cliff" when he suggested that Second Amendment supporters might stop Democrat Hillary Clinton. Trump said his words were taken out of context.

“As pastor of the church of our martyred leader — whose mother was also gunned down while playing our church organ one June morning by an unstable man — I submit that this is no joke,” Warnock wrote. “It is dangerous rhetoric so far beyond the pale of conventional politics that the normal rules of party loyalty do not apply. Senator, you and others must choose nation over party, principle over politics.”

Isakson, who is seeking a third term in November, has endorsed Trump but repeatedly said his top focus is on getting re-elected to the U.S. Senate. He did not comment on Warnock’s piece but said in a Thursday interview that he stood by Trump and will make no apologies for his doings.

“Let’s draw the line right here: I’m going to apologize any time I do something stupid. I’m going to be responsible for my actions, but I’m not going to assume responsibility for anyone else’s,” he said. “What I say is what I say. I’m not an apologist for anybody, and if somebody’s offended somebody, they need to be the person apologizing, not me.”

The pastor is no impartial observer. He flirted for months with a bid to challenge Isakson, was vetted by national Democrats and headlined party fundraisers before deciding against a Senate run. But as the leader of Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King was baptized and later pastored, his criticism holds symbolic resonance.

“This is America, where we believe in the peaceful transfer of democratic power,” he wrote, adding: “You cannot embrace Dr. King’s inclusive vision of ‘the beloved community’ and endorse Trump’s hateful nation at the same time.”

The criticism echoes attacks against other vulnerable Republican incumbents across the nation, as Democrats hope Trump’s sagging poll numbers drag down the rest of the GOP ticket. An AJC poll published last week had Isakson holding a 6-point lead against Democrat Jim Barksdale, a political newcomer who has been spurned by several top Democrats.

Warnock’s letter dealt directly with remarks Trump made Tuesday during a rally in Wilmington, N.C. “If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks,” Trump told the crowd. He quickly added: “Although the Second Amendment people — maybe there is, I don’t know. But I’ll tell you what. That will be a horrible day.”

Trump’s campaign later said he was referring to the political power of gun rights activists at the ballot box and not violence.

Joining Warnock in blasting Trump for his remarks was a member of King’s family.

“As the daughter of a leader who was assassinated, I find #Trump’s comments distasteful, disturbing, dangerous,” tweeted Bernice King, the slain civil rights leader’s daughter. “His words don’t #LiveUp.”

Isakson, meanwhile, said he would not have made the “Second Amendment” remark — but he also made clear he still stands by his party’s candidate.

“I am supportive of our party, and I’m a member of the party,” he said. “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”

A delicate balance

Isakson has long walked a delicate line with Trump. The businessman won a commanding victory in Georgia’s Republican presidential primary in March, and the AJC poll shows he remains popular among conservatives. Nearly three in four Republicans in Georgia gave Trump a favorable rating.

“There’s a lot of Republicans who don’t want to back Trump. I get it. But the thing about it is, they’re just hurting themselves,” said John Peacock, a 72-year-old retiree from Columbus who supports both Isakson and Trump. “They’re not going to hurt Trump — they’re just going to hurt their own career.”

But to avoid a January runoff, Isakson must not only win Republican votes, he must also attract independents and Democrats — many of whom are turned off by Trump’s rhetoric. It helps explain why Isakson studiously avoids mentioning Trump — and Clinton as well — at many of his campaign events.

While Warnock isn’t the first Democrat to try to link Isakson to Trump, he is the most high-profile.

Barksdale, an investment manager, knocked Isakson for endorsing the New York real estate mogul, but his campaign attacks have largely focused on Isakson’s votes in Congress. Several other Democratic elders, including former Gov. Roy Barnes, have endorsed the Republican in the race. Many others have been reluctant to slam Isakson.

Libertarian Allen Buckley, meanwhile, has pitched himself as a candidate for voters disillusioned with both Barksdale and Isakson.

Jerry Beasley is one of those disenchanted conservatives. The 59-year-old Dalton textile worker says there are many Republicans he wouldn’t “even vote in as dogcatcher.” But Isakson is not one of them. A few years ago, he said, he wrote Isakson’s office when his niece Crystal’s house burned down. To his surprise, he heard back — and Crystal got federal help with her housing.

“People don’t forget that kind of thing,” Beasley said. “If you don’t vote for Johnny, you’d have to be plum ignorant.”

Still, questions about Trump will likely dog Isakson throughout the final stretch of his campaign. At nearly every event Isakson attends, he’s asked about the GOP nominee, including a pointed question Thursday from a voter at the Roswell Rotary Club who wanted to know the senator’s thoughts on anti-Trump Republicans.

“The first person I’m interested in is me,” Isakson answered, as laughs echoed throughout the softly lit recreation hall. “I am not an egotistical person, but I enjoy my job.”