Democratic Underground - Ever say anything you didn't fully mean because you were trying to curry favor? FWIW.....

"Controversy
Discussion of Jews with Nixon
"In 2002, declassified "Richard Nixon tapes" confirmed remarks made by Graham to President Nixon three decades earlier. Captured on the tapes, Graham agreed with Nixon that Jews control the American media, calling it a "stranglehold" during a 1972 conversation with Nixon.<40> Graham also said, "A lot of Jews are great friends of mine. They swarm around me and are friendly to me, because they know that I am friendly to Israel and so forth, but they don't know how I really feel about what they're doing to this country, and I have no power and no way to handle them." These remarks were characterized as anti-Semitic by Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League<18> and evangelical author Richard Land.<41>

When the tapes were publicly released, Graham stated, "lthough I have no memory of the occasion, I deeply regret comments I apparently made... They do not reflect my views, and I sincerely apologize for any offense caused by the remarks,"<42> and "If it wasn't on tape, I would not have believed it. I guess I was trying to please... I went to a meeting with Jewish leaders and I told them I would crawl to them to ask their forgiveness."<43> According to Newsweek magazine, "he shock of the revelation was magnified because of Graham's longtime support of Israel and his refusal to join in calls for conversion of the Jews."<43>

In 2009, new tapes were released, in which Graham is heard in conversation with Nixon referring to Jews and "the synagogue of Satan." A spokesman for Graham said that Graham has never been an anti-Semite and that the comparison (in accord with the context of the quotation in the Book of Revelation) was directed specifically at those claiming to be Jews, but not observing Jewish law.<44>"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Graham

See also http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/17/us/billy-graham-responds-to-lingering-anger-over-1972-remarks-on-jews.html

For an evangelical nowadays, support of Israel is very much in vogue. Refusing to join in calls for conversion of Jews, however, is a bold and risky step.

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