CBN News brings word of a financial and political outreach by Mike Huckabee. He’s peddling a trip to Europe — aimed at evangelical pastors from early Republican primary states Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina. CBN’s David Brody sees this as the Huckster building backing for a potential 2016 presidential run (not to mention a little something to help fill the ol’ Huck coffers.)
It’s called the “Reagan, Thatcher, Pope John Paul II Tour: God Raising Extraordinary Leaders for Extraordinary Times.”
The 10-day tour takes place this November and will take Huckabee and the influential pastors to Krakow Poland, London England and Los Angeles California. The highlights include a visit to Auschwitz and a tour of Schindler’s Factory, visiting important sites of Pope John Paul II, dinner at the Churchill War Rooms, a visit to Parliament and interacting with Parliament members. The tour concludes in Los Angeles with a tour of the Reagan Library and a speech by Governor Huckabee.
The package reportedly was put together by David Lane an extreme-right political preacher who’s been particularly active in promoting discrimination against gay people and retaliation against those helpful to gay rights (recall of Iowa Supreme Court justices.)
Brody writes:
With the tour coming right after the Midterm Elections, you can be sure it will lead to increased speculation that Huckabee is seriously looking at running for President of the United States. By taking pastors from key Primary states along with him, there’s no doubt he’ll be able to get a better sense of the playing field before making that important decision. But ultimately, this is something much bigger than just a political play. Huckabee truly believes a spiritual awakening is needed in this country and that pastors must engage from the pulpit before it’s too late. That’s a sentiment; no matter what candidate you root for, that evangelical Christians can and need to fully embrace.
I can’t find details on cost should the targeted pastors not fill the available seats and others be interested in joining the journey.