No question - there's no hate quite like Christian Love
Pete Hegseth's pastor prayed for a Democratic Senator's death on a podcast. The Democrat's response is going to make your day.
Pete Hegseth's spiritual adviser went on a Christian nationalist podcast this week and said he wants James Talarico "crucified with Christ." The podcast host went further. He prayed that "God kills him" and asked God to "destroy them" and "make them as dung on the ground."
And who is James Talarico? A 36-year-old Texas state rep. A Presbyterian seminarian. And the guy who just won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Texas after beating Jasmine Crockett in the primary on a message of faith-based populism and bipartisan appeal.
He's trying to unseat John Cornyn this fall and he's quickly becoming one of the most talked-about Democrats in the country.
So how did Talarico respond to a pastor publicly praying for his death?
"Jesus loves. Christian Nationalism kills. You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you. I love you more than you could ever hate me."
That's it. That's the whole response. No anger. No threats. No playing the victim. Just a man who actually reads the book these people keep waving around.
After the backlash, Potteiger scrambled out a clarification claiming he was actually praying for Talarico's "conversion," not his literal death. Sure. The podcast host literally said "I pray that God kills him" and Potteiger responded "right, right." The tape is right there.
This is who surrounds Pete Hegseth. The same Defense Secretary who was "quite disappointed" by the prospect of peace in Iran has a spiritual adviser who goes on podcasts praying for the destruction of Democratic politicians. The podcast host has previously claimed the Bible is "pro-ICE raids." This is the world these people are building.
And Talarico just walked right through it with a response that did more for Christianity in two sentences than these guys have done in their entire careers.
Texas, you've got a good one. The rest of us are watching.