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| Even before Falwell resigned, he was not invited back to the Republican convention. | Even before Falwell resigned, he was not invited back to the Republican convention. |
| (1 day later) | |
| [Update: Jerry Falwell Jr. is officially out at Liberty University.] | |
| Jerry Falwell Jr. played a major role at the Republican National Convention four years ago, serving as a critical bridge between conservative evangelical voters and a Republican nominee who was thrice divorced, enamored of expletive, iffy on biblical verse, and a one-time Democrat who had proudly declared himself “pro-choice in every respect” before changing positions and parties. | Jerry Falwell Jr. played a major role at the Republican National Convention four years ago, serving as a critical bridge between conservative evangelical voters and a Republican nominee who was thrice divorced, enamored of expletive, iffy on biblical verse, and a one-time Democrat who had proudly declared himself “pro-choice in every respect” before changing positions and parties. |
| “My family has grown to love and respect the Trumps,” Mr. Falwell, then the president of Liberty University, said in a seven-minute speech before a packed convention hall in Cleveland. “We have never met such a genuine and loving family. I truly believe Mr. Trump is America’s blue-collar billionaire.” | “My family has grown to love and respect the Trumps,” Mr. Falwell, then the president of Liberty University, said in a seven-minute speech before a packed convention hall in Cleveland. “We have never met such a genuine and loving family. I truly believe Mr. Trump is America’s blue-collar billionaire.” |
| A return speaking role seemed inevitable after Mr. Falwell hosted the president for the university’s commencement in 2017, and the earliest discussions of the 2020 convention lineup did, indeed, include him, according to a Trump campaign official. | A return speaking role seemed inevitable after Mr. Falwell hosted the president for the university’s commencement in 2017, and the earliest discussions of the 2020 convention lineup did, indeed, include him, according to a Trump campaign official. |
| But convention planners quietly ruled him out late last year, amid concerns about Mr. Falwell’s private life — long before Monday’s blockbuster report by Reuters alleging a long-term romantic entanglement between himself, his wife and pool attendant, according to three people familiar with the situation. | But convention planners quietly ruled him out late last year, amid concerns about Mr. Falwell’s private life — long before Monday’s blockbuster report by Reuters alleging a long-term romantic entanglement between himself, his wife and pool attendant, according to three people familiar with the situation. |
| As of late Monday, Mr. Falwell was on his way out as president of Liberty University, which he had taken a leave of absence from earlier after posting a suggestive picture of himself on social media. | As of late Monday, Mr. Falwell was on his way out as president of Liberty University, which he had taken a leave of absence from earlier after posting a suggestive picture of himself on social media. |
| Like many other one-time fixtures in Mr. Trump’s political orbit, Mr. Falwell has been shunted to the margins when he became a liability, in part because the president does not need anyone’s help in securing support from white evangelicals, who are now among his most faithful voters. | Like many other one-time fixtures in Mr. Trump’s political orbit, Mr. Falwell has been shunted to the margins when he became a liability, in part because the president does not need anyone’s help in securing support from white evangelicals, who are now among his most faithful voters. |
| But Mr. Falwell and the president were once very close — close enough for Mr. Falwell to ask Mr. Trump’s now-estranged personal lawyer Michael Cohen to suppress “personal” photographs “between husband and wife,” according to a taped conversation between the two. | But Mr. Falwell and the president were once very close — close enough for Mr. Falwell to ask Mr. Trump’s now-estranged personal lawyer Michael Cohen to suppress “personal” photographs “between husband and wife,” according to a taped conversation between the two. |
| Mr. Falwell’s 2016 speech, viewed in light of subsequent events, seems like a snapshot from a different era — and even his predictions about Mr. Trump’s presidency-to-be now seem dated. | Mr. Falwell’s 2016 speech, viewed in light of subsequent events, seems like a snapshot from a different era — and even his predictions about Mr. Trump’s presidency-to-be now seem dated. |
| Mr. Trump would work his “magic” on “$19 trillion in debt,” he said. | Mr. Trump would work his “magic” on “$19 trillion in debt,” he said. |
| It now stands at roughly $26 trillion. | It now stands at roughly $26 trillion. |