Literal Belief In Bible Becomes Issue In Alabama Gubernatorial Primary

Seven candidates are running in this year's Republican primary for Governor of Alabama. One of the candidates, Chancellor of the Department of Postsecondary Education, Bradley Byrne, is now under fire from opponents because of this statement quoted last November in the Mobile Press-Register: "I believe there are parts of the Bible that are meant to be literally true and parts that are not." On Wednesday at news conference at a Piggly Wiggly store in New Hope (AL) announcing his endorsement by the Alabama Retail Association, Bryne said the Press-Register had misquoted him. He added: "I believe the Bible is true. Every word of it." Press-Register Executive Editor Mike Marshall later responded that: "There is no way that the Press-Register misquoted Mr. Byrne in that story." American United's blog today comments on the controversy