STATE HOUSE LIVE: SPEAKER O'NEAL FORWARDS ANTI- OBAMA EMAIL

By Scott Rothschild

January 3, 2012, 12:43 p.m. Updated January 3, 2012, 2:47 p.m.

TOPEKA — House Speaker Mike O’Neal, R-Hutchinson, forwarded to fellow Republicans an email that refers to President Barack Obama and a Bible verse that says “Let his days be few and brief.”

But the speaker’s office said Tuesday that the email was referring to the president’s days in office.

The email, which has been posted in various places on the Internet, refers to a bumper sticker that reads “Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8.”

Psalm 109:8 says, “Let his days be few and brief; and let others step forward to replace him.”

The email states: “At last — I can honestly voice a Biblical prayer for our president! Look it up — it is word for word! Let us all bow our heads and pray. Brothers and Sisters, can I get an AMEN? AMEN!!!!!!”

Asked about the email by the Lawrence Journal-World, Alyson Rodee, communications director for the speaker’s office, said, “The email is a forward expressing the desire for the President’s days in office to be short so he is replaced by someone which the Speaker agrees with on the issues — in America we have the opportunity for a peaceful transfer of power every four years. This email is about prayer expressing what Republicans around the country are working toward — voting into office a like-minded president in 2012.”

House Minority Leader Paul Davis, D-Lawrence, had a bit of advice for O’Neal. “Beware of what you forward on email and how it can be interpreted,” he said.

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