Fox News Flash top headlines for June 7
Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.
Legendary Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson, who spun a local Virginia TV station into the global Christian Broadcasting Network, has died at age 93, the network announced Thursday.
Robertson’s cause of death was not given in the announcement.
Robertson, known for his "700 Club" television show, had helped make religion central to Republican Party politics.
In 1988, Robertson ran for president, seeking the GOP nomination. He finished in second place in the Iowa caucuses, ahead of Vice President George H.W. Bush, with the help of his pioneering strategy of courting Iowa's evangelical churches.
PAT COOPER, COMEDIAN AND SINATRA OPENER, DEAD AT 93
Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson has passed away at age 93. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Robertson's tactic of insisting that 3 million followers across the U.S. sign petitions before he would decide to run had also brought him a massive base, Jeffrey K. Hadden, a University of Virginia sociologist and a Robertson biographer, told The Associated Press at the time.
Pat Robertson, stands in front of stacks of signatures as he announced his intention to collect a total of 7 million signatures during a news conference on Sept. 15, 1987, in Chesapeake, Virginia. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, file)
Robertson later endorsed Bush, who won the presidency.
Through the experience of running for president, Robertson created the Christian Coalition, which helped cement the Republican Party's enduring alliance with evangelical voters. Pursuit of Iowa’s evangelicals is now a common practice for Republican hopefuls, including those currently seeking the White House in 2024.
Robertson’s enterprises also included Regent University, an evangelical Christian school in Virginia Beach; the American Center for Law and Justice, which defends the First Amendment rights of religious people; and Operation Blessing, an international humanitarian organization.
Pat Robertson helped make religion central to Republican Party politics in America through his Christian Coalition. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
Robertson was born Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson on March 22, 1930, in Lexington, Virginia, to Absalom Willis Robertson and Gladys Churchill Robertson. His father served for 36 years as a U.S. representative and U.S. senator from Virginia.
ASTRUD GILBERTO, ‘THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA’ SINGER, DEAD AT 83
After graduating from Washington and Lee University, he served as assistant adjutant of the 1st Marine Division in Korea.
Pat Robertson and his wife Dede had four children, 14 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren, Christian Broadcasting Network said in a statement. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
He received a law degree from Yale University Law School, where he met his wife, Adelia "Dede" Elmer, but failed the bar exam and chose not to pursue a law career.
Dede, a founding member of the Christian Broadcasting Network, died last year at age 94.
Robertson resigned as president of his Christian Coalition in 2001, citing a focus on ministerial work.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.