Playing To The Pews

The courtship began last summer, when Forbes met with Ralph Reed, the Christian Coalition’s former leader. Reed told Forbes he’d never be the right’s first choice but he could become ““unobjectionable.’’ Forbes was convinced. NEWSWEEK has learned that someone claiming to represent Forbes approached the Coalition about making a donation but was rebuffed. A Forbes spokesman denies that but admits that Forbes’s contributions to conservative groups are up. Forbes has also met with Jerry Falwell and James Dobson. It seems to be working. ““People who didn’t like Forbes now like him, and he can’t be buying all of them,’’ says David Keene of the American Conservative Union. He pauses. ““Or maybe he can.''