Pat Robertson Says Storm Put Him on Path to ’88 Bid : Prayer Diverted Hurricane, Robertson Asserted on TV

People for the American Way, a group opposed to the political activities of the religious right, defied a legal threat from the Rev. Pat Robertson today and showed a film compilation of statements by the television evangelist and potential candidate for President.

The film is primarily composed of clips from Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network show “The 700 Club.”

In it, Robertson asserts that Hurricane Gloria veered away from the Virginia coast after he and his staff prayed that it would.

One of the clips shows the evangelist describing last September how, with forecasters predicting 100-m.p.h. winds, “we gathered our staff together . . . we needed to pray and we did pray. . . . Something unusual happened. The storm in a sense broke off.”

Robertson is asked later by an interviewer how important Gloria was in his decision to consider a presidential campaign.

“It was extremely important,” Robertson replied, “because I felt, interestingly enough, that if I couldn’t move a hurricane, I could hardly move a nation.”

“If it had come ashore, would you have seen that as a signal from the Lord not to ‘go for it?’ ” the interviewer asked.

“Absolutely,” said Robertson.

The film also shows Robertson denouncing “these activist judges,” endorsing a suggestion that the Social Security System be made private and accusing the Federal Reserve Board of unconstitutional action.