The God Vote: The Coming Battle for Electoral Heaven

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: The God Vote
The Coming Battle for Electoral Heaven
Jacques Berlinerblau

....(N)ow we must move to the general election and here are some of the stories I predict we will be following. First and foremost, expect the candidates to be exceedingly cautious with all forms of Faith and Values politicking. The carefree days when an operative could simply approach a cleric and say “Hey you over there with the megachurch and the media empire. Want to join our team?” are decidedly over. McCain and Obama have endured third-degree burns across 33% of their spring campaigns as a result of their associations with incendiary spiritual mentors, advisers and endorsers. McCain’s camp was singed because they vetted Reverends Hagee and Parsley poorly.

Obama’s injuries were somewhat different and more difficult to heal. He now lives in constant fear of being jack-in-the-boxed by Reverend Wright or Father Pfleger, or whomever else: 1) was his friend, 2) wears a collar, 3) says awful things about America, and, 4) makes a cameo on YouTube.

The controversies surrounding Trinity United Church of Christ have, understandably, left him gun shy and hesitant when discussing religion. And this reluctance is problematic because Obama is unequivocally superior to McCain when it comes to appealing to religious constituencies. He is endowed with a sharp theological intellect and knows how to do Advanced God Talk (i.e., God Talk directed to people who are not within your own faith tradition). Obama is a very special politician in that he can connect with people who are very different from him. In theory, he should be able to play the ecumenical card to great advantage.

This calls attention to a tactical quandary that confronts Team Obama: how will the Senator from Illinois press his competitive religious advantages in light of recent pastor disasters?...

Obama’s Faith and Values unit will be waging pitched battles on the Evangelical, Jewish, and Catholic fronts.

For starters, he will need to make inroads in the lucrative Evangelical market. His goals here should be twofold. First (and this is very doable) he needs to draw the small but growing progressive Evangelical wing to his candidacy. Second (and this a bit harder), he must not alienate White Evangelicals who won’t vote for him anyhow. This may sound counter-intuitive, but given that McCain has a history of troubles with this group, Obama will increase his chances by not giving conservative Evangelicals any reason to circle November 4th on their calendars....

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/georgetown/2008/06/upcoming_religious_campaign.html

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. OTOH, with both the candidates poisoned by their religious influences

MAYBE we could have an election where NOBODY talks about religion?

Wouldn't THAT be nice?

[Dogtown]

2. I'd go for *that*!

No pandering to the imaginary, just imagine...

[Adsos Letter]

3. And actually adhere to the spirit of Article VI, section III of the Constitution?

That no religious test be required for public service?

My hopes for the future would receive a giant boost from that.

[papau]

4. poisoned by their religious influences"? -LOL - all parties/voters should be atheists only?

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. What the fuck are you talking about? nt