E. J. Dionner Jr. : Using religion to promote Miers

[question everything]

E.J. DIONNE JR. THE WASHINGTON POST

Using religion to promote Miers

October 7, 2005

Now we know: President Bush's supporters are prepared to be thoroughly hypocritical when it comes to religion. They'll play religion up or down, whichever helps them most in a political fight. Shortly after Bush named John Roberts to the Supreme Court, a few Democrats, including Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., suggested that the nominee might reasonably be questioned about the impact of his religious faith on his decisions as a justice.

Durbin had his head taken off. "We have no religious tests for public office in this country," thundered Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, insisting that any inquiry about a potential judge's religious views was "offensive." Fidelis, a conservative Catholic group, declared that "Roberts' religious faith and how he lives that faith as an individual has no bearing and no place in the confirmation process."

But now that Harriet Miers, Bush's latest Supreme Court nominee, is in trouble with conservatives, her religious faith and how she lives that faith are becoming central to the case being made for her by the administration and its supporters. Miers has almost no public record. Don't worry, the administration's allies are telling their friends on the right, she's an evangelical Christian.

(snip)

James Dobson, the founder and chairman of the evangelical organization Focus on the Family, told Fox News' Brit Hume: "We know people who have known her for 20, 25 years, and they would vouch for her. ... I know the church that she goes to and I know the people who go to church with her." On the Wednesday edition of his radio show, Dobson was more specific: "I know the individual who led her to the Lord.".. Jay Sekulow, counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice, said on Pat Robertson's television show that the Miers nomination was "a big opportunity for those of us who have a conviction, that share an evangelical faith in Christianity, to see someone with our positions put on the court."

(snip)

There is, however, some good news. A significant number of conservatives are outraged over the administration's look-at-her-faith campaign. I was first tipped off to the White House's pious strategy earlier this week by a prominent conservative who is very sympathetic to people of faith but angry at what he sees as the misuse of religion in the Miers battle.

(snip)

Dionne can be reached via e-mail at [e-mail].


Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051007/news_lz1e7dionne.html

[marbuc]

1. Interesting quote

"...a big opportunity for those of us who have a conviction?" a conviction? Is this a window into their intent?

[thebigidea]

2. " significant number of conservatives are outraged "

yeah, right. As if they hadn't noticed Bush's obscene use of religion over the past few years and voted for him anyway.

I'm so tired of the WP only reporting something if a Republican is angry or outraged. Even a hypothetical one.