Obama: Democrats Must Court Evangelicals

[Meeker Morgan]

I live in Chicago and I voted for Obama. Not just as the lesser of evils, but because I really liked him.

However, now I fear a betrayal in the works.

Obama: Democrats Must Court Evangelicals

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060628/D8IHAS2O0.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. Barack Obama chastised fellow Democrats on Wednesday for failing to "acknowledge the power of faith in the lives of the American people," and said the party must compete for the support of evangelicals and other churchgoing Americans.

"Not every mention of God in public is a breach to the wall of separation. Context matters," the Illinois Democrat said in remarks to a conference of Call to Renewal, a faith-based movement to overcome poverty.

"It is doubtful that children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance feel oppressed or brainwashed as a consequence of muttering the phrase 'under God,'" he said. "Having voluntary student prayer groups using school property to meet should not be a threat, any more than its use by the High School Republicans should threaten Democrats."

-- snip --

[GrumpyGreg]

1. He's dancin'. Sad !

[izzie]

8. I think he is right.

--It is not about what we think but what many of of us think. I am not saying these Church people are right but they think they are. I also see no reason that they can not think as they like, it is just I do not wish them to make me think like they do or them as I do. I find it odd they are even in this GOP as it is today. One wonders when they will face the fact that Bush really only needs them to stay on office. I also wonder why so many seem to be happy to send their sons into Bush's war.

[Maven]

14. "it is just I do not wish them to make me think like they do"

Right. See, that's the part they don't get and will never get.

They don't really believe in your freedom to live your life as you choose--they believe in your "freedom" to live your life as they choose, which is no freedom at all.

They will never understand "live and let live," and they don't need to be appeased by one more goddamn politician. They need to be MARGINALIZED. They are dangerous, and their desire to control affairs both economic and social to suit their superstitious, self-interested taste is burning through the pillars of our government like acid.

No more appeasement. Obama is wrong, wrong, wrong.

[izzie]

22. You know I go along with you in so many ways,

I think many do think they are right and I must live as they see fit BUT I grew up in a church that thought we should live and let live and it can not be the only church out their like that. I understand the other way after all my family were Puritans and they were sure they were right and you could not hold office if not in the church. We got over all that and I am sure other churches have also. No one will reach the zealots but their silly leaders but every one can not be a zealot. I mean it is a type thing that would wear a person out.Even Bush's base can not be filled with zealots. They do seem to be more vocal than the sane ones.

[truebrit71]

2. Obama is dead wrong. He is reinforcing the idea that liberals are godless.

..and he fails to point out how one goes about courting these religious extremists without compromising our core commitments to Democratic and Liberal beliefs, ie freedom of choice, gay rights etc etc..

He has turned out to be a very VERY big disappointment, and likes the sound of his own voice far too much for my taste....

[niccolos_smile]

15. Does "evangelical" necessarily mean religious extremist?

An honest question. I don't think a person need be an evangelical to be an extremist, or vice versa.

My own opinion about this is two fold: 1) Obama knows that Democrats cannot appear "godless," if they seek a broader appeal for the 2006 and 2008 electoral campaigns (and the right has done a good job of creating this appearance and framing the debate on this issue), therefore some concessions can be made to appeal to evangelicals, such as the Pledge of Allegiance, thus allowing Democrats to re-frame the religious debate; 2) I don't think he means that stances on choice, gay rights, etc. should be compromised.

[Dr Fate]

3. Fine- just dont lie to me and tell me RW issues are "centrist" positions.

Be HONEST, Obama, and say "We must take a right wing or conservative position on issue A." Please drop the con-job that Conservative/Right wing= "moderate."

Please stop lying to us and telling us that right-wing positions are "Centrist", "moderate", etc.

It is NOT a "move to the center" as the media and conservative Democrats would tell us- it is move to the right.

If this is to be our "strategy"- then let's at least be clear & honest about this.

[Totally Committed]

6. I thought of your really great post on just THAT when I saw this story...

This is a case that proves just how on-point that post was!

TC

[Dr Fate]

12. Pass it on. Dont let Conservative Democrats warp the political spectrum

It only helps the far right to label far right positions as "moderate" etc- In contrast, good, fair-play based, logical, moderate positions become labeled as "far left", etc.

Let's keep them from doing this- lets force them to call right wing postions what they are.

Fact is, being NEUTRAL on religion is as mderate or centrist as it gets- taking sides against the establishment clause is leaning right.

In fairness- I agree with Obama's moderate position that it is okay for Christian clubs to operate in schools- so long as all other non-academic clubs are allowed as well.

[gWbush is Mabus]

4. Hillary/ Obama vs. Gore/ Feingold '08

[gordianot]

5. There was real promise way too much ego.

In addition someone has promised him bigger and better things, he believes it.

Too bad

[Maven]

7. No, No, NO

I can't even muster the energy to give all the reasons this is wrong.

:banghead:

[bushmeister0]

9. Let's just throw our arms up and surrender!

"It is doubtful that children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance feel oppressed or brainwashed as a consequence of muttering the phrase 'under God."

Right you are Obama, so let's mix it up a bit and make them mutter, 'in Allah we trust,' for a while. In this "context" Allah is the Muslim word for God, but it's still God, see?

Do we really need the votes of a radical fringe? The Democratic Party is the majority Party isn't it? Some how FDR managed to get elected four times without the votes of the folloers of Father Coughlin, I think we can do it.

Maybe, coming up with policies that people will vote for might be a better strategy. Actually, any policies at all would be a start!

[Me.]

10. I'm Waiting For The Day When The "Leaders" Of Our Party &

everyone else courts us. There's been way too much adherence to the wishes of the evangelicals at the expense of the voices of everyone else. In addition, their ideals are not in the best interest of our country. They've been courted, listened to and bedded and things couldn't be worse. That is unless the dems now throw our party over completely to them. Sounds like that "can't win an election if I tried". From. It also reminds me of Lieberman chiding us for not standing by the president.

*shadow government*

[Warpy]

11. Tie economic justice to the central message

of Christ in the New Testament. Tie the separation of church and state into giving unto Caesar that which is Caesar's. Do this stuff in outreach programs to churches, not in general speeches.

Obama's right, to a point. However, he needs to realize that Evangelicals are a MINORITY and doing naked pandering will alienate the majority.

A lot of Evangelicals have awakened to the unchristian nature of the present sanctimonious bunch in power. Outreach will give them an alternative.

[Dr Fate]

13. But Obama did not frame it in the more moderate terms as you just did-

If he had, I would be more willing to back him up.

As it is, he seems to be suggesting we lean to the right on this.

[Warpy]

16. I know, he's been listening to Holy Joe Lieberman

too much of the time and his constituents too little of the time.

He looked SO good on paper, too!

At least his VOTES are OK.

In any case, I was proposing something in the middle between handing the party to them and giving them the cold shoulder. It could work. A lot of them are disgusted with the GOP but still buy the "godless" label for us.

[justin899]

17. Which votes are OK?

At least his VOTES are OK.

Which votes are you referring to? Among this first few votes as Senator he voted in favor of that hideous "tort reform" bill. Not a good move, IMO.

[niccolos_smile]

18. His voting record...

From Project Vote Smart: http://www.vote-smart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=BS030017

And his standing among various interest groups on a variety of issues:
http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BS030017

[justin899]

19. He also opposes marriage equality but I notice all references to gay

issues are conventiently absent from that site.

[niccolos_smile]

20. Which site?

The Vote Smart Site?

[Warpy]

23. Check out his whole record.

You can't judge him by one bad vote.

He also voted down a minimum wage hike, but that's because it wouldn't go into effect for 18 months. He voted yes for a late one that kicked in right away.

[Dr Fate]

21. I like your framing- that is the way to court sincere Christians. n/t

n/t

[readmoreoften]

24. Nice way to reinforce that democrats are godless, Obama.

I'm about sick of this right-leaning bullshit. What cowards.

[Smarmie Doofus]

25. Mush. Worse than mush, actually.

>>>>"It is doubtful that children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance feel oppressed or brainwashed as a consequence of muttering the phrase 'under God,'" he said.>>>>

How exactly would Obama know how I.... or my *child* would feel when being forced to "mutter" (sic) the McCarthy-era add-on, "under God"?

He should ask me, or my child. The he will no longer be "doubtful".




>>> "Having voluntary student prayer groups using school property to meet should not be a threat, any more than its use by the High School Republicans should threaten Democrats.">>>>

Jesus. OK. Has Obama spoken publicly about gay-straight alliances using school property ( or more exactly, not being PERMITTED to use school property)? If not , why not? Who do *they* threaten?

If this is the 'future of the party', .....

[Meeker Morgan]

26. Kick!

:kick:

[Duncan Grant]

27. Dear Senator Obama,

Fuck that. Court me. I'm your base.

Respectfully,
9_S_F

[jonnyblitz]

28. This idea of Obama's is quite popular on the other DU forums

when this topic has been posted. If I weren't lazy I would provide the links.

apparently they claim evangelicalss aren't the same as fundies and many can be quite progressive. my question is, if they are evangelical and progressive, why wouldnt they be voting with us already? :shrug:

[Meeker Morgan]

29. Republican economics were never especially fundie ...

... or evangelical.

But saying that is not the same as pandering to people who hate us.

[Tenseiga]

30. It's all about the message

If you don't get any message out to Evangelicals, the only message they'll get is from the Republican party, and that seems to piss people off too. The worst thing you could do is write Evangelicals off as a lost cause.

Discuss the issues in a language that they can understand, andthen let the chips fall where they may. It's possible you might even win a few hearts in the process.