By Douglas V. Gibbs
The Republican Party has always had a stronger handle on church going Christians than has the Democrats. The Christians that do vote democrat are often minorities. These folks, though conservative in many ways, vote Democrat as a result of culture, among other things. In 2008, in California, when the black community came out in record numbers to cast their vote for Barack Obama, the socially conservative black voters also voted in support of Proposition 8, which defines marriage as being between a man and a woman. As a result of the heavy black turnout, a very conservative State constitutional amendment succeeded in liberal California.
Barack Obama, in search of any vote he could get, tried to take aim at the religious voters in 2008, calling himself a Christian, and indicating he believed marriage is between a man and a woman. Out of his attempt to appeal to the Christian vote, Obama gained a percentage point or two, and the rest is history.
Those people he gained in 2008, plus a number of those votes he would have had anyway, are now turning their backs on Barack Obama.
In the 2012 presidential race, religious leaders and scholars who backed Obama in 2008 are skeptical. They say the Democrats have, through neglect and lack of focus, squandered the substantial gains they made with religious moderates and worry it will hurt Obama in a tight race against Republican Mitt Romney.
In the 2012 presidential race, religious leaders and scholars who backed Obama in 2008 are skeptical. They say the Democrats have, through neglect and lack of focus, squandered the substantial gains they made with religious moderates and worry it will hurt Obama in a tight race against Republican Mitt Romney.
And how have they squandered their gains?
Obama has said he is a Christian, and people have been willing to take that for face value, even though his mocking of the Bible, and of the "religious right", has said otherwise. The DNC's faith outreach director, Rev. Derrick Harkins, claims the Democrat Party tries to maintain strong relationships with religious groups, but Obama's recent endorsement of gay marriage, a decision the president said was based in part on his Christian faith, has left many feeling that he is disconnected from the faith.
Those religious leaders that have been willing to connected themselves with Obama have publicly indicated they generally oppose gay marriage. As a result, the religious democrats that were willing to look the other way while Obama mocked Christianity are struggling with Obama's decision in regards with gay marriage.
Those religious leaders that have been willing to connected themselves with Obama have publicly indicated they generally oppose gay marriage. As a result, the religious democrats that were willing to look the other way while Obama mocked Christianity are struggling with Obama's decision in regards with gay marriage.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
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