Obama: Democrats Must Court Evangelicals | Chicago Tribune
Obama ROCKS. Right on. RIGHT on:
WASHINGTON — 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.”
He reserves special scorn for the type of politician that visits historically black churches during election season, who claps off-rhythm to the gospel choir, saying “Nothing is more transparent than inauthentic expressions of faith…”
Heh. Yeah, I’ve always been bemused when GOP types get lambasted for hanging out with religious leaders, but Dems who go visit black churches are seen as in-touch with the people.
And … I like everything Obama has to say above.