What the hell is Obama doing?
Well, he’s criticizing his fellow Democrats for not being open to and respecting people of faith. Indeed, Democrats do not “acknowledge the power of faith in the lives of the American people”.
First, this isn’t true, as Steve Benen says. Yes, Democrats need to do a better job reaching out to, and making sure voters know they’re open to and respect, people of faith. But Democrats aren’t exactly hardcore secularists who oppose the very presence of religion in the public square. A few of them, perhaps, but at most a small minority of them and certainly not in the leadership.
Second, it’s a stupid thing to say publicly. It’s the Republican spin. On this, let me quote, in full, Atrios‘s open letter to Obama:
Dear Senator Obama,
If you think it’s important to court evangelicals, then court them. If, on the other hand, you think it’s important to confirm and embrace the false idea that Democrats are hostile to religion in order to set yourself apart, then continue doing what you’re doing. It won’t help the Democrats, and it probably won’t even help you, but whatever makes you happy.
Love and kisses,
Atrios
P.S. What Stoller says.
Sure, love and kisses from me, too. I like Obama a great deal. The thought of an ’08 presidential ticket with the junior senator from Illinois in the Veep spot fills me with pleasure (and hope).
And, yes, what Matt Stoller says. And also what fellow MyDDer Chris Bowers says: “Obama’s comments lend tri-partisan support (Democrats, Republicans and the media) to a narrative that Democrats are hostile toward people of faith. This tri-partisan support will result in a “closing of the triangle” against Democrats where it become conventional wisdom that Democrats are hostile to people of faith.”
See also David Sirota, who says much the same thing (saying it very well, mind you); Firedoglake’s Pachacutec, who doesn’t much care for Obama and who blames Bill Clinton; and AMERICAblog, where John Aravosis writes that Obama was “mostly” right (with crucial caveats).
My own open letter to Obama is here.
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15 Responses to “What the hell is Obama doing?”
obviously Obama is a traitor with Joemementum, a vichy to the Bushitler fascists.
Maybe Kos and pals could find someone like Ned Lamont to run against him. Nothing like running the son of the nations most famous atheist crank to show youre not wildly secularist, eh?
For some context, from the speech:
Full speech at alternet.
* * *
I believe that Obama is actually agreeing with you here. The Right has forced itself into a position where it gets to say that Christians have to vote Republican, and the Left is not challenging them on that point. What Obama spends most of his speech doing is explaining why the Democrats need to challenge them on that point.
There’s a lot of mainline Protestants, middle-and-left-leaning Catholics, and non-Christians who feel politically homeless right now. They see the Republican Party, which has narrowly defined Christianity in terms of gays, fetuses, and evolution; and the Democrat party, which politely asks one to either not vote with one’s conscience, or instead ignore the fact that one’s moral code is often shaped by their faith (and vice versa)
No right-wing talking points spun me into thinking that way, either. Just read the comments at any of the links you posted.
Tim, thanks for putting this quote in context. It looks like selective quoting can get the best of Obama’s full meaning, which is why I’m constantly becoming more skeptical every time I see a single sentence or partial sentence quote. These quotes are often purposely taken out of context.
In context, I agree with Obama. Instead of trying to avoid all talk of religion, I think Democrats should take another angle. Offer the bible verses that discuss “turn the other cheek” and “let he who has not sinned cast the first stone” and similar verses when Republicans trot out the abortion, gay marriage, and similar religious stances. There are a lot of people whose values are shaped by religion but believe you can not legislate religion or simply believe helping the needy and living a good life yourself is the true message of religion, not legislating “morality” (whoever determines the definition of that). There is a real opportunity for Democrats here. I believe their values are in line with this philosophy but they have not taken the time to point this out. Instead, they stay quiet on the subject while Republicans define them as anti-religious secularists.
I like and agree with Obama here as well. Personally, I’m not in the least religious but I definitely see where the viewpoint comes from. Democrats are the party of pro-choicers, gay rights advocates, and secularists. When you think “left”, “liberal” or “Democrat”, these issues usually come to mind first and they’re all touted by the right as “Anti-Christian”. Which obviously isn’t necessarily true, but so very rarely do I hear of a Democrat defending that. They’re typically usually too busy complaining about the “Christian Right”.
Come to think of it, that last sentence kinda sums it up, don’t it?
Chuck Currie at the Kossack “Street Prophets” site isn’t having a very hard time finding liberals contemptuous of combining Christian and other faiths with politics. How small a faction do you really think this is?
I’m with Noone on this one. I think it’s something Democrats need to confront head-on.
All this is, is the fundamentalists covering their bases, by forcing the Democrats to cower before them. They have spun this angle, and hooked a few slobbering vote chasers from the left into biting hard. Soon we will see Democrats doing religions bidding for them through political means. This is an eventual loss of personal freedom for anyone that doesn’t care for government imposing moral doctrine from capitol hill. I am not religious, and don’t break any laws (unless the occational traffic law is now a sin) and I don’t want any religion affecting my life by using political means.
If I wanted something like this I would move to the Middle East, and I sure as hell ain’t going there in my lifetime.
As a center-left Democrat and a religious person, I have NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER with Barack Obama’s speech. I look forward to voting for him.
Me to Obama: “DON’T F**K THIS UP!!!!!!!”
You are all wrong.
This is a the begining of a Clinton-Obama 2008 presidential run.
I am not religious,but have absolutely no problem with the Democratic party trying to broaden its appeal to get faith-based voters back in the fold. I think the Dems like the Republicans have become hostage to the extremists in their party-which enables the right to paint them as “the party of death” and “godless”.
The Dems also need to regain their stance as the party of working low and middle class families, and appealing to religious values would probably help. Also, I wish they’d get away from their image as the party of high taxes and entitlements, especially with minority voters. Why not be the party of diverse opportunity?
Kim I think the voting power of the religious right is way overblown. The republicans keep them sequestered in the dark with orders to “break glass in case of close election”.
What I find most interesting about the reactions to this speech is the focus on whether or not Obama is saying the right thing for his political team. I.e., does this speech move one team ahead 2 points in the polls or not? That’s the exact sort of thinking that us moderates are supposed to hate. Instead, we should be focusing on whether or not Obama is correct about the role of religion in politics. That seems more interesting to me, anyway.
Holly, that’s where I stand.
We should also be questioning whether the perception of Democrats as opposed to religion is accurate–I do not believe it is. Having said that, Obama’s comments should remind Democrats that they need to work harder to correct the perception.
Sal- I disagree. The Christian Coalition handed out voter guides in 2000 and 2004 to millions of church-goers. Its no accident we’ve ended up with anti-abortion S.C. judges-that’s James Dobson’s influence. Also, look at the gay marriage ban, and Bush’s idea to give money to faith-based initiatives. Its a mistake to underestimate this group, and the Dems are realizing that fact a little late as it is. Republicans are portraying Democrats as against organized religion, and its costing them elections.
PING:
TITLE: The Hell We Don’t Welcome Faith
BLOG NAME: PostWatch
Dana Milbank asks Will Democrats Put Their Faith in Obama? and the answer is Perhaps If They Take Enough Valium. Sen. Barak Obama (D-Not Hillary) gave a religiously themed speech, promoting the usual Democrat talking points but emphasizing some new
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TITLE: Barak Obama Lectures his Own
BLOG NAME: Taylor Marsh
Honest to God, we need a long meandering religious rant from Barak Obama about as much as we need people blaming it all on Bill Clinton. Mother Mary, that’s Sean Hannity’s line!
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TITLE: Obama: Democrats Must Court Evangelicals
BLOG NAME: Morning Coffee
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. …