God-o-Meter

New Obama Values Ads in Kentucky

Thursday May 15, 2008

Categories: Barack Obama

obamacross.jpgThe Lexington Herald-Leader reports that the Christian literature Barack Obama is distributing in Kentucky is just one part of a wider campaign aimed at marketing Obama as a Christian. A TV ad and two radio ads with that goal are now up:

Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo, who endorsed Obama on Sunday, narrated a new radio spot for Obama that highlights the Illinois Senator’s upbringing and values, including how Obama is “a strong Christian.”

Mongiardo said he felt compelled to make the ad after constituents contacted his office with what he called “misconceptions” about Obama.

“The negative calls have been talking about either the color of his skin or claims that he’s not a Christian,” Mongiardo said. “As I’ve listened to news casts of primaries across the country, it struck me that there is a segment of people who are not voting for Hillary Clinton but are voting against Barack Obama because of issues that don’t pertain to substance.”

U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler of Versailles recorded a similar radio ad for Obama.?”

You can listen to the radio ads here. God-o-Meter hasn't heard the P-word with regard to Obama's Christian marketing in the year and a half since his campaign began, but the Herald-Leader raises it:

....But too much of a concentration on religion could have a downside, [University of South Carolina political scientist Todd] Shaw, warned.

“There is some risk of the problem of pandering,” he said. “If you make too strong of a pitch, are you in fact tweaking your image to fit what people want to hear?”

What do you think? In his zeal to win over white religious voters in the remaining primary states, is Obama trying too hard to showcase his Christianity?

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Comments
Paul Shiras
May 16, 2008 2:02 AM

Republicans and the Media demonized the Democrats for years now. But when the Democrats start to get religion, they accuse them of pandering? You can't have it both ways. Social issues are Christian/Judeo issues. Even McCain recognizes this as evident in his speech this morning.

friendofsaintsandangels
May 17, 2008 3:00 PM

I think the comment in the story says it all. Obamma is all of a sudden a strong Christian, the key words here being- ALL OF A SUDDEN.

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The God-o-Meter (pronounced Gah-DOM-meter) scientifically measures factors such as rate of God-talk, effectiveness—saying God wants a capital gains tax cut doesn't guarantee a high rating—and other top-secret criteria (Actually, the adjustment criteria are here). Click a candidate's head to get his or her latest God-o-Meter reading and blog post. And check back often. With so much happening on the campaign trail, God-o-Meter is constantly recalibrating!

God-o-Meter blogger Dan Gilgoff is Beliefnet's Politics Editor. A former political correspondent for U.S. News & World Report, he is author of The Jesus Machine: How James Dobson, Focus on the Family, and Evangelical America are Winning the Culture War.

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