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God-o-Meter

John McCain

Recent Activity


        Tuesday October 7, 2008

        Huck, Culture Warrior

        huckwarrior.jpgRemember back to the Republican primaries, when Mike Huckabee campaigned as a new kind of evangelical candidate, adding issues like the environment, education, and poverty to the hot-button agenda of God, guns, and gays?

        That big-tent Huck seems to be in much shorter supply now. An email the Arkansas governor just sent out soliciting donations for his political action committee--whose beneficiaries include John McCain and Sarah Palin--asks fors $5 for each of these five red meat issues:

        1. Protection of Human Life 2. Traditional Marriage 3. Tax policy that doesn't punish people for working, but rewards them 4. 2nd amendment rights 5. Supreme Court and Federal Court judge selection

        Is this more evidence that the "new kind of evangelical voter" story has been overplayed? Or just that Huck is changing his tune a bit?

        Filed Under: Mike Huckabee, abortion, culture war, gay marriage

        Monday October 6, 2008

        New Fidelis Anti-Abortion, Anti-Gay Marriage Video

        Check out this new election video emphasizing pro-life, anti-gay marriage positions from the conservative Catholic group Fidelis. The New York Times reports that the video, which implies support for the Republican ticket, has been posted by Catholic churches across the country on their web site. For a good example, check out the site of The Cathedral of St. Peter in Joe Biden's hometown; the site features the video on a special welcome page that appears even before the full homepage does.

        God-o-Meter noticed that this video eschews the kind of red meat messages that were prevalent among conservative pro-Bush Catholic groups in 2004. It's a lot subtler, appealing to the bipartisan sensibility of many Catholics.

        There's a handsome shot of John F. Kennedy, for instance.

        There's another of Martin Luther King, Jr.

        And one of a nuclear power plant spewing steam into the air juxtaposed with text that says "No Issue Can Be Ignored," a nod to the environmental concerns of most Catholics.

        As The Times reports, liberal Catholic groups are challenging conservatives to a much greater extent than in '04. But conservative Catholic groups are clearly gaining better access to Catholic churches than in years past, as illustrated by the video gambit. So progressive Catholic groups may have plenty of catching up to do, tactics-wise.

        Filed Under: abortion, Catholic, environment, Fidelis, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr.

        Friday October 3, 2008

        More Worldview Talk from Sarah Palin

        worldview.jpgGod-o-Meter has proposed that when Sarah Palin uses the term "world view" she means biblical worldview.

        Here's how she used the phrase in last night's debate:

        But even more important is that world view that I share with John McCain. That world view that says that America is a nation of exceptionalism. And we are to be that shining city on a hill, as President Reagan so beautifully said, that we are a beacon of hope and that we are unapologetic here. We are not perfect as a nation. But together, we represent a perfect ideal. And that is democracy and tolerance and freedom and equal rights. Those things that we stand for that can be put to good use as a force for good in this world.

        The world view she described was fairly dripping with metaphysical imagery:

        we represent a perfect ideal

        we are to be that shining city on a hill

        America is a nation of exceptionalism

        Not to mention her invocation of Ronald Reagan, who's been accorded deity status by many conservatives.

        Filed Under: Christian, debates, running mates, Sarah Palin, worldview

        Friday October 3, 2008

        Sarah Palin as Harriet Miers Redux

        Sarah Palin's selection has split the Republican Party between the religious conservatives and everyone else, evoking the failed nomination of the evangelical Harriet Miers (right) to the Supreme Court three years ago. That split was more visible than every...

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        Filed Under: evangelicals, God gap, Harriet Miers, Sarah Palin

        Friday September 26, 2008

        Richard Cizik: Evangelical Requests to Meet With McCain Unanswered

        God-o-Meter caught up this week with Richard Cizik, chief lobbyist for the National Association of Evangelicals, the nation's largest evangelical organization. Cizik made news earlier in the week in Colorado Springs for questioning whether John McCain was a "principled person"...

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        Wednesday September 24, 2008

        Falwell's GOTV Plan in Virginia

        A new NBC News poll puts Obama within 3 points of McCain in increasingly purple Virginia. But Virginian/McCain backer Jerry Falwell has a plan to get his 10,500 Lynchburg-based students to the polls: To make sure students don't have any...

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        Filed Under: Jerry Falwell Jr. Liberty University, Lynchburg, polls, Virginia

        Monday September 22, 2008

        Is 'World View' Code for 'Christian World View?'

        God-o-Meter first noticed it around the time of Rick Warren's Saddleback Civil Forum John McCain and Barack Obama last month, when Warren talked about wanting to get a sense of the candidates' "world views." World view. It's certainly not a...

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        Filed Under: evangelicals, Sarah Palin, worldview

        Thursday September 18, 2008

        Washington Post Cartoon Targets Palin's Faith

        The Washington Post has printed this cartoon poking fun of Sarah Palin's former Pentecostalism. Brody has the understandably indignant response from the Assemblies of God. Update:A reader notes that it was washingtonpost.com, not the paper's print edition, that carried...

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        Filed Under: cartoons, Pentecostal, running mates, Sarah Palin, Washington Post

        Wednesday September 17, 2008

        Are Younger Evangelicals Cool to McCain/Palin

        The AP is reporting that Sarah Palin isn't the hit among younger evangelicals that she is among their parents. It cites some anecdotal evidence from interviews, but there are some big caveats: Polls have yet to measure the Palin Effect...

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        Filed Under: polls, young evangelicals

        Monday September 15, 2008

        God-o-Meter on Video: Is McCain/Palin Slighting the Christian Right?

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        Filed Under: abortion, Christian Right, Sarah Palin, stem cell research, Tony Perkins, Values Voter Summit


        Monday September 15, 2008

        Palin's Abortion Answer Pleases Christian Right--and Independents



        Friday September 12, 2008

        McCain/Palin Muddy Waters on Stem Cell Research

        Filed Under: ads, stem cell research


        Thursday September 11, 2008

        Sarah Palin and Rick Warren Chat by Phone



        Wednesday September 10, 2008

        Is Sarah Palin a Victim of Religious Discrimination?



        Tuesday September 9, 2008

        Christian Right to McCain: Stand Up for Palin's Faith



        Saturday September 6, 2008

        Palin Doesn't Change the God Gap


        It's Not Just Pro-Lifers Who Like Palin



        Thursday September 4, 2008

        How an Anti-Abortion Candidate Could Win Moderates


        Dobson Backs McCain/Palin



        Wednesday September 3, 2008

        How the Christian Right May Grow More Undead Still


        No Meeting Scheduled with Focus for McCain's Colorado Springs Stop


        More Signs of Christian Right Undeadness


        Palin's Record as a Christian Candidate


        God-o-Meter Q&A With Sarah Palin's Biographer



        Tuesday September 2, 2008

        The Very Christian Republican National Convention


        McCain/Palin to Rally in Colorado Springs


        God, guns, gays: a Republican Distraction?


        Reports of Christian Right's Demise Were Greatly Exaggerated



        Monday September 1, 2008

        Why Palin's Post-Denominational Christianity is an Asset


        Christian Right Rallies to Palin Over Pregnant Daughter. Will Rank and File Follow?



        Friday August 29, 2008

        With Palin, the Catholic Wars Heat Up


        Palin: Culture Warrior and Bipartisan Peacemaker


        Family Research Council Action Shocked and Elated Over Palin


        Picking Palin, McCain Finally Reaches out to Christian Right



        Thursday August 28, 2008

        Hard Evidence of Christian Conservative Apathy


        New Poll: Christian Right Gives McCain Tough Choices on Veep



        Monday August 25, 2008

        McCain's Greatest Moral Failure Pays Off



        Friday August 22, 2008

        On the Difficulties of Getting in Touch with the McCain Campaign



        Wednesday August 20, 2008

        God-o-Meter Exclusive: Ralph Reed Q&A on '08 Race


        McCain's Post-Saddleback Bump and the Risks of Clearing Low Bars



        Sunday August 17, 2008

        McCain's Surprise Triumph at Saddleback



        Saturday August 16, 2008

        With Video, McCain Has Some Evangelicals Believing He's One of Them



        Friday August 15, 2008

        Christian Right Flips at McCain's Pro-Choice VP Comments



        Thursday August 14, 2008

        Why Doesn't Karl Rove Talk About Evangelicals Anymore?


        McCain Leaves Door Open to Pro-Choice VP



        Monday August 11, 2008

        Richard Land's VP Advice to McCain: Pick Sarah Palin



        Friday August 8, 2008

        McCain Emails 'Faith Excerpts' to Wary Christian Leaders


        Another Pawlenty-Evangelical Connection



        Tuesday August 5, 2008

        McCain Among the Secularists



        Monday August 4, 2008

        Conservatives to McCain: Bring Up Gay Marriage or We Will



        Wednesday July 30, 2008

        Would Romney as Veep Further Alienate Evangelicals?



        Tuesday July 29, 2008

        Revisiting John Hagee's Vow Not to Endorse Again


        Ted Stevens Indictment: Another Turn Off for Values Voters



        Thursday July 24, 2008

        Hagee on Presidential Endorsements: Never Again


        In Rare Move, McCain Meets Religious Leader: the Dalai Lama



        Tuesday July 22, 2008

        Had McCain Been Wooing Dobson?



        Monday July 21, 2008

        McCain's Evangelical Moment?


        Dobson Might Endorse McCain



        Thursday July 17, 2008

        Bush's Stand on Gay Adoption? Take a Wild Guess


        McCain's Evangelical Problem: It's All About Turnout


        Will McCain Camp Dump Catholic Advisor Under Pressure?



        Wednesday July 16, 2008

        McCain's Latest Christian Right Stumble



        Tuesday July 15, 2008

        The Myth of the Myth of the Evangelical Vote