Losing Faith in Obama?

From Steven Waldman of Beliefnet: "The moderate evangelical vote is slipping away from Barack Obama." If so, it's a real missed opportunity for Sen. Obama and the Democratic Party.

Comments

[Ha!]

It's only a matter of time before people start realizing just how radical and unaccomplished he is.

[Chris H.]

As somebody who is hoping that he is a radical, I am optimistic. But do not despair, the Republics will not survive the debates.

[Franz]

Evangelical voters are a wishy washy lot so this is not surprising....they tend to flock to those candidates who call themselves evangelical even though they have less experience for the job. Shame really...I think Obama and Biden's ideas are more Christian than McCain and Palin.

[DavidH]

I agree with Waldman that Obama-Biden should be careful to avoid antagonizing pro-life supporters. I do not think Obama-Biden need to play to any of the pro-choice elements of the party. Bush-Cheney had an interesting, and sufficiently successful, strategy of keeping the pro-life vote locked up, while also appealing, "under the radar" to pro-choice voters. http://www.iwpr.org/PDF/05_Proceedings/Melich_Tanya.pdf

I think Obama-Biden would do well to apply the lesson in reverse. They have the pro-choice vote locked up--it is time to work on appealing to voters who lean their way on non-abortion issues, but who are pro-life. And I think the pro-life but otherwise politically moderate evangelicals (as described by Waldman) and Mormons (like me) and Catholics (like Kmiec) and others are a sufficient portion of the electorate to make a difference.

[Tim]

It appears not all have lost faith
http://www.obamaformessiah.com

[Tim]

oops, let me hyperlink that http://www.obamaformessiah.com

[Bill Anderson]

Not surprising really. Evangelical voters view the issues through a moral prism-- it doesn't matter if Obama's interpretation of the law and constitution is right or wrong or what he'd be able or willing to do as president with regards to social issues, his positions and rhetoric don't match their particular worldview so end of story for most. With Palin on the Republican ticket the contrast is even clearer for moral voters.

[Bill]

I think you meant so-called moral voters.

[norcal_t]

Mr. Obama may be a Christian personally, but you wouldn't know it by his political positions. His views are controlling and elitist. He doesn't have faith in America, but in their pockets only. He wants their money so he can make America what he thinks it should be. This has been the liberal agenda for most of my adult life and it doesn't appear to be changing.