Religious Right Figure Gets Chills: Obama Could Win 40 Percent Of Evangelicals

"With clients like Focus on the Family, Franklin Graham, and Campus Crusade for Christ, Mark DeMoss may be the most prominent public relations executive in the evangelical world. A former chief of staff to Jerry Falwell, DeMoss became then-presidential candidate Mitt Romney's chief liaison to evangelical leaders."

In a new interview with Dan Gilgoff for BeliefNet's God-o-Meter, DeMoss explains the lack of religious enthusiasm for McCain and predicts a potential major shift to Obama.

How is John McCain doing among evangelicals, a crucial Republican constituency?

The evangelical world or the conservative religious world is not his natural habitat, so he doesn't strike me as being all that comfortable with it. I think that's evidenced by the strong comments made in 2000 about Falwell and Robertson. ...

You represent some of the nation's most powerful evangelicals. What do those leaders say about McCain?

This is one guy's perspective, but I am surprised by how little I've seen or read in conservative circles about McCain since February. I don't think I've gotten one email or letter or phone call from anybody in America in the last four months saying anything about this election or urging that we unite behind John McCain and put aside whatever differences we have. Back in the fall and winter, you'd get several things a day from conservatives saying, "The future of the Supreme Court is at stake. We have to stop Hillary Clinton. Get behind so and so--or don't' go with this guy." It's just very quiet. It could meant there's a real sense of apathy or it could mean they're' waiting for the general election to begin. But it's a surprise, given the way email networks work now.

Barack Obama is trying hard to win evangelical voters. Does that effort stand a chance?

If one third of white evangelicals voted for Bill Clinton the second time, at the height of Monica Lewinsky mess--that's a statistic I didn't believe at first but I double and triple checked it--I would not be surprised if that many or more voted for Barack Obama in this election. You're seeing some movement among evangelicals as the term [evangelical] has become more pejorative. There's a reaction among some evangelicals to swing out to the left in an effort to prove that evangelicals are really not that right wing. There's some concern that maybe Republicans haven't done that well. And there's this fascination with Barack Obama. So I will not be surprised if he gets one third of the evangelical vote. I wouldn't be surprised if it was 40-percent.

Read the full interview here.

Comments

[Sportswoman]

Standing in line at Starbucks, well-dressed businessman eyes my Obama shirt and tells me he is a Republican voting Obama. Curious, I ask why, and he states it is because of the economy, number one, and that Obama is a more moral and principled man who does not ppear to pander in the way McCain does.
Last Tuesday, swimming a few laps in the gym pool, talking politics with fellow swimmers, three stated they were for Obama,two stated they had never voted Democrat before. Economy was their chief reason, and one stated that Obama was charasmatic and more of a moral leader.
Not all the Christian Right are blind fools. Again, think how offensive McCain's Pastor Hagee was to Catholics and Protestants alike. It's one thing to be hypersensitive and a bitwack like Rev. Wright, but at least one could argue that it was due to a lifelived in the Jim Crow south. What is Hagee's excuse?

[athenasword]

Cool!!! (thanks for the post... I love to hear the "news" from the coffee shop and around town. My parents live in rural Ohio, so I really listen to what they say, and what they tell me their friends say.)

[justShareandbeNice]

The left, and the Democratic party, could embrace the abortion issue to a degree and I think get lots of credit for it, even from those who believe all abortion is always wrong/evil/murder. How?

Just focus on the simple fact that there are many, many ways to reduce the number of abortions. The list is long: cheap contraceptives, reduction of poverty, sex education that is done in proven, effective ways, lots more support for women in abusive situations, and of course keeping it safe and legal.

I know all these ways of reducing abortions are controversial in and of themselves (although in a sane society they wouldn't be) but it still remains true that these ways DO reduce the abortion rate. And Obama is one of the few people out there that could articulate a true passion for reducing abortions without falling into the either/or mentality of keeping it legal or not.

I think some evangelicals would give him credit for a SINCERE passion for reducing the rate of abortions, and perhaps many would appreciate a shift into a reality-based solution instead of the rhetoric and idealistic debates over when life begins and so forth.

Just an idea. :-)

[rowzeer]

Exactly if you want to reduce abortions then why not provide decent health care, sex education and family planning. They won't because the religious right cares more about dictating sexual behavior than reducing abortions.

[MalloMel]

Exactly!

[lizr]

I think it's a good one!

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

Gadzooks!!! Are you trying to promote rational thought? Very well said...... I'd like to add another thought from one of comedian Bill Hicks albums.Why have a drug czar that comes from the punishment side of the equation?Why not a reformed,educated former addict that understands the problem and wants to actually help people?

[slinkymom]

This is the same argument I had with my mother about making abortion illegal. Instead of working toward a goal of reducing abortions, these anti-abortion crusaders are simply wanting all or nothing. They are in fact making the likelyhood of abortion greater in their blind effort to get what they want. Obama has shown that if you bring all parties to the table, find out where all can agree, and then work out a "compromise" - because nobody will ever get everything they want - we could actually significantly reduce the number of abortions.

Besides, we made drugs illegal and look how well that worked out. Better build more prisons.

[ChescoMom]

Mark, from your mouth to God's ears!

[Suthngal]

Sshh...don't tell the GOP that one of their strongest supporters is an Atheist. If they knew that, my daddy would be in trouble. LOL!

[AdobePhsyko]

One of the best posts I've ever read on here was as follows:
" Jesus Was A Liberal "
and Who could deny that ?

[JohnTalbutt]

I am constitutionally incapable of religious belief, but the New Testament taken as a whole has an undeniable humanitarian message.

[Krikkit]

Actually, "Jesus was a flaming Socialist" would be more accurate. You know, "It's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than to enter the gates of heaven," and "feed the poor."

[rowzeer]

Turn the other cheek...wow he would be weak against terrorism

[pupbayer]

And this whole story gives me the creeps.

[olorinstaff]

Christian by choice. Democrat by grace of God.

[CarlyShitson]

We don't believe in Creationism. thats BS!

[iPolitics]

Bob Dylan says Barack Obama is 'changin' America

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4076339.ece

[noneIn2008]

You don't want them, the price is too high.

[Dobrocat]

The Evangelicals are staring to realize that the Republicans have used them. You can only fool people for so long and eventually they start to catch on. Nobody wants to be pandered to every election year and then wrote off for the next three years. It doesn't take a genius to see what the neo-cons have done to our nation. They are neither Godly or just in their actions. The times they are a-changing!

[moonjumper]

Obama spoke at Rick Warren's church a few years back. Now that he's disengaged from his own church, he should use this time to poke his head into some of the country's bigger congregations. It would kill two birds with one stone - 1) Continue to bury the Muslim meme, and 2) let certain groups (evangelicals, Catholics, etc.) feel that he's listening to them.

[Suthngal]

What's really sad is that the Muslim comments...will NEVER go away. Because of his name. I understand his situation, because my Christian sister has a Muslim birth name.

[Paul]

Correct.

[Amalek]

Excellent idea.

The Willow Creek Church near Chicago is one of the largest and best known evangelical churches - on the same level as Warren's. It is mainstream as far as evangelical churches go - a model for them. I don't think he will find any Rev Wright's or Hagee's there.

[Troubledwawa]

This doesn't surprise me at all. It's plausible and very possible.

Many Evangelists and Republicans have been embarrassed by this administration asinine behavior.

The Democrats not accepting lobbyist money, following Dean's 50 State coalition vision, and running Obama makes it a lot easier for these voters to cross over and voice their disgust at the corrupted Republicans in power, this November.

[jprfrog]

I tell you a mystery:

Christians most vociferous in their devotion to Jesus seemed to blatantly ignore some of His most unequivocal teachings. His concern for the poor and down-trodden comported ill with the zeal of so many of His professed followers for obtaining wealth, and yet more wealth. I had --- God forgive me for such an un-American sentiment --- trouble understanding why gazillionaires seemed so intent on becoming even richer than they are. After all, how much can one person spend?

Well, I have seen the Light. These people are not hypocrites…far from it! They are perhaps the most self-sacrificing Christians of all. By appropriating all that wealth, they are helping to insure eternal bliss for the poor who we will always have with us. They have even appropriated government to speed their Godly work, shifting the tax burden to keep so much of that sinful stuff (money) away from those who would inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, taking it on themselves and thereby risking their own eternal souls.

Hallelujah! After all, the less you have here, the more you get later. How’s that for an investment strategy? And if I can believe St. Paul part of your celestial payoff will be that you'll get to see the likes of Rupert Murdoch and Ken Lay roasting over a slow fire.

Talk about miracles.

[Paul]

Matthew 19:23-24

[KBAR]

19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

[SadButWiser]

Let's start with the fact that when religious leaders ask their followers to vote for someone they do not like to prolong the infighting between candidates, is a blatant call to lie. What those leaders are saying basically that ends justify any means. That include lying and declaring wars. A bunch of hypocrites and a disgrace to their faith.

[PatrickforO]

Most Christians I know are pretty good people and not as monolithic and blind to reality as they are made out to be. What happened is that a few evangelical preachers with neocon political perspectives sold a bill of goods to these people and used them to gain power and money. They are no more a monolithic population than Muslims, Jews, African Americans, Latinos or women. The truth is that each individual must make their own decision about which party and which candidates best represent them. For myself, I decided the Democrats are the ones who look after the poor, the widow and the orphan, and so joined that party years ago. Generally, I have not regretted this, but I will say now that we have a presumptive Democratic nominee who leaves most in the dust when it comes to common decency, morality and just plain class. I'm more excited about this upcoming election than I have been in years.

[jas1984]

I'm a big Joel Osteen fan. I think more than anyone else out there I think he represents the new wave of evangelicals. Although he does not support anyone politically he does represent a huge demographic. I think Obama hits that demographic head on. They want a message of hope. Osteen has an integrated church full of people who feel comfortable in an integrated church and there is not too much of the fire and brimstone. Evangelical yes, scary not so much. Osteen even has not spoken out against homosexuality. Obama would do well with this clearly independent thinking group.

[DRaymond]

They may have some problems with his pastor, but hey, he was actively involved with a parish in his community.

Can any of you without resorting to google name the specific church that McCain regularly attends and is involved in the community?

[JulieSA]

"PHOENIX (ABP) -- John McCain has a deep and personal Christian commitment despite his reluctance to speak publicly about it, according to the man McCain calls his pastor.

Dan Yeary, pastor of North Phoenix Baptist Church, described the Arizona senator and his wife, Cindy, as “very unobtrusive” people who don’t seek special attention when they are able to come to worship. “They come in the side door. They’re very pleasant. They talk to people. They’re very approachable.”

http://www.abpnews.com/www/3116.article

[obamasOHangel]

you cheated.

[KarateKid]

McCain has violated at least 4 Commandments:

Thou shalt not kill (Vietnam bombing of innocent women and children)
Thou shalt not commit adultery (against first wife with Cindy)
Thou shalt not steal (Keating 5)
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor (against Obama and American people)

[PatrickforO]

I don't think he attends any one church regularly, but to answer your question, nope.

[patmancando]

He is a member of the Baptist church....­...recentl­y changed.