Obama Made Gains Among GOP Base Of White Evangelical Voters

New York Times:

President-elect Barack Obama succeeded in chiseling off small but significant chunks of white evangelical voters who have been the foundation of the Republican Party for decades, a close look at voting patterns reveals.

The change reflects a broader shift among religious voters in every category. Mr. Obama made gains among Catholics, Jews and mainline Protestants, compared with the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[redsongia]

That's no surprise. Evangelicals are demonized as being extremists, but many are average folks who do prize good moral values. They also recognize "morals" begins with telling the truth and acting fairly. If someone in Obama's camp messes up, calls Clinton "a monster" for example, that person is fired and the campaign moves on. No moving her around, taking her off the air for a while, (like Carly Fiorino) only for them to resurface again in a week or in an "advisory role."

Repubs this year, on the other hand, put up an unqualified VP, denied to high heaven she was unqualified, got every spare party member they could to come out and try and cover it up and sing her praises, and then, after they have no IMMEDIATE prize in sight, all the people that were trying to sell America a bill of goods about how great a VP Palin would be are now slandering her.

They only think about looking good at the moment and sweeping all other problems under the rug with their amazingly organized lying campaigns. Lying seems to be the only thing they thing gov. should waste any time or energy being expert at, so it's no surprise the they are losing their religious base.

[Mike4Obama]

If how the McCain campaign used Palin to pander to the religious right and then threw her to the curb isn't a clear indication on how the Republicans exploit their vote then I don't know what it would take.

Maybe one day they'll realize en-masse just how much they've been exploited the last couple decades.

[LesserFool2]

I guess they will be spending eternity weaping and gnashing their teeth in hell then !

Seriously, though...

It's good to see some people demanding more than words (Bush) concerning how we treat "the least of these" among us. It's about time the self-described followers of Jesus actually start following his message instead of bastardizing the gospel for their own political ends.

I don't give a rat's @ss if Obama goes to church, prays or carries a holy book. I don't care if he ever mentions the God he worships. I just want to see his DEEDS and WORKS demonstrate what is in his heart.

The cheapest thing in the world is empty promises. Doing the hard work of helping "the least of those" in society (the poor, hungry, sick, defenseless) is where the "proof in the pudding" is at.

[isis]

I spent some time door knocking for him with someone who had experience door knocking for Jesus. Not all are crazy and some are figuring out how they have been used.

[shengirl]

many younger evangelicals are more concerned about issues like the poor, social justice, the environment, etc. than the older ones, who are always pushing the "lifestyle" issues like abortion and gay marriage, which has no bearing on what Jesus taught. "I am my brother's keeper", not "I am my brother's persecutor."

[tkj]

I am so happy to see that not ALL evangelists are Hate-filled Right Wing Extremists. One really has to wonder how you can call yourself a Christian, and yet be filled with so much intolerance and hate.

[gorideabike]

Kindness.
Without kindness as a basis for actions, there can be no real religion.
Even the strongest gardener can not pull the plant from a seed.

[rr52]

Good because these people scare me and I went to private Catholic schools my whole life. I do not practice and have a little disdain for any organized religion--too much herding. But, I did hear from my mother who attends mass every Sunday that the priest told parishioners to take a yard sign on the way out that read: "Vote Against Abortion," which is a lefthanded plug for McCain. Last Sunday, the signs were still there is a pile. My mom voted for Obama as most of the little old ladies in her senior building. Three of them did so after Obama went to Hawaii to visit his grandmother.

[lunchlady]

I think churches and other religious organizations should be penalized for any poltical involvement, or else their tax-exempt status will go poof. They've been abusing and laundering money through the tax-exempt status loophole for years. Let's close it.

[bdl0715]

My church had a city wide pre election prayer service on Monday. Pastors from several churches, some black and some white attended. Local candidates of both parties attended. No one's name was mentioned and no political statements were given. None of the prayers given by the speakers mentioned any candidate, just prayer for all candidates and that God's will would be done, and whoever elected would so what's right.

[gorideabike]

Barack Hussein Obama, Oops, President Barack Hussein Obama will implement a policy to reduce abortion. Morality can not be legislated. Instead a plan of sex education will be implemented where Bush relied on ignorant fatih based initiatives to reduce teen pregnancy. Results convince better than ideas. As President Harry S Truman once said: "I'm from Missouri - you'll have to show me."
The larger issue for religion is freedom of religion which depends on separation of church and state. The movement to subject America to only one government approved religion is well underway, and represents a huge threat even to the very people who advocate the idea.

[lunchlady]

ITA. Historical faith-based initiatives include the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the Salem Witch Trials. Separation of church and state needs to be reinforced for a good long while to flush out the people who are trying to force creationism, intelligent design, criminalization of abortion, abstinence education and so on down everyone's throats.
.Religion is very important to people and they often flounder when they don't have it. But it should not be part of our government. It should be possible for a President to be Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, or even atheist. The point is the person's character and ability. I find fundamenta­lism/zealo­try of any sort to be the problem. And anyone who believes that these are the endtimes and that they'll be raptured out of the mess they make shouldn't be in government at all.

[bob8788]

GOBAMA

http://www.barackobamacans.blogspot.com/

[Kassandra]

I think the extreme evangelical movement has been losing steam for years. I like to think that not all of them are crazy.

[bdl0715]

The older evangelical movement is dying off, literally. That is the Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, James Dobson movement. The new evangelical movement is going to be Rick Warren, Jim Wallis, etc. Which is concerned about things like the environment, poverty, social justice, etc.

[ShamusNYC]

Pragmatically, Obama's policies will do much more to reduce abortions than Mc/P's approach.

As Gov Palin's own family shows, preaching celebacy is a silly and uneffective idea (not to mention highly hypocritical - how many people really "save themselves" - a great idea, but unrealistic).

If kids learn the real facts about birth control, teen pregnancy rates should go down. Not to mention the fact that Obama can effectively communicate to minority communities about responsibility (which he has already done).

[harriettubman]

I agree. Educating a dog even teaches him when not to do things. How can the GOP want abstinence and no abortions at the same time? Sex is rampant and so is unplanned pregnancies. You see problems, address them.

As for these Evangelicals, I don't get them. Some of their hateful behavior does not equate to Christianity.

[DC]

Keep religion out of politics. The world will be a better place for it.

[fdavidm]

I wish Obama would lose this crowd of hate-mongers. The people of this nation are not Center RIght. They want fiscally responsible government spending and they want the government out of their bedrooms. The Evangelicals are losers.

[2351]

True christians are tired of these hypocrits pretending to be chrisitans. The republican party and the James Dobsons of the world give christians a bad name. I think that there should be an all out boycott against James Dobson for always trying to influence the political process. He lost my respect during this election. He needs to now start an organization called "Focus on the Hypocrit". He would be a good CEO.

[getoffmedz]

So far there haven't been much written about the gratitude due those many disgruntled, shamed, angry, betrayed and BRAVE Republicans who crossed party lines to vote for the most qualified candidates.

Kudos! THANK YOU ALL

Just don't tell anyone.