Former Governor Martin O'Malley speaking with supporters at a volunteer phone bank at his New Hampshire headquarters in Manchester, New Hampshire.
It’s no secret that progressives are more than a little squeamish when it comes to religion. Since the rise of the Religious Right in the late 1900’s, an appeal to a candidate’s faith has been seen as a tactic of staunch conservatives and has been treated by progressives as unhelpful at best, harmful at worst. Yet, in spite of this “fear of faith” embodied by many progressives, polling consistently shows that America is still a very religious nation and our people desire leaders who understand and root their principles in a foundation of faith. As I argued in an article earlier this year, if religious progressives did not get over their opposition to religion and begin to unabashedly speak of how their faith informs their values, we would lose the interest and trust of a large number of Americans in the election- a reality that has since been confirmed by post-election polling.
However, early on in the election cycle a fresh voice rose to the surface within the Democratic Party whose optimism captivated many progressives across the nation. On May 30, 2015 the former Governor of Maryland, Martin O’Malley, stood on Federal Hill in Baltimore and announced the beginning of his bid for the presidency of the United States. Speaking under the banner of his freshly minted campaign slogan, O’Malley called for “new leadership” within the DNC and the nation as a whole. O’Malley’s campaign hit the ground running, but struggled to gain significant support from Democrats across the country. After a short but well fought run for the Democratic nomination, O’Malley officially dropped out of the race in February 2016, throwing his support behind the presumed nominee, Hillary Clinton. Though 2016 was clearly not the year for O’Malley to become the Democratic nominee for President, his campaign introduced his name, perspective, and persona to the American people for the first time on a broad scale, setting the former Governor up for potential future success in national politics.
No matter what your political or religious affiliation, Governor O’Malley is a captivating figure, known for being incredibly down to earth, yet carrying with him an energy and enthusiasm that is not easily matched in Washington. But where do such hope, humility, and optimism come from for a person like Governor O’Malley? The answer is quite simple and yet perhaps unexpected - his faith.
I first met then Governor O’Malley in 2011, when I was invited to participate in Baltimore’s Annual New Years Eve Interfaith Prayer Service, attended every year by major faith leaders and politicians, including the Mayor of Baltimore and the Governor of Maryland. As those of us who were to be leading prayers prepared backstage, I watched in absolute amazement as Governor O’Malley interacted with the wide array of faith leaders, engaging in far more than the usual pleasantries one would expect to receive from a politician. No, the Governor was having deep theological conversations, throwing out names of Catholic theologians and authors left and right, and quoting scripture without ever missing a beat. As a young aspiring faith leader, I was surprised that a politician (especially a Democrat) would be so rooted in their faith in the way that Governor O’Malley seemed to be. In the following years, I ended up being around the Governor in many other settings, and every time, his faith-driven optimism shone through.
I recently met up with Governor O’Malley in Washington to talk about his faith, the election of Donald Trump, and the future of our nation. O’Malley walked into Starbucks at the end of a long workday with his usual electrifying presence, “Good to see you, Reverend” he said, as he shook my hand and sat down. After making small talk, I jumped right in and asked the Governor about the recent rumors that he was considering a run for DNC chair. O’Malley looked at me and said, “Brandan, I’m just not sure that being the DNC chair is the best use of my talents and energies right now. Our country is in a pivotal moment, and after praying and reflecting for a week, I just think it’s best that I focus my attention elsewhere.”
He then went on to make about six biblical references regarding the current moment our nation was in and why it was so essential that Americans come together to overcome the “fascist regime” of President-Elect Donald Trump. Laughing at the quirky display of his biblical literacy, I went on to tell the Governor about how I’ve long admired his ability to ground his principles and his policies in his Catholic faith, and asked him when religion became so important to him. “I grew up in a family of nuns and priests and went to great Catholic schools, so in a way, the theology was ingrained into my being” he said. “But my faith became incredibly palpable for me during the end of my first year as Governor. After a hard-fought campaign and really grueling but productive first year, I went through a period of feeling very burned-out. What, I suppose, St. John of the Cross would call, "a dark night of the soul.” I began reading different spiritual writings from people like Reinhold Niebuhr, Fr. Richard Rohr, and Thomas Merton as a way to ground myself, and I really was so profoundly impacted by their vision of justice and progress.”
Governor O’Malley went on to explain how the French mystic and paleontologist Teilhard de Chardin was “his hero”, a writer whose vision of the universe formed the groundwork for so much of what Governor O’Malley believes and advocates for. The Governor rattled off quote after quote from mystics and theologians as if their words had truly become his own. “It is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability,” O’Malley said, quoting de Chardin in order to describe the moment our nation found itself in.
As we continued chatting, I asked the Governor about how his own party is perceived to have little appreciation for religion. “You’re right, we’ve been too afraid to speak about faith. Secretary Clinton is a woman of great faith, though, and quoted John Wesley a number of times through the campaign,” O’Malley said. I added that, while it’s true that Clinton mentioned faith a few times, her faith outreach was almost non-existent compared to that of the Trump campaign. The Governor nodded and went on to describe the hurdles he faces in speaking so boldly about his faith. “I have to tell my staff all the time to stop removing the religious language or theological quotes I use in my statements and speeches. If it were up to them, it wouldn’t be mentioned at all. But that’s not me, that’s not my voice, and I fight to keep my spiritual language.” Later on in the evening, the Governor would respond to an email on his iPad in which his staff was editing his statement to be released the next day declining to run for DNC chair. “No!” he said as he typed. “I want to use the words “torn apart”, not “divided” because it’s sacramental language,” he wrote. “Learn it, love it, live It.,” he typed, before pressing send.
As our conversation continued, we spoke about everything from his challenges as Governor of Maryland to Reinhold Niebuhr’s perspective on democracy. O’Malley’s faith seemed to permeate everything he said. I asked him how, as such a faithful Catholic, he became one of the most outspoken proponents of marriage equality for LGBT+ people when he was the Governor of Maryland. “Because, Brandan, my faith has taught me that everyone is made in the image of God and everyone deserves equality and dignity.” O’Malley made it clear that he had wrestled with a number of Catholic leaders as he fought for marriage equality in Maryland, and forwarded me a copy of a letter that he sent to the Archbishop of the Diocese of Baltimore. In the letter, O’Malley wrote:
“I do not presume, nor would I ever presume as Governor, to question or infringe upon your freedom to define, to preach about, and to administer the Sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. But on the public issue of granting equal civil marital rights to same sex couples, you and I disagree -- as I shared with you and your colleagues at the Catholic Conference during the candidate interview of the last campaign.
As Governor, I am sworn to uphold the law without partiality or prejudice. When shortcomings in our laws bring about a result that is unjust, I have a public obligation to try to change that injustice. I have concluded that discriminating against individuals based on their sexual orientation in the context of civil marital rights is unjust. I have also concluded that treating the children of families headed by same sex couples with lesser protections under the law than the children of families headed by heterosexual parents, is also unjust.”
This letter showcases one of the key principles of the Catholic faith O’Malley embodies: a radical authenticity and commitment to truth. As I talked with Governor O’Malley, I got a true sense that this is not a man who minces words. He says what he thinks, and does what he says. Aside from his bold stand against the Church to which he belongs, he also recounted a time when he had a conflict with the Obama Administration and felt his perspective was misconstrued by the White House regarding refugees. “I stepped out in front of the press and made it clear that I supported refugees and felt called to defend the oppressed, the powerless, and the immigrant, and that I would not allow the work I was doing on behalf of the least of these to be misconstrued for political gain.”
We talked for over an hour, bonding over our love of theology and our dreams for the future of our country. Throughout our short conversation I was struck by how much hope Governor O’Malley had, a hope that seemed to be rooted in his belief that all things were constantly evolving and progressing towards their highest potential. “I tried to keep this from happening to our country. I gave it all I had.” O’Malley said. “But I really do believe our best days are ahead of us- that this is just a fascist detour we’re taking.” Before our time concluded, the Governor sent me a link to a project that he had taken great pride in- a blog, called “Letters to the People of Maryland” he penned in the last days of his time as Governor. In each of these postings, O’Malley reflected on his life, the lessons he learned, and his vision for the future, not just of Maryland, but also of our nation. Each post is deeply grounded in O’Malley’s personal spirituality, and many posts read more like devotional literature written by a mystic teacher than a letter from a politician. In one post, entitled “Letter to the Incoming Governor”, O’Malley writes:
The shame of your new duty is that the first thing you will be forced to give up — if you are not careful — is your solitude. And without an interior life, you will soon find you are not much service to anyone — whatever your original intention, and however much they load up your schedule.
I found my most consistent time for solitude to be in the early morning after the bustle of off-to-school and off-to-work for the rest of my family.
There is a lot more to life than noise. Friction, competition, and craven greediness are only small parts of the human condition — however incessant they might seem now from the perspective of your office.
There are always deeper truths around you.
The children you meet on your walk to the State House might only meet their Governor once. I have done my best to pause long enough to encourage them to love God, to love their families, and to love their country.
The inmate on work detail, shining that brass rail will go back to jail — at the end of this day —- to sleep in a cage. But you can wish him a good morning anyway in the knowledge that he is some mother’s son, and one day, he will return to her.
The flower you touch along that brick sidewalk will not be there next week. And, perhaps, nor will some of the people with whom you work and with whom you meet this day.
“Change and growth are the heart of time,” so says the poet.
To stay present and connected to others, you must first be present to your self. I have found that this is the key to effectively serving others.
These words capture the heart of Martin O’Malley. Mindful, careful, and profoundly committed to integrity. A man who has not allowed politics to overcome him with cynicism, but who is committed to living his best life and working to ensure that those whom he leads have their best lives as well. Governor O’Malley has faced criticism and has not always been popular- both among his fellow Democrats and among conservative Catholics. But at the end of the day, it seems that he is driven to do what he believes is best, and it is this fidelity to conscience that keeps him grounded and makes him a powerhouse of a leader.
At the end of our time, Governor O’Malley looked me in the eye and thanked me for my time. We shook hands and he was off to yet another event for the evening. As I walked out of the coffee shop that evening, I was deeply encouraged. I felt as if I had just encountered the kind of politician that I never believed possible, one who deeply embraces their faith and is boldly committed to demonstrating how it propels them to act for justice and progress. Governor Martin O’Malley is the kind of politician that our nation needs at a moment such of this. One with fierce commitment to integrity and justice, the humility to learn and listen to the least of these, and the boldness and bravery to fight for the future their heart believes is possible. O’Malley demonstrates that for progressives, faith and politics don’t have to be separate, but in fact, are powerful partners that can bring people from all walks of life together for the common good of our nation.