Is Sarah Palin's Faith a Liability for McCain?
President Bush, using the coded language understood by evangelicals, is saying Sarah Palin was "an inspired pick" as John McCain's running mate. And whether God had anything to do with it or not, she's been widely hailed as a brilliant addition to the ticket. But her storyline in the media is starting to move away from Palin as political maverick to Palin as nutty evangelical. Some commentators are wondering whether McCain actually might have hurt his candidacy with independents and even with some younger, less conservative Christians by choosing her.
Palin grew up as a Pentecostal, whose followers speak in tongues, practice faith healing and believe in the rapture. That's a little squirrelly even for most conservative Christians. Palin herself apparently recognizes her religious beliefs are potential political liabilities. In 2002, when she ran for Alaska lieutenant governor, she switched churches and now identifies herself not as Pentecostal but nondenominational. (She was paying a visit to her old church in the YouTube video above.)
Once the media start picking apart Palin's faith, Republicans are sure to cast her as the victim again, just as they did when the topic was her pregnant daughter. But it won't work this time. After all the conservative outrage over Jeremiah Wright, a candidate's private religious beliefs are definitely fair game.
As Time magazine points out, "McCain may find himself quoting a bowdlerized verse of Scripture in November: What does it profit a man to gain the Christian right and lose the White House?"
Comments
OF COURSE the media is going to call her a nutty evangelical, as you say. Because the media (you included, Jeff) couldn't report an objective story if their lives depended on it. I put in a lot of years as a reporter, and I'm glad I'm out of the news business. I can hardly stand the bias on both sides. Give me a good book instead.
Posted 09/08/2008 at 01:58:17 PMAnother day and we get more posts slamming Palin by the Scene left wing hacks.
The number of posts ever put up by same said hacks criticizing Obama and/or Biden in any way?
Zero.
Posted 09/08/2008 at 02:21:48 PMYeah... go with that. She's a nutty evangelical. Those people are crazy. And stupid. They just do whatever their nutty preachers tell them to do.
They'll never read anything in the media, so they'll never know we're insulting them.
That's the ticket!
Posted 09/08/2008 at 02:49:08 PMHey Red Hat, why isn't Sarah talking about her religious practices? Is she ashamed of them? If she ever gives an interview, maybe she could give us a little sampling of how she speaks in tongues. She could do it on 60 Minutes.
Posted 09/08/2008 at 03:00:40 PMWhat's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull?
You can spay a pit bull.
Posted 09/08/2008 at 04:26:36 PMThis post is hilarious. Let's explore.
The point of the post is that Sarah Palin's religion is out of the Christian mainstream, so it will alienate mainline Christians. And, it's unusual, so it will alienate independents who are uncomfortable with unusual religions. And they will naturally choose someone who spent 20 years in a church based on the mainstream Christian doctrine called BLACK LIBERATION THEOLOGY!
That is so funny. It's similar to another one I've heard recently.
Sarah Palin doesn't have extensive political experience. This will raise vice presidential concerns for voters who might otherwise support the McCain ticket. And naturally, they'll choose a the Obama ticket, where THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HAS VERY LITTLE POLITICAL EXPERIENCE.
Keep going. You are approaching true pundit genius!
Posted 09/08/2008 at 05:56:41 PMWhy is it everytime we put out the truth about Palin from her own actions or deads the Right Wing call us hacks? And why when we defend our own candidate from the smears of the Right we are called Hacks from the same Right Wing? Do Republicans take any responsibility at all? I guess not...a very sad group of people. I wonder what Jesus will say when they get to heaven. "Oh, the line for hypocrats is in front of the down elevator. Have a nice day."
Posted 09/08/2008 at 05:59:57 PMResponsibility for what? For Sarah Palin's being Pentecostal?
Posted 09/08/2008 at 06:18:44 PMI am so sick of people stating tsalking points but are never able to back them up with facts. So, from now on that is I, for one, will do. Obama has done nothing? Really? Well, read it and steam. Or chole, I really don't care which...
________________________________________________
1980 - 1984
Obama: BA in political science with a specialization in international relations from Columbia University
Palin: Wasilla High School, captain of the state-champion basketball team
Miss Wasilla, runner-up in the Miss Alaska pageant, also Miss Congeniality, although that is now disputed
Him: Ivy League degree Her: tiara
1985 - 1990
Obama: moved to Chicago; became a community organizer as director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based community organization on Chicago's far South Side During his three years as the DCP's director, its staff grew from 1 to 13 and its annual budget grew from $70,000 to $400,000, with accomplishments including helping set up a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization
Moved to Boston to attend Harvard Law School Selected as an editor and then elected president of the Harvard Law Review, a full-time volunteer position functioning as editor-in-chief and supervising the law review's staff of 80 editors
Palin: Bachelor of Science degree in communications-journalism, with a minor in political science from the University of Idaho Brief stint as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations; left to join her husband in commercial fishing
Him: sterling legal education
Her: sportscaster
1991 - 1995
Obama: graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School; received contract and advance to write a book ("Dreams from my Father") as well as a fellowship at the University of Chicago Law School Directed the Illinois Project Vote from April to October 1992, a voter registration drive with a staff of 10 and 700 volunteers that achieved its goal of registering 150,000 of 400,000 unregistered African Americans in the state, leading Crain's Chicago Business to name Obama to its 1993 list of "40 under Forty" powers to be Appointed as a Lecturer in constitutional law at the University of Chicago Joined Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, a 12-attorney law firm specializing in civil rights litigation and neighborhood economic development Active in several community organizations, usually as a board member
Palin: member of the Alasaka Indepence Party which advocates "Alaska First" Elected to Wasilla city council
Him: Expert on our nation's fundamental legal principles
Her: plotted to leave the Union; thinks Pledge of Allegiance was written by our founding fathers
1996 - 2000
Obama: promoted to Senior Lecturer in constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School Elected to the Illinois Senate
Sponsored more than 800 bills In 2000, lost a Democratic primary run for the US House of Representatives to four-term incumbent Bobby Rush by a margin of two to one
Palin: elected as mayor of Wasilla (population 5,470), defeating the incumbent by a total of 616 votes to 413 Town budget, $8 million (3 millionths of the Federal budget), approximately 100 employees Reduced property taxes but increased sales taxes Fired the Wasilla police chief, citing a failure to support her administration (He then sued Palin on the grounds that he was fired because he supported the campaign of Palin's opponent, but his suit was dismissed when the judge ruled that Palin had the right under state law to fire city employees, even for political reasons) Hired a DC lobbyist to bring $8 million in earmarks to the city
Him: sponsored 800 bills
Her: swayed 616 voters
2001 - 2004
Obama: reelected in 2002 and became chairman of the Illinois Senate's Health and Human Services Committee
Publicly spoke out against the invasion of Iraq BEFORE the congressional authorization in 2002, and then again before the actual invasion in 2003
Wrote and delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention
November 2004: elected to the US Senate, receiving over 35 million votes, more than 70% of total
Palin: elected president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors Unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor, coming in second in a five-way race in the Republican primary, receiving 19,000 votes Appointed to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, served as chairman from 2003 to 2004 and also served as Ethics Supervisor Resigned in protest over the "lack of ethics" of fellow Republican members Exposed the state Republican Party's chairman, Randy Ruedrich, for doing party work on public time and working closely with a company he was supposed to be regulating
Director of Ted Stevens' 527 group
Him: demonstrated the wisdom to oppose the Iraq folly before it even began
Her: hasn't really thought much about it - despite the fact that 17 Alaskans have died there
2005 to present
Obama: Sworn in as the fifth-ever African-American US senator Worked with Republican Senator Lugar (IN) to author and implement a program to locate and dismantle stray Russian WMD's Designated by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as the party's point man on ethics Worked with Russ Feingold to pass a major ethics/lobbying reform bill Cosponsored, with John McCain, the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act Called for increased fuel efficiency standards (3 percent every year for 15 years) Assignments on the Senate Committees for Foreign Relations, Veterans' Affairs, and Homeland Security Chairman of the Senate's subcommittee on European Affairs As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa Waged a tremendous battle to become the Democratic presidential nominee Currently manages 2,500 campaign employees and a budget of $40-$50 million/month
Palin: 2005: board member, Valley Hospital Association, which runs the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Wasilla
Became youngest and first female Governor of Alaska, taking office in December, 2006 Auctioned off the Governor's jet on eBay (actually she put it on eBay but it didn't sell. It was sold by a broker in a private sale for $600K less than it's purchase price.) Took on fellow-Republican Senator Ted Stevens to come clean about the federal investigation into his financial dealings Promoted oil and natural gas resource development in Alaska Helped pass a tax increase on oil company profits Formed a sub-cabinet group of advisers to address climate change but does not accept that it is man-made Objected to listing polar bears as an endangered species and is suing the Federal Government for placeing Polar Bears back on the endangered list because it might hurt oil and gas development in the bears' habitat
Was in favor of the bridge to nowhere before she was against it However, Alaska kept the federal money and used it for other state projects. So I guess the pork didn't go to waste.
Denied her daughter was pregnant before she confirmed it Supported abstinence-only education Currently under a bipartisan investigation for abuse of power for dismissing Alaska's Public Safety Commissioner Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska National Guard, but has played no role in national defense activities, even when they involve the Alaska National Guard
(The entire operation is under federal control, and the governor is not briefed on situations)
Obtained her first passport in 2007 to perform visits to the Alaska National Guard in Kuwait and Germany (Foreign experience so limited that a stopover in Ireland listed on her resume)
Him: Impressive figure on the national stage who knows how Congress works and is engaged with foreign policy issues
Her: small state governor for 21 months; "next to Russia", but that is just 1 of the 190 countries in the world she has never been to
Posted 09/08/2008 at 06:30:35 PMConclusion: the word "executive" is not some kind of magic force multiplier when placed in front of the word "experience"
I am so sick of people stating talking points but are never able to back them up with facts. So, from now on that is I, for one, will do. Obama has done nothing? Really? Well, read it and steam. Or choke, I really don't care which...
________________________________________________
1980 - 1984
Obama: BA in political science with a specialization in international relations from Columbia University
Palin: Wasilla High School, captain of the state-champion basketball team
Miss Wasilla, runner-up in the Miss Alaska pageant, also Miss Congeniality, although that is now disputed
Him: Ivy League degree Her: tiara
1985 - 1990
Obama: moved to Chicago; became a community organizer as director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based community organization on Chicago's far South Side During his three years as the DCP's director, its staff grew from 1 to 13 and its annual budget grew from $70,000 to $400,000, with accomplishments including helping set up a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization
Moved to Boston to attend Harvard Law School Selected as an editor and then elected president of the Harvard Law Review, a full-time volunteer position functioning as editor-in-chief and supervising the law review's staff of 80 editors
Palin: Bachelor of Science degree in communications-journalism, with a minor in political science from the University of Idaho Brief stint as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations; left to join her husband in commercial fishing
Him: sterling legal education
Her: sportscaster
1991 - 1995
Obama: graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School; received contract and advance to write a book ("Dreams from my Father") as well as a fellowship at the University of Chicago Law School Directed the Illinois Project Vote from April to October 1992, a voter registration drive with a staff of 10 and 700 volunteers that achieved its goal of registering 150,000 of 400,000 unregistered African Americans in the state, leading Crain's Chicago Business to name Obama to its 1993 list of "40 under Forty" powers to be Appointed as a Lecturer in constitutional law at the University of Chicago Joined Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, a 12-attorney law firm specializing in civil rights litigation and neighborhood economic development Active in several community organizations, usually as a board member
Palin: member of the Alasaka Independence Party which advocates "Alaska First" Elected to Wasilla city council
Him: Expert on our nation's fundamental legal principles
Her: plotted to leave the Union; thinks Pledge of Allegiance was written by our founding fathers
1996 - 2000
Obama: promoted to Senior Lecturer in constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School Elected to the Illinois Senate
Sponsored more than 800 bills In 2000, lost a Democratic primary run for the US House of Representatives to four-term incumbent Bobby Rush by a margin of two to one
Palin: elected as mayor of Wasilla (population 5,470), defeating the incumbent by a total of 616 votes to 413 Town budget, $8 million (3 millionths of the Federal budget), approximately 100 employees Reduced property taxes but increased sales taxes Fired the Wasilla police chief, citing a failure to support her administration (He then sued Palin on the grounds that he was fired because he supported the campaign of Palin's opponent, but his suit was dismissed when the judge ruled that Palin had the right under state law to fire city employees, even for political reasons) Hired a DC lobbyist to bring $8 million in earmarks to the city
Him: sponsored 800 bills
Her: swayed 616 voters
2001 - 2004
Obama: reelected in 2002 and became chairman of the Illinois Senate's Health and Human Services Committee
Publicly spoke out against the invasion of Iraq BEFORE the congressional authorization in 2002, and then again before the actual invasion in 2003
Wrote and delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention
November 2004: elected to the US Senate, receiving over 35 million votes, more than 70% of total
Palin: elected president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors Unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor, coming in second in a five-way race in the Republican primary, receiving 19,000 votes Appointed to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, served as chairman from 2003 to 2004 and also served as Ethics Supervisor Resigned in protest over the "lack of ethics" of fellow Republican members Exposed the state Republican Party's chairman, Randy Ruedrich, for doing party work on public time and working closely with a company he was supposed to be regulating
Director of Ted Stevens' 527 group
Him: demonstrated the wisdom to oppose the Iraq folly before it even began
Her: hasn't really thought much about it - despite the fact that 17 Alaskans have died there
2005 to present
Obama: Sworn in as the fifth-ever African-American US senator Worked with Republican Senator Lugar (IN) to author and implement a program to locate and dismantle stray Russian WMD's Designated by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as the party's point man on ethics Worked with Russ Feingold to pass a major ethics/lobbying reform bill Cosponsored, with John McCain, the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act Called for increased fuel efficiency standards (3 percent every year for 15 years) Assignments on the Senate Committees for Foreign Relations, Veterans' Affairs, and Homeland Security Chairman of the Senate's subcommittee on European Affairs As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa Waged a tremendous battle to become the Democratic presidential nominee Currently manages 2,500 campaign employees and a budget of $40-$50 million/month
Palin: 2005: board member, Valley Hospital Association, which runs the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Wasilla
Became youngest and first female Governor of Alaska, taking office in December, 2006 Auctioned off the Governor's jet on eBay (actually she put it on eBay but it didn't sell. It was sold by a broker in a private sale for $600 K less than it's purchase price.) Took on fellow-Republican Senator Ted Stevens to come clean about the federal investigation into his financial dealings Promoted oil and natural gas resource development in Alaska Helped pass a tax increase on oil company profits Formed a sub-cabinet group of advisers to address climate change but does not accept that it is man-made Objected to listing polar bears as an endangered species and is suing the Federal Government for placing Polar Bears back on the endangered list because it might hurt oil and gas development in the bears' habitat
Was in favor of the bridge to nowhere before she was against it However, Alaska kept the federal money and used it for other state projects. So I guess the pork didn't go to waste.
Denied her daughter was pregnant before she confirmed it Supported abstinence-only education Currently under a bipartisan investigation for abuse of power for dismissing Alaska's Public Safety Commissioner Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska National Guard, but has played no role in national defense activities, even when they involve the Alaska National Guard
(The entire operation is under federal control, and the governor is not briefed on situations)
Obtained her first passport in 2007 to perform visits to the Alaska National Guard in Kuwait and Germany (Foreign experience so limited that a stopover in Ireland listed on her resume)
Him: Impressive figure on the national stage who knows how Congress works and is engaged with foreign policy issues
Her: small state governor for 21 months; "next to Russia", but that is just 1 of the 190 countries in the world she has never been to
Posted 09/08/2008 at 06:33:55 PMConclusion: the word "executive" is not some kind of magic force multiplier when placed in front of the word "experience"
while we are at it, let's look into that "nutty" religion of Joe Biden's. I mean who can logically defend papal infallibility, celibacy for the clergy, and transubstantiation?
Face it, nutty is in the eye of the beholder.
Posted 09/08/2008 at 06:50:48 PMSure. Go right ahead and attack Palin for believing in the Rapture. Only about 15 million Southern Baptists also believe it. And plenty of other Christian denominations too. Call it weird and not mainstream - and watch Obama continue to slide in the polls.
Last time I checked, though, belief in the Rapture was not the same as hating America and being a race-baiter like Obama's ex-Pastor.
Posted 09/08/2008 at 07:05:06 PMSomebody please call the reptile house at the zoo and set their minds at ease. We've manage to locate Bill.
Posted 09/08/2008 at 07:27:04 PMawesome plagiarism dude
http://comments.realclearpolitics.com/report.php?1,169453
Posted 09/08/2008 at 07:35:56 PMPlease fix your upload feature so that it's faster and change your "required" word to "jet".
Posted 09/08/2008 at 09:42:19 PMWow, MKHYD. Plagiurism aside, that is freaking hilarious reading right there. Don't you think it speaks volumes about the state of things when you are actually drawing contrasts between the DNC ticket's #1 guy and the RNC ticket's second fiddle? I'd say "mission accomplished" for McCain.
P.S.: When you decided to pull out that tired old argument that pits educated elitists against everyday common folk, did you at least say some final words over that equine's carcass when you were through? It's the Christian thing to do, you know.
Posted 09/08/2008 at 10:11:08 PMIn a word: Scary.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 05:03:10 AMLet me second that emotion, Anonymous. The comment system on this board is glitched up!
Posted 09/09/2008 at 05:34:21 AMUm, if you believe in end times you should not be a 72-year-old heart beat away from having your finger on the button. Actually, if you believe in end times you probably should not be running for any kind of office period.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 09:53:12 AMIf you believe you're going to "heal the planet" and "lower the sea levels", you shouldn't be running for office.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 10:00:57 AMYour double standard fails Gilbert.
I am as annoyed at hippie rhetoric as you are, but in reality, sea level flux does exist, and the planet can be cleaned up from any arbitrary state which is deemed not clean enough, whereas all this endtimer bullshit is purely fictional superstition, and is potentially dangerous for everyone. Plus its really really, stupid.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 10:48:44 AMIn reality, there is no one alive on this planet who is capable of actually proving that such a thing as man-made global warming exists at all or that we can do anything that would ever have any measurable effect toward moving the global temperature toward some "ideal" number.
You can rant all you want about religion. It is apparantly some big hangup for you.
I don't much care about that one way or another.
The secular -earth worshiping equilavent of a religion dreamed up by the environmental wackos is far more intrusive in it's attempts to tell everybody what they can and can't do than any particular strain of Christianity.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 12:17:46 PMNo way, G-money.
There's a big difference between someone telling you how to reproduce your species vs. what lightbulb to use.
Yes it is a hangup for me: I live in the heartland of this social epidemic and I'm upset that a party based on what I percieve to be great things (small govt, economic conservatism, anti-socialism, hotter chicks than the other side) has to be hijacked by a bunch of people with imaginary friends. Palin fits that catagory and it's gonna cost her some serious votes.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 12:38:30 PMC'mon, Gilbert. First conservatives refused to admit there was global warming at all. Now you're admitting there is such a thing, but it's just not man-made. As family value guys, you'd think you'd be a bit more curious about this, especially when 99 percent of the scientific world is saying it's so. The thing about family values -- or at least the real ones practiced for thousands of years -- is that you put your children above all else. Are you really willing to risk screwing your children just because it's too difficult to change the way fuel machines?
Posted 09/09/2008 at 12:43:19 PMi think it's fair to compare the "DNC ticket's #1 guy and the RNC ticket's second fiddle", Way to Bring it. It's very possible Palin will be President if McCain is elected, considering his age and health.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 12:56:37 PMDick Cheney set a precedent for VP power in the Republican Party. Palin should probably not be written off, as you've suggested.
To get back on subject, what I find interesting is the irritated left being so upset about the Jeremiah Wright controversy after the attempt to play up Obama's Christian values to conservatives failed miserably. And now they (including ole Jeff here) see an opportunity to attack Palin because of her "nutty evangelical" views without realizing that the Christian faith ACTUALLY includes the belief in faith healings via prayer, angels in our midst, and the return of Christ to Earth. Silly leftists, you really show how little you truly understand about the Christian base that ultimately makes the difference between those "red" states and "blue" states. The Left is desperate now as their momentum is slipping and the Right is gaining confidence. Jeff, attempt to make your political views less obvious. Then again, go ahead so we can all know what articles to avoid reading. Thanks!
Posted 09/09/2008 at 12:58:40 PMWell you believe what you want burrito.
I will continue to maintain that the socialists and environmental wackos (many of whom are one and the same) have had and will continue to have far more effect in intruding into peoples lives and interfereing in individual freedom than any branch of Christianity has.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 01:00:16 PMI'm not "admitting" anyting Pete. What I said was that no on is actually capable of proving that man made global warming exists. They can't even prove they are capable of accurately measuring what the global temperature is at any given point in time in the first place.
And I am not a "family values" guy - I am an absolute individualist guy. I don't cotton to anybody trying to tell me what to do about anything at any time for any reason.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 01:08:16 PMIt's not a christian base, Barney. It's a conservative base with a loud mouthed contingent of religious folks desperately trying to stay relevant.
The fact that people bring their private beliefs into this thing is embarassing. But every day the secular conservative movement is gaining momentum. We can do this without jesus, thanks. And by the way, he ain't coming back and I don't blame him.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 01:09:31 PMYou know you've got 'em by the balls when their best offense is trying to compare their messianic ticket topper to the second chair on the other.
And "Anonymous" is obviously plaigarizing someone else...first and second times.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 01:48:06 PMAMERICA NEEDS SARAH PALIN!!!!!
Posted 09/09/2008 at 03:04:12 PMBurrito, I honestly pity you. You have the classic "against me" attitude and I think you are you're own worst enemy in that you want pity for not sharing the same beliefs as someone like me. Regardless, the issues that face our country do involve people's beliefs. When your faith is so much a part of your life, then you tend to care about those making and enforcing the laws of this country. By the way, I say Christian base, because not all conservatives are Christians...but hey, why not group them all together since none of them share your beliefs, right? You claim that the conservative base is desperate...I'd say it's you and your whining leftist/socialistic group that are desperate my friend, and it shows.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 04:51:39 PM...LIKE WE NEED A HOLE IN THE HEAD!!!!!
Posted 09/09/2008 at 05:34:01 PMI don't want to pop your bubble, Barney, but there are a whole lot of committed Christians out there who will be voting for Obama this year, in significant part because of their Christian faith.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 06:07:28 PMBarney, that statement doesn't even make grammatical sense. And if you had any reading comprehension you'd have noticed I plainly described myself as Anti-socialist.
"When your faith is so much a part of your life, then you tend to care about those making and enforcing the laws of this country."
What does that even mean dude? Seriously? That someone without 'faith' doesn't care about who's in power?
"but hey, why not group them all together since none of them share your beliefs, right?"
Barney, I hate to tell you this but I made it clear that I AM A CONSERVATIVE in the statement above. That's why Gilbert and I might be at each others throats one day, and agreeing the next.
Why don't you come back to this debate when you can properly read, understand, and participate in a discussion at an adult level.
Posted 09/10/2008 at 09:31:30 AMWhy don't you come back to this debate when you can properly read, understand, and participate in a discussion at an adult level.
Because then he won't be a conservative.
Posted 09/11/2008 at 02:03:01 AM