God Bless America - Part 1 of 5

A significant shift has occurred in American politics. This Channel 4 programme argues that the historic election of a black president was achieved, in part, by challenging the traditional alignment of evangelical Christians with right-wing Republican ideas. Julia Bard reports

Right from the start of his presidential campaign, Barack Obama mounted a huge campaign to reach religious people. This dovetailed with growing dissatisfaction among many evangelical Christians about aspects of the Republican Partys record in office.

In 2000 and 2004, many evangelicals were wooed by George W Bushs hardline policies on homosexuality and abortion he won 78% of the evangelical vote in the 2004 presidential election. The caring side of Christian teaching was less evident, though.

This was thrown into high relief after Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, when conservative evangelical churches sent thousands of workers to New Orleans. There, they saw sights they had never imagined they would witness in the USA and some were deeply angered by the governments failure to protect the people or alleviate their suffering.

Should Christians take the traditional path or explore new territory?

As the 2008 presidential elections propelled conservative evangelical voters towards a crossroads, Barack Obama mounted a groundbreaking, values-based campaign to persuade them to vote for the Democrats.

During the 2000 and 2004 elections, the Republicans had succeeded in painting the Democratic Party as anti-God. During the 2008 primaries, both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton emphasised their own personal faith, but Barack Obama also emphasised the need for Democrats to get into church, reach out to evangelicals, link faith with the work that we do.

The Democrats developed a strategy which linked faith with the values of fairness, social justice and protecting the vulnerable, and from the moment he announced his candidacy, Obamas large faith team worked to reach out to evangelical students, pastors and church congregations.

Can religious ideas be open to question?

Significant groups of evangelical Christians came over to support Obama, including the Matthew 25 political action committee and a number of pastors. Even Joel Hunter, leader of a 12,000-strong evangelical megachurch, agreed to pronounce the final benediction at the Democratic National Convention. With such backing, the Democratic campaign was able to shift the perception that right-wing conservative Christians were the sole arbiters of moral values.

Instead they widened the debate, asking such questions as: What does it mean to be pro-life outside the womb, instead of just inside the womb? They argued that it is the role of Christians to promote social justice and to challenge poverty, homelessness, sickness and environmental destruction, across the world as well as at home, rather than simply focusing on abortion and homosexuality. Joshua Dubois, Religious Affairs Director of the Obama campaign said that it is the difference between voting your faith and voting your values.

Michael Gerson, George W Bushs chief speechwriter between 2000 and 2006, described Obama as speaking a language of social justice rooted in a vision informed by religion.

Most conservative evangelicals remained firm Republicans but their candidate, John McCain consistently refused to bring his personal faith into the political arena. He said: My religious belief is clear. I am a man of faith. But I also have to tell you that I believe that my relationship with God is a private one. His campaigns Evangelical Outreach Co-ordinator, Marlys Popma, said: He believes his prayer time with the Lord is quiet. It should not be used in a campaign to gain votes, and [he] just doesnt feel comfortable talking about his faith in public.

McCain also upset some evangelicals in 2000 by calling Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell agents of intolerance. His choice of ultra-conservative Sarah Palin as a running mate was an attempt to rebuild those bridges. David Brody of the Christian Broadcast Network described this as a political stroke of genius. It did consolidate the support of some of the old guard but Palin also alienated a number of moderate Republicans.

In the end, the increase in turnout, which included 60% of the 3.5 million new young evangelical voters, together with the consistent campaigning by Obamas team and the eagle eye they kept on the conduct of the election in key regions, brought the result they had worked so hard for. When all the votes were counted, Americans handed Barack Obama a landslide victory.

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[matharoofmaths]

In Britian a politician would be considered stupid if he ever used his religion to try and increase his popularity. And rightly so.

[caliguy92]

I find it amazing that so many people will believe in something that may or may not be true just because they want it to be true...

[pf1030]

the guy at 1:31 is FALSE Jimmy Carter anyone? he was and still is a devout christian who never denied his faith. I am a young WHITE Evangelical who votes Democratic and plans to continue to do so. the religious right may have my parents and grandparents by the throat but not me and many in my generation.

[OverPrice95]

@matharoofmaths not just britain, but almost all western developed countries. The US are the only developed country where you find religion growing instead of declining.

[ivlfounder]

@AinEstonia

That's the price one has to pay to be free of religion. lol

[AinEstonia]

@ivlfounder North Korea is hardly a free country, and you'll be forced to participate in sing-a-longs there far more than in other countries.

[jerico641]

Marriage is recognized NOW as a union between a man and a woman. Decent people just want man/man and woman/woman added to that.  It diminishes nothing, and changes nothing. Marriages between man and women will continue to be recognized legally.

[ivlfounder]

@razorath92

If you can't stand religion move to North Korea.

Kimmy will protect you from the scary sing alongs.

[razorath92]

FUCK RELIGIOUS AMERICANS, THE RELIGION SUCKS BALLS!

[bad4ever2001]

Yeah these guys put ppl in the white house with fingers hovering all over the 'nuke them all' button. Scary stuff. Hey, at least we survived Bush for a decade right?

[Neanderthalcouzin]

I'm disturbed by the necessity of invoking God and faith and overall religiosity in order to succeed in American politics, and now evidently it's bled fully over into the rhetoric of Democrats as well.

I hope through the internet and communication my American counterparts and friends find out that this is not the case in other first world, civilized countries. Stand for reason, it's a pillar that religiosity will remove.

[gupsphoo]

Evangelicals lack the ability to think for themselves, therefore they should be stripped of their right to vote on anything.