Poll: Obama failing to move evangelicals

The Boston Globe ^ | September 19, 2008 | Michael Paulson

[2ndDivisionVet]

John C. Green, the University of Akron political scientist who is the nation's most prominent scholar of how religious affiliation affects voting behavior, is just releasing new survey data showing that, even before John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate, Barack Obama was failing to move evangelicals into his camp.

Green, releasing initial results of his quadrennial survey of religion and politics at the annual convention of the Religion Newswriters Association, said the most surprising result of his survey was how little had changed since 2004.

"The divisions based on religious affiliation are very deep-seated in the United States, and they are very difficult to change,'' Green said. "It may well be that, if these patterns were to persist, the results would look very similar to 2004, with the high degree of religious polarization.''

A few highlights from Green's study, which was conducted over the summer, before the vice-presidential nominees were chosen and before the national political conventions: * Evangelicals were supporting McCain at nearly the same rate as they were supporting George W. Bush at the same time four years ago, despite Obama's outreach efforts to evangelicals, and despite the fact that McCain does not share the strong personal connection to evangelicalism that Bush expresses. Green said that evangelical Protestants favored McCain over Obama by 57.2 percent to 19.9 percent. * Mainline Protestants and non-Hispanic Catholics were divided, but leaning slightly toward McCain.

[2ndDivisionVet]

I'm surprised that any Christians or Jews, of ANY stripe, would even consider voting for Senator Obama.

[DRey]

There’s a shocker.

[period end of story]

Looks like Barry’s gonna have to hope the youth vote actually shows up, and in big numbers, if he wants to win.

[MissMagnolia]

Poll: Obama failing to move evangelicals

Surprise, surprise, surprise ........../s

He needed a poll to figue this out?

[wk4bush2004]

I agree! How could any Christian or Jew vote for Obama, especially since the man is a socialist and supports abortion/infanticide?

[Gator113]

Indeed. I had to treat myself for shock just because I read this thread.

[winner3000]

He thought they were easily fooled. NOT!

[cdga5for4]

I agree. While many evangelicals haven’t moved toward Obama, from my personal encounters more have moved in that direction than ever considered Kerry four years ago.

[Rodm]

I guess mocking the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible didn’t go over so well with Christians.

[Question Liberal Authority]

I can’t imagine why after all the favorable treatment Sarah Palin’s religious view have gotten.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Dick Morris, on BOR a few weeks ago, IIRC, said “We have a name for politicians that rely on the youth vote — we call them losers” or words to that effect.

[stayathomemom]

Weren't “they” predicting a shift of evangelicals over to the Obama camp earlier this year?

[2ndDivisionVet]

How much of that was “white guilt” do you think?

[VOA]

Poll: Obama failing to move evangelicals

Kinda' restores my faith in my fellow Americans.

Shows there's still a cadre with an actual moral compass.

And thank G-d, it ain't the "Clinton compass"!!!

[ought-six]

Well, no kidding! Only the hardcore left celebrates infanticide.

[muawiyah]

It's not religion that's a division here ~ rather, it's the bloodthirsty attitude the pro-abortion party has.

If we could but totally privatize the practice and take the guns (cops, courts, military) away from the pro-abortion crowd, I think the practice could be eliminated in short order.

[MayflowerMadam]

Well duh. Evangelicals are generally Christians. Obama is Muslim (no matter what he says). What did pollsters expect?

[VOA]

How much of that was “white guilt” do you think?

For some, I suspect it's not just "white guilt".
It's also a "More Enlightened Than Thou".
I suspect that's part of the reason Hillary came up empty in
the primaries:
she lost the folks that stood by her since the hijinks of her
horndog husband...
so they decided they'd done there part to "support strong women".

And saw a chance for a new liberal merit-badge by being able to
tell the grandkids that they voted for the first Democratic
"Person of Color" Presidential candidate.

[T Lady]

I honestly believe the reason Obama's "Joshua Project" isn't catching fire is more people are beginning to see who he really is...especially when a TelePrompter isn't nearby.

...Say what you will about Rick Warren, but his Saddleback Forum was the lynch pin that undid the great facade Obama hid behind in the flowery ads and Mainstream Media adulation, which still continues...alienating millions of viewers and readers, including Yours Truly. Never has such under reporting (or in the case of Gov. Palin, over the top scrutiny) by a group of people who pride themselves on "getting the facts" been so repugnant.

It makes me more thankful I no longer subscribe to Cable or any newspaper.

[230FMJ]

It seems that every four years the “elite” of our country are shocked at the ability of us “Ignorant Christians” to see through these pathetic poseurs.