By Byron York
Republican presidential hopefuls Rick Perry Mitt Romney Michele Bachmann and others are hammering the president daily on matters of job creation & economic growth.
The fundamental facts of the presidential race at this moment are that unemployment is high the economy is by far the most important issue to American voters and President Obamas handling of economic questions is overwhelmingly unpopular.
Now some of Obamas activist allies and supporters in the press are engaged in a sharply focused effort to change the subject. Even as economic anxieties continue to rise some of the nations premier political journalists are consumed with the alleged influences of obscure religious philosophers on Republican candidates; on questions of creationism evolution and the age of the Earth; and on the fantasy that a Republican president might transform the United States into an Iranian-style theocracy.
For example the Daily Beast/Newsweek recently published an article titled A Christian Plot for Domination? claiming that Perry and Bachmann are deeply associated with a theocratic strain of Christian fundamentalism known as dominionism. A widely discussed article in the Texas Observer claimed that dominionists -- a little-known movement of radical Christians -- are readying an army of God to commandeer civilian government with Perry the vessel for their ambitions. Finally The New Yorker published a long article claiming that Bachmann believes Christians and Christians alone are Biblically mandated to occupy all secular institutions until Christ returns.
Surveying those articles the executive editor of The New York Times Bill Keller concludes that an unusually large number of Republican candidates belong to churches that are mysterious or suspect to many Americans. Perry and Bachmann in particular are connected to fervid subsets of evangelical Christianity which Keller says has raised concerns about their respect for the separation of church and state not to mention the separation of fact and fiction. Fearing that Perry or Bachmann could be a Trojan horse for a religious takeover of the government Keller advocates strict questioning of candidates on doctrinal issues.
Put aside whether there is some bias against Christianity in these baseless charges or whether liberals are proposing the kind of religious test for office that the Founders explicitly rejected. It has often been remarked that given todays terrible economy Barack Obama cannot run in 2012 on the theme of hope as he did in 2008. With his record hell have to run on fear -- that is on convincing voters that Republicans are just too scary to elect.
This is what running on fear looks like. Could the presidents political strategists be anything less than delighted with the work of Keller and his colleagues?
Out on the campaign trail Democratic activists are trying to maneuver the candidates into statements to feed the Republicans-are-religious-nuts narrative.
For example in New Hampshire a few weeks ago a young boy approached Perry with a series of questions about science. How old is the Earth? the boy asked.
As Perry answered (he said he didnt know) the boys mother pushed her son to confront the governor. Ask him about evolution she ordered the boy. Ask him why he doesnt believe in science.
Perrys answer -- that evolution is a theory that has some gaps -- provided more material for Keller and the subject-changers.
Elsewhere on the trail so-called trackers from the liberal think tank Center for American Progress David Brocks American Bridge and other organizations follow Republicans around sometimes posing out-of-the-blue questions in hopes of throwing a candidate off message. Its all about homosexuality Islam anything that is remotely sensitive socially says Ellen Carmichael spokeswoman for frequent target Herman Cain. Thats what they usually ask about.
Not even the longest of long-shot candidates is immune.
Back in May former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson spoke at a tea party rally in Greenville S.C. touting his record on job creation and spending cuts. After Johnsons talk a staffer for the Center for American Progress approached him with questions about Shariah law. Johnson was baffled.
Meanwhile with the economy still tanking some liberal commentators have worked themselves into a virtual panic over religion. On one recent day a Washington Post columnist declared flatly that Rick Perry is a theocrat while another discussed the urgent task of saving America from Rick Perry.
Will these diversionary efforts succeed? Political journalists can talk about theocracy all they want but Americans are still overwhelmingly concerned with jobs. The more hysterical the religious speculation becomes the more voters will be able to spot an effort to change the subject.
Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner.
By Byron York
Republican presidential hopefuls Rick Perry Mitt Romney Michele Bachmann and others are hammering the president daily on matters of job creation & economic growth.
The fundamental facts of the presidential race at this moment are that unemployment is high the economy is by far the most important issue to American voters and President Obamas handling of economic questions is overwhelmingly unpopular.
Now some of Obamas activist allies and supporters in the press are engaged in a sharply focused effort to change the subject. Even as economic anxieties continue to rise some of the nations premier political journalists are consumed with the alleged influences of obscure religious philosophers on Republican candidates; on questions of creationism evolution and the age of the Earth; and on the fantasy that a Republican president might transform the United States into an Iranian-style theocracy.
For example the Daily Beast/Newsweek recently published an article titled A Christian Plot for Domination? claiming that Perry and Bachmann are deeply associated with a theocratic strain of Christian fundamentalism known as dominionism. A widely discussed article in the Texas Observer claimed that dominionists -- a little-known movement of radical Christians -- are readying an army of God to commandeer civilian government with Perry the vessel for their ambitions. Finally The New Yorker published a long article claiming that Bachmann believes Christians and Christians alone are Biblically mandated to occupy all secular institutions until Christ returns.
Surveying those articles the executive editor of The New York Times Bill Keller concludes that an unusually large number of Republican candidates belong to churches that are mysterious or suspect to many Americans. Perry and Bachmann in particular are connected to fervid subsets of evangelical Christianity which Keller says has raised concerns about their respect for the separation of church and state not to mention the separation of fact and fiction. Fearing that Perry or Bachmann could be a Trojan horse for a religious takeover of the government Keller advocates strict questioning of candidates on doctrinal issues.
Put aside whether there is some bias against Christianity in these baseless charges or whether liberals are proposing the kind of religious test for office that the Founders explicitly rejected. It has often been remarked that given todays terrible economy Barack Obama cannot run in 2012 on the theme of hope as he did in 2008. With his record hell have to run on fear -- that is on convincing voters that Republicans are just too scary to elect.
This is what running on fear looks like. Could the presidents political strategists be anything less than delighted with the work of Keller and his colleagues?
Out on the campaign trail Democratic activists are trying to maneuver the candidates into statements to feed the Republicans-are-religious-nuts narrative.
For example in New Hampshire a few weeks ago a young boy approached Perry with a series of questions about science. How old is the Earth? the boy asked.
As Perry answered (he said he didnt know) the boys mother pushed her son to confront the governor. Ask him about evolution she ordered the boy. Ask him why he doesnt believe in science.
Perrys answer -- that evolution is a theory that has some gaps -- provided more material for Keller and the subject-changers.
Elsewhere on the trail so-called trackers from the liberal think tank Center for American Progress David Brocks American Bridge and other organizations follow Republicans around sometimes posing out-of-the-blue questions in hopes of throwing a candidate off message. Its all about homosexuality Islam anything that is remotely sensitive socially says Ellen Carmichael spokeswoman for frequent target Herman Cain. Thats what they usually ask about.
Not even the longest of long-shot candidates is immune.
Back in May former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson spoke at a tea party rally in Greenville S.C. touting his record on job creation and spending cuts. After Johnsons talk a staffer for the Center for American Progress approached him with questions about Shariah law. Johnson was baffled.
Meanwhile with the economy still tanking some liberal commentators have worked themselves into a virtual panic over religion. On one recent day a Washington Post columnist declared flatly that Rick Perry is a theocrat while another discussed the urgent task of saving America from Rick Perry.
Will these diversionary efforts succeed? Political journalists can talk about theocracy all they want but Americans are still overwhelmingly concerned with jobs. The more hysterical the religious speculation becomes the more voters will be able to spot an effort to change the subject.
Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner.
