Known for Discussing Faith, Bush Moderates His Message

[Rose Siding]

BEAVERTON, Ore. — President Bush's critics accuse him of wearing his religious faith on his sleeve. But this last week, the president more often seemed to be keeping it under a bushel.

At town hall-style events from Niceville, Fla., to Albuquerque to Beaverton, Ore., many supporters posed the president with religiously themed questions and comments about faith, prayer and issues such as abortion and stem cell research.

And although the president does not usually shy away from discussing his personal faith, he sometimes found himself in an awkward position — trying to validate his supporters' views without endorsing them in a way that would alienate more-moderate swing voters.

Typical was an exchange at a packed high school gym in Beaverton, where a woman lamented, "I've heard through the grapevine that Oregon is one of the most unchurched states in the union. And I really feel like it shows up in every walk of our society."

She asked Bush, "Could you take a moment to pray for Oregon, for us, right now?"...........way more..............

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-campaign15aug15,1,1954769.story?coll=la-home-politics

[Sliverofhope]

1. Aw, man. I'd love to hear what he said to that

But I don't feel like registering. Too bad.

[DeepModem Mom]

Bush's reply --

"I appreciate that," the president replied, declining to take up her invitation.

Instead, to her apparent surprise, he offered a defense of the separation of church and state: "I think the thing about our country that you must understand is that one of the most valuable aspects of America is that people can choose church or not church, and they're equally American. That is a vital part of our society."

Looks like he's flip-flopping on his faith-based message! Maybe God finally got fed up, and stopped speaking to W --

[Sliverofhope]

4. Thanks a bunch!

Is unchurched a real word? It probably is, but it sounds odd.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. I heard the word many times growing up in the South --

it meant, of course, those who didn't go to church. This was before the advent of the "Christian right," and the meaning was fairly benign. At least where I grew up, and in the church we went to, it didn't carry the connotation that people who didn't go to church were lesser, or hell-bound. It just meant that church people thought church was a good thing, and that people in the congregation might reach out to others and let them know they'd be welcome to come to church. We were church-going Methodists, and my mother -- in a now un-p.c. way, I guess -- called the Christians we hear so much from today "religious nuts."

[Bo]

16. I Guess Sherman missed a spot

The Unchurched

[Thor_MN]

19. Oh, it refers to the people that don't go to church....

I thought it was more descriptive of the land, you know, synonymous with uninfested, unpolluted, uncontaminated... Not that I have an issue with churches - just those that try to ram their viewpoints down your throat.

[dave29]

5. "church or not church"

It must be so nice to see the world in black and white.

[Born Free]

13. not flip-flopping , just hiding the truth

As usual: deception and misleading is the name of the game, bush wants everyone to think he is not the radical right wing fanatic he is. The right wing loves to declare "Why are liberals afraid to admit they are liberals?" but in reality they right wingers are afraid of showing America how radical their views are, so they put on a show to make the average American think they are moderates. It happens every election.

[Rose Siding]

17. Yep- code words, signals, winks and nods.

But he *cannot* alienate them- that would be a Poppy size sin- 41 lost the most zealous and his defeat was attributed to it, in large part.

We have a whole goldarn Greek tragedy playing out here, but in a sorta b-grade, animation way. And W's a bad dancer- not too apt with the subtle-thing, and he can't keep his foot out of it. There will be a screw up.

[yellowcanine]

24. Rove's wet finger in the air must have detected the anti-fundy backlash.

Sorry George, it's too late to exchange your Jesus clothes for secular humanist threads. Live with it sucker.

[JohnyCanuck]

26. Maybe God finally got fed up, and stopped speaking to W --

Or finally got fed up enough to tell W to go Cheney himself.

[TaleWgnDg]

2. the epitome of hypocrisy!

Can anyone EVER imagine GWBush downplaying his religion? Hiding behind the Separation of Church and State in the first amendment?

Shall I pass out the barf bags?

This is the same guy when asked who his political philosopher was, answered, "Jesus Christ!"

[MichiganVote]

11. Barf Bags for the "unbushed", love it!

[TaleWgnDg]

20. good one!!

[sandnsea]

3. Oh blech

I am so glad I missed that. This state is more churched than any I've ever lived in, including Montana and Arkansas. You can't have a conversation without somebody praising Jesus or inviting you to church. THIS is the state where I got the anonymous letter telling me Bush was appointed by God and that those who don't follow his authority were going to be smote. Why can't these people just worry about their own salvation and leave the rest of us alone.

[TaleWgnDg]

7. hear, hear, hear !! n/t

[flordehinojos]

8. Bush would use even God if he had to, to get re-elected. He would even ...

discard God to get re-elected if he had to. It seems he has done that.

At any rate, this extreme religiosity is ... dangerous. The inquisition, witch huntings, and revolutions have all been born out of such extreme religiosity.

If God were not a prop in Bush's political arsenal, could he tone down his God rethoric at will just to please a few "moderates" in the republican party in order to get their votes?

I don't think so, but neither would he have the need to prop up his his "special" connection to God every time he opens his mouth in an effort to become the poster boy child for every religious-right vote.

God is not a prop to be used or discarded when, or if, it is convenient to the political landscape.

Yet, leave it to Bush, for whom the end justifies the mean, to use or discard God as it fits his personal re-selection bid. He has done so, and he continues to do so.

May God, who is not a vengeful God, also decide to put Bush in the backburner on November 2, and may Kerry be our next elected president of these United States!;-)

[DeepModem Mom]

10. Amen, flordehiniojos! n/t

[OneBlueSky]

9. Bush's "faith" is as phony as the rest of him . . .

he belongs to the "Church of Political Expediency," and worships at he "Altar of Putting One Over On the Peons" . . . no true Christian (defined as one who at least attempts to follow Christ's teachings) would pull the shit that he pulls every day . . .

[MichiganVote]

12. Yup. Our Lady of the Fast Buck at Taxpayers Expense

[PurityOfEssence]

14. What's the matter George, aren't christians better than all other people?

Ya afraid to say it?

Doncha believe it?

Don't go playin' cheap with the Witchy-man; ya gotta dance with the one that brung ya, even if it's not from one of those sects that tolerates dancing.

Don't we need more god in everything? You playin' the fundies for saps? (They're not saps, mind you, they're pitch, and they'll gum up the whole works if you don't give them EVERYTHING they want.)

What's the matter? You with us or against us? It's a simple question; a simple guy like you should be able to answer that one straightaway with that famous forthright decisiveness. Spit it out Junior, what's the deal?

[DeepModem Mom]

15. kick

[GoldenOldie]

18. Karen and Rove hasn't prepared a prayer for him

Can't you just imagine how he could mangle a simple prayer. Has anyone ever heard him cite any part of the bible???? I have the feeling that he would fail the kindergarten Sunday school class.

[progressivebydesign]

21. "unchurched"?????

She makes it sound like something required, that is missing. Like uneducated, unschooled, uncared for... unchurched is a choice, lady! What would they be praying for??? To save the souls of the unchurched?? This dimbat is too stupid to see that Oregon's problems are NOT the reflection of being "unchurched", it's a result of greedey old men who vote to shoot down EVERY chance to help the people of the state. It's the slimy republican legislators that lied, on the eve of a vote of the people to raise money to help the social ills of the state. The repubs lied that they had a "SECRET PLAN" to save the social service, jail services, and schools, without adding extra taxes. Oregon is suffering from social ills because an anti-tax nut was able to persuade enough greedy voters to change the laws so that a simple majority is not good enough to get help for the schools and social services.. and the required majority did not want to be burdened (on the average) of 14 dollars a year more on their property tax. And.. under Bush's economy, there are no jobs for people in Oregon. THAT'S what the problem is.. not unchurched people. Sheesh!

[rocktivity]

22. Bushes ALWAYS gets more moderate as the election approaches

He doesn't want the public to see the fundies backing him (none have been invited to the convention, dont'cha know), nor have people wondering if he's fighting own personal holy war in the Mideast, nor arouse any memories of his suggesting that God told him to go into Iraq. His fundie Christianity is a liability now, so out it goes until after he's in office again...

:headbang:
rocknation

[kwolf68]

23. No brainer

I have long maintained that the easiest path for Democratic victory is the exposure of the Religious Quacks who have co-opted the Republican Party.

I almost think that instead of running pro-Kerry ads we should just give Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson some prime time spots to say whatever they damn well please. These people are insane.

[yellowcanine]

25. "Oregon is one of the most unchurched states in the union?" Sounds like

a nice place to live. Is it true?