Amid the release of a Reuters' poll revealing Catholics are leaning towards Mitt Romney, Texas Democrat and ardent Obama supporter, Martin Frost, published "Barack Obama's religion problem," February 13, 2012. Frost never shies from making brutal but honest critiques of the administration. This time he made the case that President Obama is in danger of losing a needed voting bloc, Catholic and Jewish voters.
Unless Obama can convince skeptics that religious liberty is a rock he stands on, Frost thinks faith will be the mountain that blocks his reelection. Although Frost didn't mention it, over in the Republican camp a similar problem is in play.
Many GOP evangelicals yearn for a conservative man of God with strong debating skills plus a political machine that can beat Obama. What they have is:
- The Mormon - Mitt Romney
- The Sinner - Newt Gingrich
- The Christian - Rick Santorum.
Based only on religion, Rick Santorum would win the Republican primary hands-down. However faith isn't the only issue. Still, even though Romney is the front-runner, he has an unspeakable problem: Heaven forbid that election 2012 be a choice between a Mormon and a Muslim defender. (Refer to: Obama defends right to build Mosque at Ground Zero.)
One issue after another, in his first three years, Obama managed to wee-wee off most of America's mainstream religious groups. Some conservatives will never believe that President Obama is a Christian. At best they think the president is a secular humanist; at worst, a Christian impersonator they recall bowing to a Muslim King. Though wooing conservative Christians is not an Obama goal, hanging on to the Catholic and Jewish vote should be.
Frost pointed out that Obama should avoid bad relations with Jews and Catholics by consulting with faith leaders instead of far left liberals who also happen to be either Jewish or Catholics. That's sound counsel though a little late. Currently, 61% of Catholics think the country is heading the wrong direction under Obama. Jews who support or lean Democratic fell from 72% in 2008 to 65% in 2011, according to a Pew Report.
“Jews are shifting away from their traditional allegiance to the Democratic Party and are showing a willingness to support the Republican...The Democrats continue to lose support among Jewish voters.” Matt Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition in response to latest polls
Last year, Twitter exploded under the hashtag #BelieveInUSA, a derivative of Romney's CPAC speech theme, "Believe in America". Had there been a straw vote for the theme to win the future in the 2012 presidential campaigns, Romney's "Believe in America" would have led. Romney needs to return to that message because no message works better for him. Newt Gingrich should focus on his conservative record and Obama's inexperience. Rick Santorum needs to realize Romney can't afford to go after him because he would risk alienating the religious bloc.
Of the four, only Santorum can speak to the religious base but like the rest, he should focus on issues of substance - beginning with the right or wrong direction for America.
Suggested Reading: A full recap of the first year of President Obama's administration - month by month:
- Obama's twelfth month/first year: 'Hope and change'
- Obama's eleventh month: Health care, global warming, recession -
- Obama's tenth month: Health care, Fox News, Afghanistan, and Ft. Hood terrorism
- Obama's ninth month: Federal Reserve, Afghanistan, Olympics, Iran, 'You Lie'
- Obama's eighth month: Budget deficit, CIA, terrorists, CBO, Russia, ACORN
- Obama's seventh month: Taxes, lies,and a beer fest
- Obama's sixth month: Jobs Saved vs Jobs Lost' and 'Cap and Trade'
- Obama's fifth month: Closing Guantanomo, Muslims and gay issues
- Obama's fourth month: Recovery and transparency
- Obama third month: Auto industry, North Korea, IRS, and a bow
- Obama's second month: Confusion over urging in Iraq and saving money
- Obama's first month: How did Obama 'Change' in his first month as president?
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