US elections update: religion

This week the two main contenders for the White House met for the first time as they both sought to appeal to the religious right

At the Saddleback Civil Forum in southern California, Barack Obama and John McCain were given the opportunity to answer identical questions from the audience of evangelicals.

First it should be said that moral issues exist on a much higher plane in US politics compared to politics in the UK. 3G (guns, gays and God) and 3F (faith, family and the flag) appear to energise the electorate to get organised and change policy than is the case in the UK.

America is not deeply divided down the middle on these types of issues, but those at the polar extremes wield a far greater influence.

If we take the issue of abortion as an example, opinion polls indicate that roughly the same percentage of voters in the two countries believe that it should be illegal in all cases - about 10% in the UK and 15% in the USA. These figures are broadly replicated at the other end of the debate, leaving the bulk of the electorate in the middle to consider under what circumstances abortion should be allowed. But whilst the recent debate in Westminster over the abortion limit barely impacted on the national conscientiousness, political debates on the issue in America are invariably highly charged.

On the Lake Forest meeting, one paper reports:

‘The abortion debate was reduced to its essence: “at what point does a baby get human rights,” they were asked. “Well,” said Obama, “I think that whether you are looking at it from a theological position or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity is above my pay grade.”

Where Obama waffled, McCain interrupted the question before it was finished. “At the moment of conception,” he declared to applause. “As president, I will be a pro-life president and this presidency will have pro-life policies.”

For the flock outside the church leaving the event, such exchanges were manna from heaven.

“John McCain did a very good job, very straightforward,” said Jill Frick, who has been attending the church for eight years. “I think Barack Obama is very likeable and emotional, but he skirted the issues. The evening definitely cemented my views.”

Ken Mills agreed. “Barack Obama was just like a regular politician, he didn’t answer the questions,” he said. “I think McCain blew him out of the ballpark.”’

McCain has therefore adopted a much more hardline stance than he was previously known for in an explicit attempt to attract the religious right that until very recently he appeared to have little time for. It is obviously a difficult balancing act since by doing this he risks putting off the moderates and undecideds that could determine the election.