Can Hillary Clinton reach the religious right?

In today’s Washington Post, Michael Gerson has a look at the improbable question – Can She (Hillary Clinton) Reach Religious Voters?

Citing Paul Kengor’s new book, God and Hillary Clinton, Gerson notes that Hillary is a complicated figure for various religious groups. Roman Catholics are among the most pro-choice voters but also have a proven track record in caring for the poor. Hillary divides these values and may make the Republican nominee’s views on abortion a crucial factor in the 2008 election. Gerson ends his column with this analysis:

And it is hard to imagine that these voters will be successfully courted by the most comprehensively pro-choice presidential candidate in American history.

That might change under one circumstance: if Rudy Giuliani were the Republican nominee. Whatever Giuliani promised concerning the appointment of conservative judges, a pro-choice Republican nominee would blur the contrast between the parties on abortion. And between two pro-choice options, a larger number of religious voters might support the one with a stronger emphasis on poverty — because, after all, Jesus did have a lot to say about how we treat the poor.

28 thoughts on “Can Hillary Clinton reach the religious right?”

  1. Eddy…. it was in that same spirit lightheartedness that I made the “dig” at you. I guess I am too dry, people don’t get my humor.

    Warren wrote:

    “….or the dark horses Drowssap or Lynn David? David Roberts has agreed to serve as secretary of blogging, Jim Burroway as the secretary of the interior and Pete Labarbara as Sec of Agriculture. And I have no idea what any of that means…

    LOL! Well you know us atheists can’t get elected. 😉 But as a farmer (I’ve got 12,000 bushels of corn sitting in bins to prove it) and a gay person, I take umbrage 😉 at the idea of Peter LaBarbera as any Secretary of Agriculture. 😉

  2. Lynn David–When the ‘spirit of negativity’ that I was referring to starts to rear its head, I’ll give you a nod. This has been, so far, lighthearted banter compared to what usually comes prior to national elections. We’ll have to wait and see. BTW: I didn’t say I wouldn’t post on political topics. But, I can assure you that when the real negative stuff starts to prevail…when people start venting, preaching and baiting each other…I’ll take a few steps back. (You’ll note that I bailed on the “New Book Explores God and Hillary Clinton” thread.) LOL! We had 4 or 5 Hillary threads going but the ‘venters’ thankfully never found their way past ‘New Book Explores…’.

    Warren, Ann, et al: I say the ticket should be Ann and JAG. I’m already trying to figure out how to capture the essence of ‘the ‘table in the middle’ concept for bumper stickers and buttons. Perhaps revamping “Meet Me in St. Louis” to “Meet Me in the Middle” as a campaign song.

  3. All are being considered – very thoughtfully and strategically – I am held to confidentiality right now and as someone I know would say – “stay tuned”!

  4. Ann, pretty much that is true. I want to break the story. Who is your running mate? Timothy, jayhuck, jag, Eddy, Mary, or the dark horses Drowssap or Lynn David? David Roberts has agreed to serve as secretary of blogging, Jim Burroway as the secretary of the interior and Pete Labarbara as Sec of Agriculture. And I have no idea what any of that means…

  5. Dr. Throckmorton,

    In reference to #50643, you are forcing me to make my official announcement to run for president on your blog, aren’t you? 🙂

  6. Ann – With all due respect (and you know I mean that 🙂 – I cannot see Santorum on that ticket. The former PA Senator is staunchly pro-life and Romney has not been clear there. I think we are looking at a bruising battle between Thompson and Guiliani for the nomination and then if Thompson wins, maybe we will have a two party contest. If Guiliani wins and does not have an election conversion to pro-life, we will bunches of social conservatives working hard for local conservatives to take the Congress back for Repubs, and sitting out the prez vote. Result: Hillary makes history and we get government by stalemate for 4 years (if the Repubs conservative don’t sit out the whole thing). If they do, we get socialized healthcare, etc.

    At least that is what I think now. Ask me again next week 🙂

  7. Here’s the winning ticket – Romney/Santorum ‘08

    I think perhaps we are having difficulting coming to an agreement in the meaning of words. Because if “winning” means getting elected, I can hardly think of a team less likely to win the majority of electoral votes.

    But perhaps we are defining “winning” as some change in loss from absolutely no votes towards some few votes such that the participant feels more like a winner. 😉

  8. No Eddy, not all. I was just concerned for your sensitiity to negative spirit when even you posted on a political issue. 😉

  9. Yup, Lynn David, that was me. What’s your point? Did you assume I was a Republican and did you take me comment as bashing? Despite my conservative Christian religious views, I’ve only voted Republican once in my life.

  10. Eddy wrote:

    “Don’t fret too much yet. The dems have been known to shoot themselves in the foot just prior to game day!”

    Gee…. wasn’t it you who just prior to this stated:

    “Warren –- Promise me that from now through the elections that you’ll always keep a few non-political topics on the table. I am very sensitive to the negativity of spirit that infests the whole nation once the primaries kick in…”

    Besides, I have it on good authority that Hillary’s Prada boots are now Kevlar-lined.

  12. Absolutely Eddy…

    The Dems do shoot themselves in the foot often, and the ugliness is just getting started.

    It will be an interesting “season”…as you say.

  13. Ann–

    Don’t fret too much yet. The dems have been known to shoot themselves in the foot just prior to game day!

    We’re only at the end of pre-season. Things should start getting ugly pretty soon.

  14. Ann

    Actually I’m not sure which ticket could beat the Dems this time around. I think we are toast. 8-(

    But… there is always next time. 😎

  16. Warren–

    Promise me that from now through the elections that you’ll always keep a few non-political topics on the table. I am very sensitive to the negativity of spirit that infests the whole nation once the primaries kick in–the tone on the original Hillary thread is an indication of what could become commonplace. I’ll trust you to do your best! (LOL! Give them all tragically boring titles so the political ranters won’t be accidentally lured in.)

  17. The GOP has forgotten that you gotta dance with the one who brung ya. After handing GWB 2 consecutive (but very slim) victories, the “values voter” is being ignored by everyone except the mormon who doesn’t stand a chance.

    Unless something changes in that regard, Hillary has it locked up.

  18. I think all Hillary needs to do is to reach the moderates. Mitt and Rick tend to veer to the right way too much. It is the moderates who will decide any vote, not the folks who are on the fringes of either side.

    I personally have conflicting feelings about Hillary as a person, but I have no doubt that she would be a great president. She really has a “presidential” quality about her – not sure what that means EXACTLY, but I think she has the right stuff to do the job.

    If you can get as far as she has, with as much mudslinging from the Right over the last decade as she’s had to endure (some of it brought on by herself – but definitely not all), I think you can handle just about anything.

  20. I dream of such a ticket. If they ran together, the Dems would be assured of a victory…..

    Jag,

    Funny! I was actually responding to Drowssap’s comment about Hillary running against Guilani – I think a Romney/Santorum ticket would bring out the Republicans but who knows what kind of things can happen between now and the election!

  23. Dr Zen

    I’m not particularly familiar with Giuliani or NYC. I’m curious, what authoritarian laws or city ordinances did he pass as mayor?

  24. gheesh…I have a friend “hilary” who spells her name with one “l”…so it seems I put that onto the candidate. My apologies.

  25. Unlike others, I think that Hilary has a great shot with the more moderate members of the religious right. I agree that:

    “Whatever Giuliani promised concerning the appointment of conservative judges, a pro-choice Republican nominee would blur the contrast between the parties on abortion.”

    I also think that as far as “character” issues are concerned, I don’t see Giuliani’s whole mistress issue and cheating on his wife as flying very well. Hilary’s got her share for sure also…but further “blurring.”

    Hilary also has a track record of winning over rural and conservative communities (like upstate ny). Heck, I have no idea how she does it (maybe it’s all the “channeling?”), but she has had enormous success that would likely translate into success into the midwest, etc.

    She also has a very strong hold on the black vote. I live in a major city, and in talking to my students of color, they are all enthusiastic Hilary supporters. The black vote is also linked with the south, and with many of the religious individuals of the southern tradition.

    The way I see it, this will be Hilary’s race to win or lose. She’ll do well to put a liberal white male military-type guy as her running mate (Wesley Clark?) to scoop up the last round of midwest voters.

    The Republicans have no real shot – given the unpopularity of the war, the inability to do anything during a term where you had a republican majority in the house and senate, etc…They also don’t have a solid candidate.

    It will be interesting for sure.

  26. The religious right will vote Giuliani if it comes to it. Their love of authoritarians will far outweigh their distaste for his personal views. They need not fear that he will actually do anything prochoice. He is a reptile, not an idiot.

  27. Carl Bernstein has a new book out about HRC as well. I heard him recently talking about one of the things he found really fascinating about her was how much her faith was inter-woven into every bit of her life. Seems to me that the Religious Right has started to come unraveled and will end up being very unmotivated in this election. And, I think like Drowssap implies, they’ll end up sitting this one out. I don’t think that will be the one factor that gives the election to HRC, but it will be one of the host of factors that delivers it to her. One kind of gets the feeling that if the Religious Right sits this one out, they will end up marginalizing themselves even further in the elections that follow 08.

    j.

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