It's time to play a guessing game. I'm going to list a bunch of quotes and I want you to guess who said them ok? Here goes:
"Not every mention of God in public is a breach to the wall of separation. Context matters," "It is doubtful that children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance feel oppressed or brainwashed as a consequence of muttering the phrase `under God."
"Having voluntary student prayer groups using school property to meet should not be a threat, any more than its use by the High School Republicans should threaten Democrats." "Secularists are wrong when they ask believers to leave their religion at the door before entering the public square."
"I think we make a mistake when we fail to acknowledge the power of faith in the lives of the American people."
So? What's your guess? The answer: Barack Obama.
Why do I bring this up? Because Obama has made a point of not demonizing Evangelicals. He has gone out of his way to say that, while he may disagree on many policy issues, he doesn't question their belief system or values. In short, he hasn't minimized Evangelicals. Therefore, he can use these comments to his advantage in the general election by arguing that he is a different sounding Democrat. This plays in to his theme of a "new kind of politics."
Now, having said all of that, he has one big problem: his liberal voting record. His critics will come at him fast and furious and his liberal record on abortion will hurt him. If he wants to win Reagan Democrats and other right to center moderates, he's going to have to figure out a way to combat the liberal label that McCain and company will ring around his neck. Not easy.