Presidential Politics

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Is Obama’s Real “Faith Asset” His Ability to Speak the Language of American Civil Religion?

Last June, at the Wharton Leadership Conference, Richard Greene, a well-known public speaking coach, offered his prediction that Barack Obama would win the Democratic nomination on the basis of his amazing strengths as an orator. Glossing over the fact that Greene said Romney would win the Republican nomination for the same reason (great speaking skills), […]

4Jun2008 | Andrea Useem | 3 comments | Continued
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Mormon American Idol, Church on Second Life and Barack Obama in Indiana

It’s been a big night, yet another Tuesday evening of clicking back and forth between American Idol and Democratic primary results. So first things first: It looks like America is going to have its first-ever Mormon American Idol in 17-year-old David Archuleta. The three judges, Randy, Paula and Simon, go crazy for Archuleta’s earnest crooning, […]

6May2008 | Andrea Useem | 4 comments | Continued
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The Compassion Forum: Highlights and Lowlights

Just finished watching “The Compassion Forum” — an intimate evening with the two Democratic presidential candidates, hosted by Messiah College in Grantham, PA, and Faith in Public Life, a progressive Washington D.C.-based organization. Overall, it was a little dull — after all, how much new ground can be covered after the endless months of campaigning? […]

13Apr2008 | Andrea Useem | 5 comments | Continued
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When a Woman Runs for President — in Afghanistan

I’ve just finished watching FrontRunner, the new documentary from New View Films about Massouda Jalal, the only female candidate in Afghanistan’s 2004 elections. It’s hard, of course, to think about a woman running for president without immediately making comparisons to the current presidential race in the U.S. - it’s like a cartoon that needs a […]

9Apr2008 | Andrea Useem | 2 comments | Continued
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Should Obama Make a Religion Speech?

That was the question this morning at a panel on Islam and U.S. Politics on Capitol Hill.
Have the “accusations” that Obama is a Muslim reached such a pitch that Obama should seize the moment and deliver a historic speech, ala his March 18 address on race? (Background: One-in-ten Americans think Obama is a Muslim.) The […]

3Apr2008 | Andrea Useem | 6 comments | Continued
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Romney, Muslims and “Conservative Multiculturalism”

While lounging on the couch after an indulgent Christmas dinner this evening, ReligionWriter could not resist turning her attention from relatives and instead reading an essay titled, “Mormons, Muslims and Multiculturalism,” which she stumbled upon while leafing through a recent issue of the conservative Weekly Standard.
The essay, which goes for a lengthy 6,000 words, would […]

25Dec2007 | Andrea Useem | 1 comment | Continued
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Why Romney’s Task Is Very Different From JFK’s

If you’re into religion and politics, then December 6 is shaping up to be every bit as important, if not more, than January 3, when the Iowa caucuses are held. That’s because this Thursday, GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney will deliver a long-awaited speech on religion, and more specifically, his own Mormon faith — the […]

3Dec2007 | Andrea Useem | 3 comments | Continued
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In Describing Mormonism, Who Is More Accurate: Believers or Reporters?

A heated digital discussion following last week’s review of Dick and Joan Ostling’s Mormon America on this site brought up a set of pointed questions about religion and journalism.
 
Commenter Amanda P. wrote: “If you are interested in Mormonism, visit mormon.org and get your answers straight from the Church itself. This book is NOT an ‘objective’ […]

20Nov2007 | Andrea Useem | 52 comments | Continued
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Are You Interested in Mormonism?

Even if you aren’t (interested in Mormonism), ReligionWriter still wants you to read Dick and Joan Ostling’s newly updated Mormon America because its multifaceted look at the LDS church will force you to reflect deeply on some of the most enduring puzzles of religion, such as:How can intelligent people adhere to a faith that so […]

9Nov2007 | Andrea Useem | 16 comments | Continued
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The Very First Mormon Presidential Candidate

Here’s a piece of trivia worth knowing: The first Mormon to run for U.S. President was none other than the founding prophet of Mormonism himself: Joseph Smith, Jr.
While it may have sounded like a stretch when then-Republican Party nominee George Bush named Christ as his favorite political philosopher without explaining what sort of ideas Jesus […]

9Oct2007 | Andrea Useem | 1 comment | Continued
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