Posted on 10/30/2004 11:15:08 AM PDT by Kurt Evans
Religion plays prominent role in South Dakota's Senate race
PIERRE, S.D. - In political ads that have run on radio and television recently, Eric Kline of Aberdeen has praised Republican Senate candidate John Thune as a person of faith and a "servant leader."
The references were intended to let voters know that Thune holds strong religious beliefs, said Kline, a former high school and college basketball star who now is an elementary teacher in Aberdeen. He said the words were his own, not scripted by the campaign.
"I feel like I've gotten to know the heart of John, and the heart of John is he is a man of faith and his faith is important to him," Kline said. "How can you not mix politics and your faith? They go hand in hand."
Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, the man Thune is challenging, also has raised the issue of faith frequently in the campaign. He talks of being an altar boy, attending Sacred Heart School in Aberdeen, learning from the nuns who were his teachers, and getting his faith in God from his parents and grandparents.
"I have a deep faith in my religion and feel very strongly about the values that I've acquired as a result of my religious beliefs," Daschle told The Associated Press.
Religious beliefs and the related social issues of abortion and gay marriage have drawn a lot of attention in the race between Daschle and Thune.
Bill Richardson, chairman of Political Science at the University of South Dakota, said religion is getting more attention in this year's Senate race because it plays a key role in how Thune defines himself. Thune has made such issues part of his previous campaigns, and President Bush has also made faith a prominent part of his re-election campaign, he said.
Several million evangelical voters stayed away from the polls in 2000, but they are being encouraged to vote this year, Richardson said. "In very real terms the role of evangelists nationally, and to a certain extent in the state, may be critical."
Once Thune raised the issues, saying he opposes abortion and gay marriage, Daschle had to respond, the political science professor said.
Daschle said he does not think religion itself has played a bigger role in this year's campaign than it did in his past elections. But related social issues have been emphasized, he noted.
"I think there are those who try to use religion for political purposes. I would hope that wouldn't happen," the Democratic senator said. "I think one's religious beliefs are generally between you and God."
Daschle said he believes he and Thune agree on most social problems, but they differ on what remedy to apply to abortion, gay marriage and other issues.
Thune also said religion itself is not an issue. "I would say there are some culturally conservative issues that are playing more of a role than in past campaigns."
"I think a person's faith is a personal issue, but it obviously shapes the way they make decisions," Thune said. "The voters have to decide based on the individual's positions, on their character. And obviously their positions and the way they make decisions is probably influenced to some degree by their faith."
Thune said he and his family attend church regularly at a Baptist church in Sioux Falls.
Daschle, a Catholic, said he and his wife, Linda, attend church regularly but his frequent travel can make that difficult.
Daschle and Bishop Robert Carlson, head of the Sioux Falls Catholic Diocese, have acknowledged that they have spoken in the past about Daschle's position on abortion. Carlson has said he has encouraged Daschle reconsider his position on the issue.
"However, other than inviting people to pray for the senator's conversion, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to discuss my pastoral relationship with the senator or anyone else," the bishop said in a statement in April.
Daschle also said he believes his personal conversations with Carlson should remain private. "I think it's important to keep religious conversations in the confidentiality we've accorded them."
But Daschle said Thune and other Republicans are attempting to confuse voters by focusing on proposed remedies, not the issues themselves.
"They think because we differ on the remedy, we differ on the problem, and we don't," Daschle said.
The senator said he and Thune both oppose abortion, support adoption, believe in discouraging unwanted pregnancies and want to promote abstinence. But Daschle said he does not want to make criminals of women and their doctors.
Daschle has said he personally opposes abortion, but must respect the Supreme Court's decision that it is unconstitutional to restrict a woman's access to legal abortion before the fetus is capable of living outside the womb.
Daschle said he and Thune both oppose gay marriage, but he does not support amending the U.S. Constitution to ban gay marriage. Daschle said state and federal laws are sufficient to confine marriage to one man and one woman.
But Thune said Daschle is the one trying to spread confusion on social issues. Daschle should not claim to oppose abortion when he writes fund-raising letters for an abortion-rights group, and a constitutional amendment is the best way to prevent gay marriage, he said.
South Dakotans by wide margins support restricting abortion and banning gay marriage, Thune said.
"He's really the person who's out of step on these issues, but when he's running for re-election he wants to convince people he's acceptable to them on these issues, so he completely does a makeover," Thune said.
Thune said he does not try to hide his faith, but Daschle has done the most to emphasize the issue in the campaign.
"To me, it is an attempt to use his faith as a shield against a record that is contrary to its teachings," Thune said of Daschle.
Which one does the AP think is Jesus?
Do you happen to know where they stand in the polls? Last I read Dasshole was barely ahead, but that was a week or two ago.
"The Jesus Factor" will be when Daschle sees the returns come in on Tuesday night and screams "JEEZUS!!!!"
"I have a deep faith in my religion and feel very strongly about the values that I've acquired as a result of my religious beliefs,"
His religion? The Democratic party.
If Dasshole wants to talk religion, let him release the videotape of his Emily's List speech where he promises to keep supporting all forms of abortion and blocking any judges who might not be in lock(goose)step with the abortionists.
Dasshole might be an alter-boy, but they don't worhip G*d at that alter.
Bunk. Daschle is instrumental in blocking judical appointments who may be pro-life.
>Which one does the AP think is Jesus?
I've been interviewed by Chet Brokaw on several occasions, and I've been reading his stories for years, but I've never picked up on a single personal opinion. He strikes me as the consummate professional.
I guess they will now become a 1 corrupt income family.
Latest polls:
Razzmatazz(Rasmussen) 10/25 49-46 Thune
Zogby 10/26 also 49-46 Thune
Here are three recent polls (which I have gleefully posted):
McLaughin & Associates, Oct. 24: Thune-48.5%, Daschle-44.5%.
Zogby International, Oct. 27: Thune-47.2%, Daschle-46.1%.
Rasmussen Reports, Oct. 28: Thune-49%, Daschle-46%.
I am loving this news! The very idea that we could be seeing the last of Dasshole...YEEEHAAAAAAAA!
>Do you happen to know where they stand in the polls?
Mason-Dixon | 10/19-21 (800 LV)
T:47 D:49 Daschle +2
Rasmussen | 10/25 (500 LV)
T:49 D:46 Thune +3
Zogby | 10/25-10/26 (800 LV)
T:49 D:46 Thune +3
Ya see...that's the problem. "Religion" has no place in politics...doesn't matter if you're Christian, Jewish, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, on and on and on.
What matters is TRUTH.
This "religion" crap is just that.
FMCDH(BITS)
>"Religion" has no place in politics...doesn't matter
>if you're Christian, Jewish, Baptist, Roman Catholic,
>Presbyterian, on and on and on.
>
>What matters is TRUTH.
"I am ... the Truth ..."
--Jesus Christ (John 14:6)
>This "religion" crap is just that.
Even the simplest one-celled organism is unfathomably complex. The, um, "crap" is the suggestion that life could have come from non-life through unintelligent naturalistic processes.
"What matters is TRUTH"....
Well, the Truth is the truth and there is no other Truth.
I agree. It's the label of "religion" I have the problem with. What "religion"? Which "religion"? Truth is it's own standard bearer which cannot be changed by man. It can be circumvented and twisted, but in the end it remains.
I happen to believe that Truth was nailed to a cross...I also believe there are many people who have never heard of my brand of Truth, but He knows the Truth in men's hearts, and will judge accordingly. JMveryHO.
FMCDH(BITS)
Ah, there's been a misunderstanding (and I think to some extent there still is). I was taking "religion" to mean service to God.
Apparently you didn't mean to say service to God is "crap"... and that's good, in my opinion. :-)
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