And the Virginia Baptists along with John Leland by no means kept their faith in a closet (the un-Christian right now wants Christian right in a closet while okay-ing the sodomites to come out of the closet). They publicly pushed for the Bill of Rights in Philadelphia and obtained Madison’s ear.
Washington’s Chaplain during the Revolution was Baptist John Gano, who baptized Washington. Washington said, (almost verbatim) “The war is my separation with political England and my Baptism is my break with religious England.”
I recommend to you the books of historians Rosalie J. Slater and Dr. James Beller.
The truth still remains that America at its founding was overwhelmingly and predominantly Christian right. It would be insane to believe that that did not influence every area of life in the colonies/states, including its politics.
The founders made open and published statements in favor and support of the Bible and the teaching and learning of it.
The campaign against the British invasion of New York was organized and led out of the “Old Yellow Church” ~ a mult-faith sort of building where you had Presbyterians, Anglicans, Lutherans, Reformed and a variety of other faiths with only the vaguest of Christian connection worshipping.
Yes some were vocal and some were private. George Washington was nearly entirely private in his worship and faith.
Pick and choose your historical anecdotes. It does not change the fact that historically important founders of America chose to be private in their worship.
Fred Thompson’s choice to keep his worship a private affair is not inconsistent with some of the greatest and fervently faithful American Presidents. For anyone, including James Dobson, to insinuate otherwise is a distortion of American history and a smear on highly reputable Americans including Ronald Reagan.