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I don't know of many presidents I would look up to as religious exemplars.

Charles, you and I both know that the only time the Bible references "religion" is the book of James -- re: helping the poor.

Otherwise, even the Bible isn't an "exemplar" about "how to be 'religious'"...unless, of course, we're talking only about feeding the poor.

[Kind of surprised you of all people went this direction]

I mean, the "Pharisees" and "teachers of the law" were religious...and Jesus essentially said told the people to listen to them but NOT to practice their faith inwardly as they do.

In this case, Obama vs. Romney, I don't look up to either, as far as their religion, or lack thereof, is concerned. I judge on political grounds.

And you would be consistent, of course...if a jihadist Muslim spouting "conservative" politics ran...
...or a "conservative" Satanist or Wicca candidate?

And, mind you, we're not talking about your local dogcatcher here...but THE leader of the free world.

(Oh, even Romney probably flunked dogcatcher candidacy by taking his dog cross-country on the roof of his station wagon)

Use whichever term you like--religion, spirituality, piety, doctrine, theology, faith, belief, church, whatever--I do not look to a president for that kind of guidance. I don't know of many--or any--I would look up to in that regard. As long as they do a good job in governance, that's what I'm looking for.

As far as your hypothetical "jihadist Muslim" "conservative" politician, that is a contradiction in terms. If he is a jihadist Muslim, he is by definition anti-American and would use the sword against this country. That's part and parcel of militant Islam.

By conicidence, I just got this e-mail from Fred Thompson a short while ago:

The Mormon Or The Muslim?

Q (from 80120): Who can we support? Romney is a Mormon and Obama is a Muslim. Never has the lessor of two evils been such a disgrace. Ron Paul is a better choice, but if we vote for him, we put Obama back in office. What has happened to my country?

A: Don’t fall for this Mormon stuff. That would be falling for the Obama game plan. Now that the general election is here, it’s going to be respectable in the eyes of the mainstream media to engage in all sorts of demagoguery about Mormons. None of us will ever get our ideal candidate but this country is headed for a cliff and it has very little to do with organized religion. We’ve gotta go with Mitt. Obama selections for the Supreme Court for another four years will have an adverse effect on the proper role of religion in our country and in our schools as well as a host of other issues.

I agree with Fred Thompson.