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Does it help Rick Santorum to slam JFK on religion's role in politics? 29 March 2012


 * Summary **

Presidential hopeful Rick Santorum is bringing religion and moral issues to the front of his 2012 primary campaign by criticizing a famous 1960 speech by then-candidate John F Kennedy. JFK had asserted that his religious beliefs as a Catholic would not be a factor in his policy or decision-making and that he would not be controlled by the Pope or others in the Catholic establishment. In this address, Kennedy was clear about the need for a complete separation of church and state. The Christian Science Monitor article outlines Santorum’s belief that church and state do not always need to be clearly separated and his feelings that the American people may want a leader who is more open about faith and religion’s role in his decision-making.


 * Relevance **

The most obvious historical aspect is the 1960 Kennedy speech, but religion played a role in earlier elections and has become an even bigger issue in more recent debates. John F. Kennedy faced the worries of some Americans that, because he was Catholic, decisions he would make as President would be strongly influenced by the power of the church. This forced him to make a speech saying that he believed in the firm separation of church and state and would not let his faith impact the many decisions he may have to make as President. This may have helped calm fears and he went on to win the election. 1960 was not the first time religion was a factor in Presidential politics. In early America, only landowners who belonged to a church were eligible to vote. By 1828, most of the US had switched to direct elections, and with almost all citizens eligible, candidates tried to appeal to many issues, including religion. In the mid 1800’s, the issue of abolition was a big part of the evangelical Christian movement, and later James Polk’s campaign centered on issues related to growth in Irish-Catholic immigration. In 1884, Grover Cleveland’s opponent James Blaine lost a close election after a Presbyterian minister attacked democrats. In 1928 presidential candidate Al Smith was defeated by Herbert Hoover after Smith’s Catholic campaign manager was accused of being a puppet of the Pope. This may have been a reason that Kennedy made his speech several decades later. More recently Jimmy Carter, a Southern Baptist, appealed to many voters as he beat out Gerald Ford in the 1976 election. As evangelicalism grew with TV personalities like Jerry Falwell and Jim Baker, they started to influence voters and candidates wanted their endorsement. In the last election, many Americans questioned Barrack Obama’s Christianity, and many still believe that he is a Muslim which may be a factor come re-election time for the voters who follow Christianity closely and don’t want a leader with that faith.


 * Evaluation **

The title of this article asks a question; “Does it help Rick Santorum to slam JFK on religion's role in politics?” While there is a lot of background on the issue of religion with the Kennedy election and this year’s primary, the author never really answers the question. It would have been good to include some poll data or survey answers that showed how Americans responded to this tactic. Obviously, Santorum was trying to generate a ‘buzz’ for his campaign, and a look at his standings in recent primaries suggests that he has not really gained much ground on Mitt Romney. Romney has attracted some attention as a Mormon, so his faith may also be a factor in the election, a detail that was not mentioned in this article. In looking at history, there are some elections where religion was not a main factor, and this happened specifically when there were bigger issues facing Americans. During the hardships of the great depression time, voters were more concerned with how a candidate planned to help them find work or afford food than what religion they were. During times of war, Americans often worry about foreign policy or strategies for bringing peace. With gas prices over $4/gallon and trouble with the Middle East and Korea, citizens may focus on these issues more than religious views. If this is the case, then Santorum’s message will not influence voters. The article suggests that focusing on religion may help Santorum connect to Christian conservatives during the primary. It is less clear if this strategy would be effective in the general election, but time will tell.


 * Questions **

1. Do Americans really care about the religious views of the President? 2. Has this changed in the last several decades? 3. Are there times where religion can take a back seat to issues like the economy or war? 4. How has Santorum fared in polling and/or primaries since this attack on Kennedy? 5. Did Santorum run on a similar values-based platform during his campaigns in PA (both the ones he won and one he lost)? 6. Is Mitt Romney’s Mormonism going to be a major factor in his nomination or in the general election?


 * Sources **

"Does it help Rick Santorum to slam JFK on religion's role in politics? - CSMonitor.com." //The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com//. Web. 29 Mar. 2012. .

Martin, William. "The role of religion in American politics - Houston Chronicle." //Houston News, Sports, Business, and Entertainment - The Houston Chronicle at Chron.com - Houston Chronicle//. Web. 29 Mar. 2012. .

"The Role of Religion in Presidential Campaigns." //Center for American Progress//. Web. 29 Mar. 2012. <http://www.americanprogress.org/iss