Analyst: Religious fear tactics against Obama 'beyond the pale' David Edwards and Muriel Kane

Published: Wednesday October 29, 2008





Print This Email This Religious extremists have been warning their followers of the dire results that could be expected from an Obama presidency, and their accusations are reaching a point where even veteran political observers are becoming concerned.



"This stuff is just beyond the pale," political analyst Larry Sabato told CNN. "It's the most negative, vicious stuff that I've seen in quite some time."



The conservative religious group Focus on the Family Action has sent out a "what if" letter (pdf) suggesting that by 2012 a Supreme Court dominated by Obama appointees could declare same-sex marriage a "'constitutional' right," prohibit religious groups on college campuses, ban all Christian radio and tv broadcasts as hate speech, legalize child pornography, and restrict gun ownership.



The letter further predicts that an Obama presidency would lead to an al Qaeda takeover of Iraq, emboldened terrorists attacking four US cities, a Russian reconquest of Eastern Europe, Communist domination of Latin America, the surrender of Israel following a nuclear attack by Iran -- and, even worse, a restored Fairness Doctrine driving Rush Limbaugh off the air.



Focus on the Family Action defends its "what if" letter as legitimate political analysis, and a spokeperson told CNN, "To look with a critical eye at recent events and how they may play out in the future -- that's not needless alarm. I think that's prudent."



However, Sabato counters that "many of these conclusions are extreme and illogical. No president would ever attempt these things. No president who wanted to be re-elected would even think these things."



CNN further notes that the Focus on the Family Action letter has not been the only attempt to play on religious fears. The website of a group calling itself the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission offers "7 Reasons Why Barack Obama is Not a Christian," warning in apocalyptic tones that "Obama believes there are many paths to Heaven. ... The many paths of Obama are in reality just the broad road to destruction."



CNN concludes, however, that "while the attacks may rally religious groups, other voters are put off by the negativity."



In a move that initially had official party backing, an email sent by Pennsylvania Republicans to 75,000 Jewish voters compared Obama's campaign to the rise of Hitler, suggesting that "Jewish Americans cannot afford to make the wrong decision on Tuesday, November 4th, 2008. Many of our ancestors ignored the warning signs in the 1930s and 1940s and made a tragic mistake. Let's not make a similar one this year!"



The Pennsylvania Republican party repudiated the email after it became a subject of controversy and fired the consultant who had sent it out.





This video is from CNN.com, broadcast October 29, 2008.









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