Reinhold Niebuhr

This week NPR’s Morning Edition has run back-to-back interviews with Newsweek editor Jon Meacham discussing the memoirs of Barack Obama and John McCain. The idea is to get beyond sound bites and offer an analysis of the major people and events that have shaped the two men, at least according to their own published work.

The fascinating conclusion is that this country’s two major-party presidential candidates have both been strongly influenced by the same theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr.

My initial question is about the way it seems that Niebuhr was seized upon as a hidden, explanatory link between the characters of Obama and McCain. Is this just another example of an almost obsessive fascination with the interplay of politics and religion during this election cycle? Or is something else going on here?

In one sense, there’s nothing surprising about finding references to Reinhold Niebuhr in the writings of both candidates. Niebuhr is generally regarded as one…

Photo courtesy NBC News, Augusta, GA

In today’s New York Times, William Kristol suggests that John McCain fire his entire campaign team because of the recent firestorm regarding McCain’s rallies and his shifting positions. Kristol writes,

“McCain should stop unveiling gimmicky proposals every couple of days that pretend to deal with the financial crisis. He should tell the truth — we’re in uncharted waters, no one is certain what to do, and no one knows what the situation will be on Jan. 20, 2009. But what we do know is that we could use someone as president who’s shown in his career the kind of sound judgment and strong leadership we’ll need to make it through the crisis.”

However, there is a deeper problem regarding the trajectory of both campaigns: they have become religious. Americans are expecting too much from both of Obama and McCain. As a result, both candidates have a profound…

All you have to do is drive up Big Bend Blvd. Something big’s happening at Wash U Thursday night.

And aside from her two exclusive interviews with Charles Gibson and Katie Couric, this will be the nation’s first real chance to see Governor Sarah Palin in an extended discussion of substantive issues.

It’s doubtful Gov. Palin and Sen. Biden will get into religion much. But we have gotten a glimpse into Gov. Palin’s Pentecostal faith.

Last week the Associated Press reported on the episode where a Kenyan pastor “prayed for her protection from ‘witchcraft.’” The video is on her former home congregation’s Web site.

And much has been made of the YouTube video of her at the same congregation, Wasilla Assembly of God Church. Recently, The New Yorker even weighed in.

Yet, for all the sound and fury, we still don’t know a whole lot. But I have found one of the YouTube soundbites to be very telling:

“I…

I’ve been down and out with a vicious flu bug and have had the chance to watch some TV (not usually an option with two small children). And, I totally expected to see a bunch of chatter about Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright. Doesn’t anybody have anything to say about this?

OK. So I read Scott’s post and I totally agree with the fact that Wright has been inconsiderate and destructive (to say the least) to Obama and his campaign. Wright’s recent media tour makes it obvious that he wants his fifteen minutes of fame. And his fame, or infamy you might say, could very well last much longer if he derails Obama’s historic campaign.

That being said, here’s the question: Should one be judged based on their spiritual mentor? I know I don’t agree with everything I hear in synagogue. I don’t share all the same views as my rabbi. So maybe…