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Covering Palin and Other Religious Politicians: What's the News Media's Role?

February 3, 2009 RSS Feed Print

By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country

The flood of comments alleging that the mainstream media (me included) pick on Sarah Palin because of her faith keep coming. Here's my question: If a candidate suggests that his or her religious faith helps define him or her, and it's obvious that the candidate's faith is central to his or her appeal, should the candidate be expected to answer questions about those religious beliefs, particularly as it relates to the candidate's positions on public policy? Not in the form of a state-enforced religious test, which is expressly outlawed in the U.S. Constitution, but in the form of responding to questions from voters and the news media?

The irony here is that religious conservatives have long criticized the news media for ignoring the role of religion in American life and for getting the facts wrong when they do. When the Washington Post described evangelical Christians as "largely poor, uneducated and easy to command" in 1993, righteous outrage ensued. For a daily critique of the news media's shortcomings in covering religion, check out Get Religion.

These days, religious conservatives are more apt to knock the press for probing too deeply into the role religion plays in the lives and politics of their favored candidates. So what's the proper balance for the news media between covering the obviously significant role religion plays in shaping the world view of candidates like Sarah Palin (or Barack Obama) without effectively discriminating against such candidates because of their religion?

Read more by Dan Gilgoff.
Read more about Sarah Palin.

Tags:: religion,; politics,; media,; journalism,; Sarah Palin

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I think that ultimately the hightened sensitivity to questions of the faith of our politicians stems from the escalating discussion about the separation of church and state. Those of us who feel that the last administration in particular did much to ride roughshod over the wall of separation that founding fathers like Jefferson and Madison insisted upon are keen to know whether candidates are of the same mind. Meanwhile, those who believe that the church should be in politics, namely Religious Right figures like Dobson and others who have gone so far as to create incentives for pastors to endorse candidates from the pulpit, don't want to be asked questions about their beliefs because answers to such questions, if put in anything less than a positive light in the media, thwart their efforts to continue inserting the church in matters of the state.
I think that as long as politicians choose to publically use their faith as a political bludgeon then journalists should be able to ask them questions about it. It's akin to Palin using her children as stage props and then disingenuously claiming that the mainstream media was treating them unfairly (it was largely the blogosphere that was talking about them, but that's another topic altogether).
In the end, it is in all of our best interest to maintain the secular government that our founding fathers set out to create. It is the only way for all of us to enjoy freedom, regardless of our individual faith or lack thereof.

Brent 9:25AM February 05, 2009

Not to worry- only in your wet dreams. There is a "REASON" why she is the MOST popular Governor in AMERICA!!
And she illustrates how pathetic the Left really is just by her example.
No wonder the Leftys are terrified of her and live in delusions.
As for your question "whats the media role?"
We all KNOW that MSM is biased and this is just ANOTHER angle to attack Palin.
Meanwhile, it was OK for Mainstream Media to ompare Inauguration to Spiritual Event
“Sacred.” “Majesty.” “Sacrament.” “Pilgrimage.” These are words loaded with religious and spiritual meaning. And they’re words used to describe the inauguration of President Barack Obama by CBS, NBC and ABC anchors on their evening and morning news shows.
CBS Early Show host Smith reflected on the inauguration as “one of the sacraments of our national religion,” calling the inaugural attendees “pilgrims,” who came to D.C. to witness “this most sacred event.”
According to Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of sacred is “dedicated to worship; holy.” The network anchors seem to have bestowed upon themselves the sacred responsibility to highlight every spiritual connection they can muster up.
It was OK for MSM to allow BO to proclaim that he's a Christian ( but NEVERRRRRR to question him about it) OR his racist Pastor Wright.
Talk about double standards and HYPOCRISY!
Arson and attempted murder in Palin's church. Makes me wonder just how hard they are investigating this crime. If this had occurred at BO's radical, hatefilled church in Chicago, we’d be getting hourly updates until the culpret was caught.
Also be informed that 80% of people in this Country ARE Christians!!!
Anyway, your question other example of the Left’s absolute fear of Sarah Palin. They know she is coming and will do anything to stop her

jacob of CA 5:38PM February 04, 2009

The reason why you are getting adverse comments is well deserved. The media ALWAYS attacks conservative politicians on religion. They are always portrayed as wild eyed extremists, crazies who want to create a theocracy.
No one touched the story of Obama's racist preacher of 20 plus years though. The man who said: "God Bless America?....No, no NO!...God Damn America!" Or called America the Us Of KKK!" Or blamed white people for inventing AIDS to kill black people!
The problem with the media is they are SO biased, and SO in the tank for Obama, and every other democrat that you have lost all perspective.
As far as reporting on religion, do it. 80 plus percent of all Americans self identify as Christians. Most practice in some form or another. So religion is very important in America. But stop bashing Republicans about it. Democrats go to church too, you know.

Gary of TX 3:53PM February 04, 2009

Covering Palin and Other Religious Politicians: What's the News Media's Role?

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