Liberal Catholics Broadcast Ads Thanking Democrats for 'Moral Budget'

By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country

The liberal group Catholics United has launched its largest advertising campaign to date with a spot that thanks Democratic senators in five "purple" states for supporting President Obama's 2010 budget. Listen to it here.

Rather than influence lawmakers, as political ads typically try to do, the 60-second Catholics United spots are designed to build up the credibility of Democratic officeholders among religious voters. Democrat-allied faith groups have learned that the key to winning "values voters" is to normalize Democratic faith talk long before election season so that when Democratic candidates open up about religion on the campaign trail or buy a campaign ad on Christian radio, it's seen as genuine, not as politically calculating.

Here's the script for the ads:

In First Thessalonians, Chapter 5 verses 14 through 18 Paul writes,

" . . . encourage the fainthearted, help the weak . . . seek after that which is good for one another and for ALL people . . . and in everything, give thanks."

Today, people of faith across [STATE] give thanks to Senator [NAME] for supporting the economic recovery plan in next year's budget.

This leadership is needed today more than ever.

Our nation and our families are facing great challenges including record unemployment and astronomical health care costs

This budget will lead to long term prosperity by creating clean energy jobs and investing in health care.

And these investments serve everyone, not just those at the top

For supporting that which is good for all people, we say Senator [NAME], thank you.

Paid for by Catholics United

The ads thank Louisiana's Mary Landrieu, Arkansas's Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, North Dakota's Kent Conrad, Virginia's Jim Webb and Mark Warner, and Missouri's Claire McCaskill.

• Follow Dan Gilgoff on Twitter.
• Read more about religion.