Hearts and souls

Editorial

Arizona Sen. John McCain's daring gambit to tar Gov. George W. Bush as one of Jerry Falwell's "agents of intolerance" failed to pay off in Virginia, where the Texas governor bested the feisty McCain by some 10 percentage points in the Tuesday, Feb. 29, presidential primary. McCain was unable to attract enough moderate Republicans and independent Democrats to offset the religious right Republican voters who favor Bush.

The prominence of religion as a campaign issue in this national election year highlights the need for vigilance by citizens concerned about its incursion into the political arena. Candidates are wearing their hearts - and their souls - on their sleeves, promising that their personal faith signifies strength of character sufficient to help restore public trust in government. Americans can thank William Jefferson Clinton and Monica Lewinsky for setting the stage for the flock of candidates vying to prove their moral mettle.

But how to mix religion and politics, a potentially lethal combination? Bush stumbled when he named Jesus as his favorite philosopher/thinker and Vice President Al Gore, running for the Democratic nomination for president, blundered when he declared himself a born-again Christian. Former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley, also seeking the Democratic nod, jumped into the melee to assure that religion is personal, not political, and has no place in the rough and tumble of politics. And McCain fudged, asserting his moral integrity and religious faith even as he attempted to distance himself from those he declares are too narrowly religiously aligned.

Yet it is difficult - if not impossible - to profess spiritual grounding without referring to specific faith-based principles and, in the process, discomforting and even alienating those whose beliefs are different.

Still, if handled sensitively, the discussion of religion and politics may clarify the value of assessing the moral qualifications of our leaders and may reinvigorate their commitment to do what is right.

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