Evangelicals for Obama?

By Jennifer J. Foster

Published: June 17, 2008

Stephen Mansfield, self-appointed religious biographer of President George W. Bush, has produced a book that examines Barack Obama’s religious background and how it impacts his political leanings.

Politico.com was provided an advance copy of the book, and Ben Smith’s review is available today.

Mansfield says Obama’s background may give Evangelicals—especially young Evangelicals—pause when entering the voting booth in November.

“Young Evangelicals are saying, ‘Look, I’m pro-life but I’m looking at a guy who’s first of all black-and they love that; two, who’s a Christian; and three who believes faith should bear on public policy,“ Mansfield, who described himself as a conservative Republican, said in a telephone interview. “They disagree with him on abortion, but they agree with him on poverty, on the war.“

... Mansfield writes that Obama “is unapologetically Christian and unapologetically liberal.“ But he writes that in substance and in style, Obama holds an appeal to Evangelicals that Senator John McCain may lack.

But Mansfield himself, a former pastor, won’t be among the Evangelicals who may be torn at the voting booth in November. He won’t support Obama, he told Politico, “because I’m pro-life.“