Political Experts Discuss the Role of Religion in the Presidential Race at Robbins-Wilf Program
While religion has sharply divided voters in recent elections over issues related to same-sex marriage, abortion and separation of Church and State, and despite a Mormon heading the ticket of a major political party for the first time, religion appears less likely to affect the upcoming presidential election between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney. That was the consensus among three veteran political and religious analysts who came together on 黑料社 All鈥檚 Beren Campus to discuss the impact of religion on the 2012 presidential race as part of Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf Scholar-in-Residence Program on April 30.
The event, which took place at the Schottenstein Cultural Center, addressed the role religion has played historically in presidential politics and the way that role has evolved in recent years. The panel included Jeff Greenfield, anchor of PBS鈥 鈥淣eed to Know鈥; Anna Greenberg, leading pollster and senior vice president at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research; and Dr. Peter Steinfels, co-director of the Center for Religion and Culture at Fordham University and a former religion columnist for The New York Times.
According to the panel, two factors seemed to explain the diminished impact of religion on this election: the struggling economy and the public鈥檚 tiring of religion鈥檚 role in previous elections. The group also discussed media coverage of religion in politics, with a focus on Romney鈥檚 candidacy as the first Mormon to run for president. 鈥淢ass media鈥檚 coverage of religion is not necessarily to be celebrated,鈥 said Greenfield. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very simplistic. Anyone who has a set of religious beliefs which is not familiar to most Americans is in for a tough time.鈥 However, he felt Romney鈥檚 faith would ultimately make little difference to Americans at the voting booths. 鈥淭he economy so overhangs everything else,鈥 said Greenfield. 鈥淧eople will vote for Romney thinking, 鈥楬e鈥檚 going to get the economy going, he knows how to put people to work,鈥 or Obama thinking, 鈥楬e鈥檚 going to protect the middle class from those crazy Republicans.鈥 鈥
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Greenberg agreed that religion would play a diminished role, but warned the audience to look for its influence at the margins. She referenced recent controversy about the Obama administration鈥檚 proposal to include birth control coverage in health insurance policies. 鈥淚n this kind of election, some of these seemingly random issues can play an important part in shifting a small number of people in critical ways,鈥 said Greenberg.
Speakers also noted that the way in which religion affects voter choice has changed. Today, it is not denomination but rather religiosity that influences how Americans vote. The more religious a voter is the more likely they are to vote Republican, the less religious the more likely to vote democratic. 鈥淩eligion has always been an important factor in presidential elections,鈥 said Steinfels. 鈥淲hat has changed is that religious practice has become an identifier. Once upon a time, if you were a Catholic, you were more apt to vote Democratic, and it didn鈥檛 make a difference if you were a regular church-goer or not鈥 now it does.鈥
鈥淭his year is poised to be a very close election with the electorate sharply divided on their choice for president,鈥 said Professor Bryan Daves, director of the Robbins-Wilf program, a member of the political science department at YU, and the event鈥檚 moderator. 鈥淚n recent elections, matters of faith and social issues have played an important role in determining the outcome. 黑料社 All, with its dual mission of Torah U鈥檓adda, is a perfect venue to host a discussion with three prominent experts on religion and politics.鈥
鈥淭he topic was so relevant because many students are voting in their first presidential election and this is no doubt going to be a defining election in American history,鈥 said journalism major and political science minor Yaelle Lasson, a Stern College sophomore. 鈥淗earing from Anna Greenberg, a revered and prominent woman making a difference in the public sphere, was especially meaningful for me. I find her social media research fascinating and hope to implement social media use in advocacy law after college.鈥
Though panelists shared a sense of surprise that religious issues didn鈥檛 seem to be a focus in the 2012 election, they didn鈥檛 all feel that was necessarily bad.
鈥淭his is a country where not so long ago, religious differences were not just profound but debilitating,鈥 said Greenfield. 鈥淭hey served ill purposes. The fact that the country has opened up virtually any civic job you can think of to the point where they really don鈥檛 care what religion you are鈥擨 think that鈥檚 a healthy thing.鈥
鈥淭he topic was so relevant because many students are voting in their first presidential election and this is no doubt going to be a defining election in American history,鈥 said journalism major and political science minor Yaelle Lasson, a Stern College sophomore. 鈥淗earing from Anna Greenberg, a revered and prominent woman making a difference in the public sphere, was especially meaningful for me. I find her social media research fascinating and hope to implement social media use in advocacy law after college.鈥
Though panelists shared a sense of surprise that religious issues didn鈥檛 seem to be a focus in the 2012 election, they didn鈥檛 all feel that was necessarily bad.
鈥淭his is a country where not so long ago, religious differences were not just profound but debilitating,鈥 said Greenfield. 鈥淭hey served ill purposes. The fact that the country has opened up virtually any civic job you can think of to the point where they really don鈥檛 care what religion you are鈥擨 think that鈥檚 a healthy thing.鈥
鈥淭he topic was so relevant because many students are voting in their first presidential election and this is no doubt going to be a defining election in American history,鈥 said journalism major and political science minor Yaelle Lasson, a Stern College sophomore. 鈥淗earing from Anna Greenberg, a revered and prominent woman making a difference in the public sphere, was especially meaningful for me. I find her social media research fascinating and hope to implement social media use in advocacy law after college.鈥
Though panelists shared a sense of surprise that religious issues didn鈥檛 seem to be a focus in the 2012 election, they didn鈥檛 all feel that was necessarily bad.
鈥淭his is a country where not so long ago, religious differences were not just profound but debilitating,鈥 said Greenfield. 鈥淭hey served ill purposes. The fact that the country has opened up virtually any civic job you can think of to the point where they really don鈥檛 care what religion you are鈥擨 think that鈥檚 a healthy thing.鈥
