Who, Exactly?

Years ago I participated in a little discussion with some people who are more important than me (and some people who aren't) about the 2005ish version of "why do real Americans hate liberals so much." This was focused on religious voters, because at the time the story was that John Kerry lost Ohio because of genius mobilization of churchgoers. I don't even know if that was true, but that was how the Bush re-election geniuses took credit for their brilliance. People who win presidential elections know how to tell a story of their brilliance. People who lose them, too! It's weird.

There was burgeoning industry of religious Dem consultants. Hey, we all gotta eat. And, sure, if peppering some speeches with some more Jesus-y speech could get a few more voters in Hillsboro, then John Kerry should have done that so that he would've been president. But part of the discussion - and the one I came prepared for - was the idea that Democrats were hostile to religion.


This is one of those big ideas that was being kicked around at the time by people who believed it but also, as we all do, had to eat. And my prepared response for when this was asserted was basically:

I have thought long and hard about who the prominent people in public life are who are openly hostile to religion, and I can only think of 3:

Bill Maher, comedian, self-styled libertarian, not a Democrat, though not always only a critic of Democrats, but not someone who has an recognizable affiliation with the Democratic party in any way.

Sam Harris (this one is funny now, but at the time people sort of saw him on the left). Also, not a Democrat, no affiliation, etc.

Christopher Hitchens. Once a man of the left, never a fan of Democrats, now a giant fan of George Bush.

I agree that Nancy Pelosi probably shouldn't spend her days going on MSNBC and calling conservative voters stupid racist shitwhistles.

Also Nancy Pelosi does not do that. Nor do the liberal hosts on MSNBC as far as I am aware of. Nor does anyone except cranky people on twitter (in the old days this was cranky people on blogs, but blogs don't exist anymore).