the party that runs on god won't even show up to talk about god

Must have been a happening event, I never heard of it.

The top four candidates are showing that the "would be emperor" have no clothes. They plan to avoid the debate before Black and Brown voters later this month. This is considered an outrage to Black and Brown voters that will certainly come back to bite them.

Don't call them the 'fab four,' that's blasphemy!

Yep, those who invoke the name of God the most want to fess up to it the least when it comes to being questioned about their faith.  Almost like Peter denying Jesus Christ three times on the night of his death.  Peter did it to keep from being arrested and jailed; the Republicans candidates had 'scheduling conflicts'.  At least Peter had a good reason.

Bus's crowd is definitely pulling for Julie, and the press is pulling for Hillary; so it's going to be those two in the general, and Julie will win, because Hillary is unwinnable---but with a strong Dem majority to block all his Bush-clone moves.

Maybe they all went home to Jesus.
What a friend they have in Jesus!

I would like to see any debate on candidates' relationship with god to include gods from other regions, such as Thor, Zeus, Jupiter, etc. If we are going into mythology, I hate to see the gods of Greece and Rome especially ignored. And how about Allah? Isn't he Gods first cousin? I think he married God's ex aunt-in-law about twelve trillion years ago if my memory serves me right. I have an idea. There is a fourteenth rate TV show about people who live with the family of another for a period of time for reasons unspecified, but possibly to advance the notion that the wife and family of others is just as awful and dysfunctional as yours, so quit squawking. What I would like to see is nations of the world swapping gods for a month or so each year. Even Osama suggested something like that. I would like to attend a Holy Rollers convention where all the fanatics are praising Buddha. I would be willing to cross the street for such a show. To get a little less serious, all the candidates are going to pretend to be foaming at the mouth with religious fanaticism for the next few months because they remember what happened to Kerry because he failed to understand what a bunch of blubbering idiots 51% of the country is.

Romney, I don't think it is a good idea to be bringing up the idea of UN indictments for war crimes.  Remember about glass houses!

godless heathens --- I think it was talking about values that scared them. They all have their god talk memorized.

"They plan to avoid the debate before Black and Brown voters later this month. This is considered an outrage to Black and Brown voters that will certainly come back to bite them."

What debate is that? Who is hosting it? What kind of a track record do they have? Would you expect any black politician to show up at a debate hosted by the klan?

PS: All you church bashing people just remember who showed up in New Orleans to help people. I'm sure you all think those were left wing churches, but you're wrong as you can be.

Nobody wants to go to the losers ball and whatever was last night was it.  God's a great discussion - at church.  However, running on the merits of "belief in God" as the lazy-eyed Huckabee does is a little much.  

I think the lower tied GOP candidates treat God as a business, not as a divine figure who's name is muddled too much in politics...Its almost taking his name in vain (what's more vain than politics?).

Lastly, Romney wants to woo over the "Shotguns & Beer" faction of the GOP (he needs to) and by hating on Iran is a good way.  Iran's bad news; imagine a nuke in those crazies hands?  The only worse news would be anymore war; hell the news coverage alone would be enough to drive most Americans into alcoholism and then we'd be hanging-out with the "Shotguns & Beer" faction of the GOP.  

The God crowd that won't talk about God when the time comes to do it; maybe because their values are as shallow and hypocritical as Craig's Vitters and Foley's.  Maybe if they talk too much about God on an open mic, they might be hit with lightning, or have an old boyfriend accuse them of something in public or something...

Oh, there will be no end of faith in Jesus, Christain "values", "family values", belief in God etc. etc. rhetoric from this crowd of Republicans - they just want to talk about it on their terms, in speeches rather than being questioned in any kind of open forum. It's always hard to answer the questions when you don't have a script to follow and don't know much about what you're talking about - just ask GW Bush.   Things get real squishy with the Republicans when you start asking them about "what would Jesus do?"  

Oh, Dave, I'm sure it was a Republican only effort to help out in New Orleans.  Except for the Republican president...or the Republican head of FEMA...I guess they sent church members as their proxies.  

Alan Keyes... things do not seem to be going in the right direction.

Just not interested in candidates who are to fearful to show up to a debate that will press them to answer questions beyond their simple-minded bullet points.

Again it will be the swing voters, independents, and minorities that decide the next election and these folks are looking for a candidate that will represent their issues. They won't find one in this bunch, so these candidates will have only succeeded in going through the motions of running for president.  Besides, they are too old and ugly to get elected.

After all the nonsense used by the current administration relative to policy, voters will be looking for a common sense candidate. It will be difficult to overlook Hillary on that front, unless you are a blogger who is deathly afraid of the idea of a woman in power.  That's with this guy senses in most of the anti-Hillary jargon being printed.  Hillary '08, Obama '16

Dave TN--Christians should be applauded for doing Christian work. Their calling is and should be far above politics and Government. There are many good People of Many faiths and of no faith.  There will never be a Department of Christian Orthodoxy in this Republic under this Constitution. If that happens it will be because this Republic fell and the Constitution was trampled under the feet of Domestic enemies.
Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's.
Render unto God what is God's.

Before Bush invaded Iraq there were young reformers in Iran who were risking their lives communicating with people in the United States about changing the government for more individual freedom. The election was stolen from them by the current dictator. Today it would be hard to find one Muslim who would like to be more like America.

To Dave in TN: Other than the fact that no current Presidential candidate has hardly mentioned New Orleans, and other than the fact that people in power like to TALK ABOUT GOD rather than WALK WITH GOD, what is your beef specifically? I don't recall any poster "bashing" the folks who went down and pitched in, the folks who have stuck around, and the folks who continue to help out in New Orleans (and who, by the way, are not ALL church going faith based folks but simply put, people of good hearts and spirit)

Religion is a private matter and no one's business but your own.  Since when was the U.S. a religious state?
These questions they ask:  How does God help you make decisions?  How is your "relationship" with God?  Well, we saw what God "did" for GW and the rest of this country, right?  Get off of it people.  Who cares what religion, if any, the next president of the free world is practicing.
I'm sure those in Pakistan and Afghanistan would call Osama a very religious person and he should be reveered.  Should we vote Osama for president?  Do you see where I'm going with this?  It's called seperation of church and state and it is one of the many things that makes this country great.  Keep it that way for the sake of my children and your own.  

Carrie --- Oh, Dave, I'm sure it was a Republican only effort to help out in New Orleans.  Except for the Republican president...or the Republican head of FEMA...I guess they sent church members as their proxies. ----

Do you have a problem with that?  I was down there with our church earlier this year, 3 weeks in April.  There were thousands of others like us working in the New Orleans area, for free, with our expenses being paid for by the church, and we used our vacation and leave of absence time from work.

Would I have seen you there per chance?

Whenever religion and politics mix, the outcome is not pretty. If anyone thinks that Christian Fundamentalism could not become as violent and intolerant as Islamic Fundamentalism, then people are not reading their history books.  You would think that Christians in this country (of which I am one) would find more than enough to do to live the "values" teachings of Jesus.  For heaven's sake, there are over 2000 entries in the Bible about helping and ministering to the poor (something these "value voters" tend to keep skipping).  

I help with homeless, health care, domestic abuse, poverty issues in my community with my time and dollars and while I hear all these politicians talk about "values" I know that I will never see any of them actually caring about their fellow citizens (except the ones that can write them checks).  

What a ridiculous bunch!

The truth is these candidates are not dumb. They know that if they show up to talk about anything they have'nt prepared for, they will say something wrong and be blasted. They're are all the typical puppets we see from the republican party time and time again. They only say what they are told. They all sound the same, say the same things, and are all ran by the same people. American's are consumers and these politicians are nothing less than products of our consumer society.

Megan - Do I have a problem with what?  With the Bush Administration's handling of Katrina?  Yup, I sure do.  I have a problem with the handling of Katrina at all levels of government - federal, state and local.

If you will back off the defensiveness for a minute, you will see that what I said to Dave was in response to this comment he made:  "All you church bashing people just remember who showed up in New Orleans to help people. I'm sure you all think those were left wing churches, but you're wrong as you can be."  My response, clearly, was to point out to Dave that not everyone who helped out in New Orleans was Republican.  

God doesn't pay the bills.  Real problems need real solutions, not superstition and mythology.

If God's on our side, he'll stop the next war.

Carrie, you say you have a lot of problems with how the government handled Katrina.  The government cannot be the be-all solution to life's problems, but people can be.  I don't get the impression that you did much more about it though then sit behind a crt screen and gripe about something you feel so passionate about.

Try showing up and rolling up your sleeves somewhere where it didn't matter what gender, color, religion, or political party you were, rather then complain about the people that at least tried.

'ROMNEY: The former governor said yesterday that Iranian President Mahmoud Amedinejad “should be greeted ‘with an indictment under the Genocide Convention’” at the UN General Assembly next week.'

Wow, how about indicting American President Bush for torture and violation of human rights, Mitt ?
Although Abu Graib is now 'under new management', I think the water boarding, stress positions and sexual torment of Muslims still occurs in Guantanamo !!
I'd support Bush's, Cheney's, Rumsfeld's,,, ad nauseum indictments and convictions of war crimes.
Is the court room in Nuremburg still available ?Hang 'em high !!

Wasn't it Alberto Gonzalez who called the Geneva Convention 'quaint' and out dated ?? Hmmmmm?
An accessory to the crimes ?

'MoveOn is running a new TV hitting Giuliani for being “AWOL” on the Iraq Study Group.'

Rudy Guiliani has used 911 for his personal enrichment and political gain.
In a way, 911 helps Rudy pay his alimony !!
911 will allow Rudy to marry as many cousins as he likes !!

Jesus wants you cut cut taxes on the rich and keep women 'bare foot and preganant'.
Jesus wanted George Bush to be President, and now he is !!
The Lord works in mysterious ways

Go Megan. Amen.

Carrie I never claimed they were all Republicans. I just claimed they weren't all democrats. Gary Schear I couldn't agree with you more. That BS has been way over blown by people who have no problem with democrats showing up in churches.

McCain said, "The most important thing is that I am a Christian."

And not one of those Mormons !!

It never ceases to amaze me that politicians will use relegion and speak of being God fearing christians. Yet will turn around and lie and use the excuse all politicians lie. How is that christian. And perhaps after having our current President speak continuously of having talks with God they have a right to be frightened. Had God talked back to the president so many mistakes would not have been made.

I think that was an unprovoked pre-emptive strike by Dave, Tn.  He was just emulating his heroes Bush/Cheney. Notice the divisiveness that followed.

Dave, Tenn.

You have really stepped in it.  Were you in New Orleans after Katrina? If you were, you deserve credit for that, but not for your generalized statement about who was there to help.

I am a veteran of the Vietnam era. I was there as a volunteer, less than two weeks after Katrina hit. I lived in a tent at a campsite, as did the rest, for the duration. I stayed until I got word two nights before Rita was due to hit in the vicinity of where I lived in the Houston area.

No one group had a lock on helping, though I can say that the private groups were much more efficient and even ahead of the curve in rendering aid at the point of attack.  The military was inefficient in rendering aid, and only operated well as a late arriving security force.  The individual troops were great as usual, but the problem was that materials were concentrated at depots in a situation where many people had no transportation or were isolated.  In addition, there was poor coordination in meeting the evolving needs of people as the situation changed on the ground, so to speak.  The Red Cross also had great individuals, but as a group was disorganized and overly bureaucratic.

I was with a "liberal group", eventually numbering well over a hundred, working under the umbrella of such groups as the Veterans for Peace, etc.; staging out of Covington, La and ranging with our vehicles into neighborhoods and rural areas all the way to Biloxi and points N and South.  We were blessed with massive amounts of donations of supplies and less so with cash donations.  We had volunteer doctors and other specialists that ventured into the communities.  I may be wrong, but during the time I was there, I know of no other group, private or public, except to a limited degree the Red Cross, than this "liberal" one, that was actually going out into the field supplying people.

It was the single most demanding, heartbreaking, and rewarding experience of my life.  I am Catholic and a moderate Dem, but I never once asked or cared the national origin, race, religion, or politics of the people being helped, nor I'm sure did anyone else around me.

In any event, I have never had so much gratitude or outpouring of love bestowed upon me as I did from the people we helped.  We interfaced with every church and denomination under the sun.

BTW, I found out about the volunteer effort through you guys favorite demon Michael Moore's website.  That probably surprises you.

As usual Ron Paul was very candid with the "Values" debate, and did not take the opportunity to tell them exactly what they wanted to hear. Sometimes getting boos, but also getting second place to Huckabee, the new poster child of the religious right.

Please stop deciding the election for America by referring to the four candidates who receive the most airtime and are the most well financed by lobbyists as the "major" "Fab Four" candidates.

You are ruining America.

Why are they having a debate on Religion, as Presidential Candidates?
The Constitution mean anything?
Seperation of Church and State!

I've been trying to come up with a good name for all the Republican candidates, not just the Fab Four.  So far I have the Smurfs. You all can decide which is lazy, handy, brainy, greedy or papa smurf.

Forget Thompson.  Not voting for a lying, cheating no good Vol.

Ummm, RCW WPB FLA:

There is no "separation of church and state" in the U.S. Constitution. The phrase is taken from a letter by Thomas Jefferson to a Baptist church who felt their liberties were being handed to them as a favor, in their community, rather than God-given & U.S. Guaranteed rights.

Some groups have taken the phrase and said it is Law and Constitution until, as with all well-placed-political-lies-repeated-long-enough, some people have begun to believe this is a U.S. Law.

Jefferson, in his letter, was discussing keeping government from intruding in the God-given/U.S. Guaranteed freedom of religion, thereby creating a wall of separation between church and state.

Asking a candidate their religious beliefs does not mean our nation is governed by any religion. Religious belief, or the absence of, as the case may well be, does give insight to the inner make of a person...as far as they are honest, anyway.

No way is Romney going to be anywhere he would be asked candid questions without rehearsed, memorized answers especially regarding 'faith' and 'values' two words he loves to use--at his leisure.

Romney is the one who started out boasting of 'faith' and 'values' and belief in God, Jesus and the Bible. He's not going to hang around the cooler long enough for anyone who knows better to mention he is misleading Bible-believing voters who know no better:

That when he says he believes in GOD, "Behold I am God; 'MAN' is my name" (eg Moses 7:35) a (deceased) MAN-God with flesh and bones as tangible as man's ([lds]Doctrine and  Covenants 130:22). The JESUS LDS claim isn't mainstream, is, in (LDS)fact, "spirit-brother of Lucifer" (eg [lds]Gospel Principles, ch 3) and while he claims to believe in the Bible, LDS view it as a history, not to live by since they have living prophet/president--living oracles (eg [lds]Journal of Discourses vol.9 p.324).

What Romney Really doesn't want Americans to know, Jihadists will learn, if he is elected president and they read his scripture, and they will. Things like:

The time's coming anyone not heartily for LDS Man-God will be hewn down (J of D vol.3 p.226).

LDS kingdom will govern all people religiously AND politically (J of D vol.11 p.53).

LDS religion is system of government and will eventually govern and control the earth and inhabitants (J of D vol 10, p.320)

LDS are commanded to reveal not while carefully gathering as many into one region as possible--finding favor with the people--until army of [LDS]"ISRAEL" becomes very great--held guiltless--to Constrain kingdoms of the world to acknowledge kingdom of [LDS]"ZION," kingdom of [LDS]God. Jihadists won't have to look too far to find this. It is in the current LDS Doctrine and Covenants 105:23-32. They already hate U.S. and Israel. It won't matter to them that LDS assume phrases and names from Bible/Judaism/Christianity. Just more reason to attack us. It is selfish for Romney to campaign for president at this time, adding fuel to the fire as Jihadists seethe against us.

These are just a few examples of why Romney refuses to answer questions about his 'faith'

As for his 'values' goto www.massresistance.org and click on The Mitt Romney Report and other links down the pages.

For a good look at another who talks of faith, for great comparable differences, goto www.explorehuckabee.com  The man has a long list of qualifications. I checked him out, out of curiosity, and I'm still looking. He has great non-partisan goals for the nation. We need that now, time to heal from these turbulent bi-partisan years. I check 'em all out. (oh, i'm an Independent)

I wonder if the Christian Conservatives will now put their money where their mouths are...and support Mike Huckabee, who was the clear winner of the Values Voter debate.  No way should they be supporting any of the four no-shows.  

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):