NM Dems Closing the "God Gap" - Part Deux

For years Republicans appealed to people of faith with their Moral Majority and faith-based programs. President Bush even promised to be a compassionate conservative.

Now Democrats want to broaden their appeal to churches and Christian groups.

770 KKOB's Morning Show Host Bob Clark talked with me about Clyburn's visit and the impact it may have on this fall's election.

Listen to AUDIO from the segment here.

Like President Carter, who promised "Never To Lie," Democrats say they "walk the walk, not just talk the talk." They believe their moral convictions are more in tune with the beliefs of Christians, especially regarding important issues on poverty, health care, the environment and the war.

Last week God's House church, in Albuquerque, hosted a prayer breakfast for Martin Heinrich. The keynote speaker was U.S. House Majority Whip James Clyburn.

You can read about the origins of the God Gap in this 2007 Time Magazine article.

From Publisher's Weekly:
Senior Time editor Amy Sullivan says trying to understand American politics without looking at religion would be like trying to understand the politics of the Middle East without paying attention to oil. Her fresh look at the God gap reveals the chasm's depths and offers a bridge across. Sullivan, an evangelical, discusses party process as the Catholic and white evangelical vote for Democrats declined sharply in the 1980s. The story of this shift is as fascinating as it is timely. Starting in the 1960s, she traces the Second Vatican Council's impact on Catholics and the rise of Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority, and the effects of these changes upon politics. Sullivan focuses with special sharpness on John Kerry, a case study in how to mishandle religion during a political race and challenges the conventional wisdom that the right was religious and the left wanted religion scrubbed from the public square. Evangelical and political conservatives may be related, but they are not synonymous, says Sullivan; Clinton, after all, is a genuine Southern evangelical. Sullivan's account argues persuasively and optimistically that politically liberal and theologically orthodox evangelicals can be brought back to the Democratic Party.

Heinrich Blames Bush for Job Losses in New Mexico

On Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the unemployment rate in New Mexico just went up for the third straight month. In fact, 1000 jobs were lost in June alone.

We caught up with Congressional Candidate Martin Heinrich (D) and U.S. House Majority Whip James Clyburn at a Faith & Politics prayer breakfast at God’s House Church.

Heinrich blames the job losses on the current administration. He says George Bush's economic policies are responsible for the failing economic conditions.

Heinrich told us in this AUDIO INTERVIEW that he wants to get serious about developing the energy economy because he believes jobs in the solar power industry, like the one's at Mesa Del Sol's Schott Solar, will create new jobs for New Mexicans. He also says if elected he’ll look at trade policies.

Speaking of energy, I asked him where he gets his energy for the long days of campaigning, and he told me his kids are an incredible source of renewable energy.

Heinrich’s guest at the breakfast was Congressman James Clyburn -South Carolina (D). Clyburn said he's "committed to engaging the faith community in an effort to establish a broad coalition to address issues in New Mexico."

Clyburn also told us in this AUDIO INTERVIEW that President George Bush’s compassionate conservatism and faith based programs didn’t work.

Clyburn says progressives don’t want to just show compassion, they want to demonstrate it with their works.

The senior congressman said he’s concerned about the loss of jobs here, and nationwide. He says he wants to expand his innovative STEM program, look at ways to stimulate job creation, and he says the country can’t drill its way out of the current energy crisis.

The powerful former Black Congressional Caucus Chairman, says a permit has been granted to Duke Power, in his home state of South Carolina, to construct a new nuclear power plant. It will be the first in 40 years. He believes New Mexico residents are nuclear tolerant and should consider a power plant in its energy mix.

NM Politics Writer Heath Haussamen reports on State Auditor Hector Baldera's reaction to the unemployment numbers on his blog, NM Politics.Net Balderas touted Barack Obama's economic plan on Friday morning.