Andrew Sullivan writes: :

ATHEISTS NEED NOT APPLY: What was Bush thinking with this statement: “President Bush said yesterday that he doesn’t ’see how you can be president without a relationship with the Lord,’ but that he is always mindful to protect the right of others to worship or not worship.” So, out of his beneficence, he won’t trample on others’ religious freedom. But the White House? That’s for Christians only. No Jews? Or atheists? Notice also the evangelical notion of a personal “relationship” with the Lord. That also indicates suspicion of those Christians with different approaches to the divine. I must say this is a new level of religio-political fusion in this administration. To restrict the presidency to a particular religious faith is anathema to this country’s traditions and to the task of toleration. The president surely needs to retract the statement.

Me: Without dwelling on this, a few quick points. First of all, how new is this, really? Do we really think that Jimmy Carter, never mind George Washington, never said that having a relationship with the Lord was helpful to being president? This is how I read Bush’s remarks. Second, How different is this from the spirit of all of Bush’s previous statements (including in two national campaigns) in which he made it clear that he draws sustenance and strength from his relationship with God. I am flummoxed as to why Andrew should be surprised that Bush said it again. Third, the fear that Bush is suspicious of non-evangelical Christians or non-Christians rings a bit hollow considering that yesterday he nominated a Jew to run homeland security and before that he nominated a Catholic (and longtime loyalist) to be his Attorney General. Given his latest hires, how exactly does this new level of “religio-political fusion in this administration” translate itself into policy?

Well, Sullivan says the new policy is that the White House is for “Christians only.” Unfortunately — or rather, fortunately — George W. Bush isn’t in any position to apply a religious test to any president. Bush has absolutely zero authority to “restrict the presidency to a particular religious faith.” He doesn’t hire his replacement, Andrew, we do.

Update: Woops. I’m told that Gonzales attends an Episcopal Church. I don’t think this does terrible violence to my point though.