In the Washington Post today, liberal columnist (and former Post reporter) Ruth Marcus reports that the Democrats are scrambling for the more moderate edges of the evangelical Christian vote, but toward the end, she worried that the Democrats were scrambling away from “core principles.” She was distressed that Howard Dean was softening on so-called “gay marriage” on “The 700 Club.” She was fine with Hillary Clinton talking about the “tragedy” of abortion. But, in the end, she confessed being “awfully nervous” when a spokesman for Redeem the Vote said of abortion, “As long as the national Democratic Party makes that a centerpiece of their platform or something they’re advocating, as long as that’s front and center and they’re saying women have a right to do this, it’s going to turn off religious voters.”
Marcus concluded by laying down that abortion should be at the center of Democratic principles: “So, by all means, let Democrats woo evangelicals and cast the message in a way that speaks to religious voters. But in doing so, keep in mind: What does it profit a party to gain a demographic but lose its soul?”
That’s an interesting way to put it. Evangelical Christians should know that the “soul” of the Democratic party is the staunch defense of legalized abortion and the celebration of homosexuality.