2008 Woodie Awards
Kalb report participates weigh role of morals in election
The panel clarified the issue by designating moral values as differences in Bush and Kerry's stances on abortion and gay marriage.
Winston said the Bush strategy capitalized on religious differences between the two candidates.
"When I went down to the Bush campaign, I saw that they were very clear about the strategy, which was to put Kerry outside of the mainstream," he said. "The Bush people said, 'We are not running an anti-abortion campaign.'"
Greenberg said Democrats were unable to beat Bush on the religion issue because of the president's ability to relate to a vast group of voters.
"Bush is brilliant at speaking to his base, but also at speaking in code like 'the culture of life,' partly because he knows being anti-gay and anti-abortion is alienating," she said. "By and large, the Democrats don't know how to make arguments like this."
Zoll, speaking about the religion issue, said, "To see someone like George Bush say he believes in the Bible and Christ, that motivates (evangelists) very much."
Analysts also pointed to greater problems for Kerry than a failure to win Christian and evangelical voters.
"The narrative line of liberalism is, 'We're moving from belief to skepticism,' as most modern movements are going," Barone said.
Winston added that "religion is the tip of the iceberg," and said Bush simply did a better job appealing to moderate voters.
He said, "Ultimately, elections are more geared toward the center and this president created a dialogue with the center."
Winston said the Bush strategy capitalized on religious differences between the two candidates.
"When I went down to the Bush campaign, I saw that they were very clear about the strategy, which was to put Kerry outside of the mainstream," he said. "The Bush people said, 'We are not running an anti-abortion campaign.'"
Greenberg said Democrats were unable to beat Bush on the religion issue because of the president's ability to relate to a vast group of voters.
"Bush is brilliant at speaking to his base, but also at speaking in code like 'the culture of life,' partly because he knows being anti-gay and anti-abortion is alienating," she said. "By and large, the Democrats don't know how to make arguments like this."
Zoll, speaking about the religion issue, said, "To see someone like George Bush say he believes in the Bible and Christ, that motivates (evangelists) very much."
Analysts also pointed to greater problems for Kerry than a failure to win Christian and evangelical voters.
"The narrative line of liberalism is, 'We're moving from belief to skepticism,' as most modern movements are going," Barone said.
Winston added that "religion is the tip of the iceberg," and said Bush simply did a better job appealing to moderate voters.
He said, "Ultimately, elections are more geared toward the center and this president created a dialogue with the center."
