The ‘God Bless America’ Test

by David Domke and Kevin Coe
The Seattle Times

For Barack Obama, campaign 2008 has been a series of absurd but consequential tests.

First, there was the faith test: Profess publicly that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior. Each candidate faced this test, but the stakes were higher for Obama because of the whispering campaign that he was (gasp!) a Muslim. He passed this test by often beginning speeches with “Giving all praise and honor to God” and noticeably ratcheting up his Christian references in key contexts.

Then there was the patriotism test: Recite the Pledge of Allegiance and wear an American flag lapel pin. Some falsely said that Obama hasn’t always done the former, whereas it is the case that Obama has not always done the latter, and he offered this response: “I’m less concerned about what you’re wearing on your lapel than what’s in your heart.” This comment was lauded on the left and jeered on the right. Given that the left matters more for Obama in the primary season, he cleared the bar.

Having passed the God test and the country test, Obama recently has been subjected to the God and country test: Embrace the nation’s beloved slogan, “God bless America.”

When the Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s remix of this political favorite began to hit the airwaves, Obama appeared on several cable-news programs to attempt damage control. In a CNN interview, Anderson Cooper put this question to Obama: “Just for the record, you have no problem singing ‘God Bless America’?” Obama laughed the question off, joking that his lack of vocal ability wouldn’t allow it.

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