New Leak: Top DNC Official Wanted to Use Bernie Sanders’s Religious Beliefs Against Him

[prehnite]

Among the nearly 20,000 internal emails from the Democratic National Committee, released Friday by Wikileaks and presumably provided by the hacker “Guccifer 2.0,” is a May 2016 message from DNC CFO Brad Marshall. In it, he suggested that the party should "get someone to ask" Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders about his religious

Comments

[invisiblegirlx]

I don't understand why it is such a bad thing to be an atheist in American politics? Outside of the religious right America is becoming much less religious overall.

[sugartitty]

I'm not sure it will be for much longer. I for one would love to have an openly atheist president, and I'm sure the majority of millennials wouldn't have a problem with it either. I honestly don't think it would be a death sentence for a Democratic candidate to be irreligious these days.

[rhysande]

Maybe it's a function of living in a Bible belt state, but Sanders' religion (or lack thereof) was brought up over and over again. Most people on the left that I talk to don't care, just like they don't care about him being a Democratic Socialist. Elections past it would have been a big deal.

[invisiblegirlx]

yeah i think that in terms of electabiliy that religion or lack thereof would not really be important for a Democrat candidate. The folks who wouldn't vote for someone if they aren't religious aren't voting democrat anyway

[fuck_of_nature]

As a whole, Americans still identify closely with their religion, even if they are not practicing. Look how many people still call us a nation built on God within the country and those that look to the Bible to justify their beliefs like anti-LGBT+ sentiments or anti-abortion. I'm not saying that those same people actual emulate Christian or other religious beliefs, but people still identify strongly with a religion.

There is still some animosity/distrust of people who don't have a religious belief, but it is fading. I agree with poster above who said having an atheist in elected positions shouldn't be a problem much longer, but it will probably still be an issue for another presidential election or two.