Obama Intervenes, Democrats Reinsert God And Jerusalem Into Platform

Democrats, after enduring a day of attacks by Republicans, added the words “God” and “Jerusalem” back into the DNC 2012 platform, after President Obama intervened personally. Televangelist Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network, in a so-called “exclusive” report by David Brody, first noticed that there was no mention of the word “God,” and the position that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, had not been included in the platform.

“A source informed on the deliberations told The Huffington Post that President Obama personally interevened to strenghten the language,” the Huffington Post reported:

But when Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villagairosa, the convention chairman, came to the podium to ask for the approval of the delegates, those who shouted opposition to the language change were as loud, if not louder, than those who voiced their support.

Villagairosa, in what quickly became an awkward moment, asked for the voice vote three times in all. After the second time, he paused for several seconds and looked behind him for guidance from a convention staffer — possibly a parliamentarian — before turning back and asking for a third vote.

Even though the no’s were again as loud if not louder than the aye’s on the third vote, Villagairosa said he had determined that two thirds of those present had voted in favor. Boos filled the arena in response.

READ: Democratic National Committee 2012 Platform — Complete, prior to today’s change

 

The right, having little else to attack Democrats on, have been calling liberals “godless.”

ABC News, prior to the replacement, noted:

Paul Ryan weighed in Wednesday on the Democrats’ 2012 platform, which makes no reference to “God,” calling the omission “rather peculiar.”

“It’s not in keeping with our founding documents, our founding vision, but I guess you would have to ask the Obama administration why they purged all this language from their platform,” Ryan said on Fox News.

The word God is not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution. The word “Nature’s God” appears once in the Declaration of Independence, alongside mention of the word “Creator.”

The new platform refers to faith, saying it “has always been a central part of the American story.”  It also says the US was founded on the principle of religious freedom and the ability of people to worship as they please. It praises the work of faith-based organizations.

One well-known LGBT blogger offered this response via Twitter:

Republicans worry more about having the word ‘God’ in a platform more than having God’s love in their hearts.

— Holy Bullies (@holybullies) September 5, 2012

 

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