The God Strategy

This volume offers a timely and dynamic study of the rise of religion in American politics examining the public messages of political leaders over the past seventy-five years. The authors show that U.S. politics today is defined by a calculated deliberate and partisan use of faith that is unprecedented in modern politics. Beginning with the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 America has seen a no-holds-barred religious politics that seeks to attract voters identify and attack enemies and solidify power. Domke and Coe identify a set of religious signals sent by both Republicans and Democrats in speeches party platforms proclamations visits to audiences of faith and even celebrations of Christmas. The updated edition of this ground-breaking book includes a new preface an updated analysis of the last Bush administration as well as a new final chapter on the Jeremiah Wright controversy the candidacies of Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin and Barack Obama''s victory.