we out in the rest of the world are not celebrating America *leading the way*, we're celebrating America *getting back with the program* - Ujjal Dosanjh was the 33rd premiere of BC.

But you better believe that's still cause for pride and celebration.

about something: I am in no way slipping into American exceptionalism. That idea needs to be buried when it comes to our actions in outside of the world, but I'll be damned if I am willing to give up on the idea inside America where anyone can do anything they want. Sure, it's idealistic, but hey, I'm ok with that.

^{“Is not our first thought to go on the road? The road is our source, our vault of treasures, our wealth. Only on the road does the ‘traveller’ feel like himself, at home.”
Ryszard Kapuscinski}

both of those milestones could be long behind us.

But, for as long as I've been aware, discussion of a candidate's "Christianity" has been always a major talking point. The major exception that comes to mind was Nixon, who, while nominally Quaker, did not reflect the values of the Quaker community at large.

But that was when the Republicans were a lot more liberal. In particular, today, this would kill any chance of a Nixon presidency:

The former president noted that he had given up his childhood beliefs in such things as the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible but still believed that God is the Creator and First Cause and that Jesus is the Son of God--but not in the physical sense of the term.

But Nixon had been examined by Billy Graham and found not wanting in the religion department, so he got the job.

On his 90th birthday, preacher prays for Obama, Franklin Graham says

AP, November 7

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Billy Graham's work as a pastor to presidents is coming to an end, but he is praying for Barack Obama as the nation's next leader begins his work, Graham's son said Friday on the aging evangelist's 90th birthday.

Franklin Graham said in an interview that his father's mind remains sharp even as his body continues to fail. But the preacher who has counseled every president beginning with Eisenhower is not in line to mentor Obama.

"My father feels like his time and day for that is over," Franklin Graham said. "But he would certainly like to meet (Obama) and pray with him."

It's hardly a stretch to imagine that any number of officeholders were cynically devout or quietly atheist. Vis-a-vis homosexuality there's speculation about Buchannon and, more recently, Lincoln.

I suspect that a significant fraction of the pro-christian stuff is still hangover from the anti-communist era. "Under god" was supposedly added to the Pledge of Allegiance because Russian communism was atheist.