THE BRIEFING | Lisa Sergent
Mitt Romney, presumed Republican Presidential nominee, announced his pick for a vice-presidential running mate over the weekend. Romney, a Mormon, selected Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, a Catholic. The announcement is fodder for pundits who question the impact of a conservative ticket where Protestants and/or Evangelicals are absent.
Time Magazine’s Swampland 2012 Election blog noted:
The press has already made much of the fact that neither Romney nor Ryan is Protestant—but Mark DeMoss, an evangelical adviser to Romney, argues denomination is not a determining factor in the evangelical vote, which leans Republican. “Since the vast majority of evangelicals are more concerned about the values of a candidate than the religion or denomination, I don’t think it matters that there is not a Protestant on the Republican ticket,” he says.
Ryan’s Catholicism is also a reminder that the U.S. has accepted politicians from faith groups it once marginalized. “The Ryan pick demonstrates how completely mainstream Catholicism has become,” says Campbell. “Romney has a religious background that makes some voters wary, not unlike Catholicism in the days of John Kennedy.” Mormonism appears to be on the same track toward widespread cultural acceptance. Read it all
Newsmax.com chimed in:
With Romney’s appointment of Catholic Paul Ryan, one can now expect President Barack Obama to make a vibrant appeal to evangelical voters in the upcoming general election. There will be another, newer version of “the Joshua project” which he launched last time. The Obama team will hope that evangelicals just stay home. The Mormon-Catholic ticket of Romney-Ryan will have to hope that evangelicals vote against Obama, if not for them. Read more
Meanwhile over at Politico:
From the conservative blogosphere to state party leaders, the Ryan pick was greeted with a great deal of enthusiasm Saturday. “It really solidifies allegiance to Romney and support among conservatives,” said Faith and Freedom Coalition President Ralph Reed, who described Ryan as “very popular” among grass-roots evangelicals. “This selection lays to rest lingering questions about whether Romney can be trusted among conservatives.” Read the rest
Sex in movies influences teens’ behavior, study confirms
Exposure to sexual content in movies leads teenagers to have sex earlier and to participate in riskier sexual behavior, a study has confirmed. The study, published in Psychological Science, said roughly 85 percent of movies released from 1950 to 2006 contained sexual content. Sexual explicitness of PG-13-rated and R-rated movies has increased over the past decade, researchers also said. Evidence suggests that adolescents’ sexual attitudes and behavior are influenced more by movies than by other forms of media, the study said. Find out more about the study at BPnews.net.
Christian baker criticized for ban on gay wedding cakes
The owner of a Colorado bakery said in spite of picket lines and online petitions he will not change a store policy against baking wedding cakes for homosexual couples — a policy that critics call hateful and bigoted.
More than 5,300 people have signed an online petition calling on the Masterpiece Cake Shop to ends its policy banning gay wedding cakes. Several dozen people picketed the privately owned store in Lakewood, Colo.
“I’m not going to change my business because of a petition,” Jack Phillips, the owner of the cake shop, told the Denver Post. “I’m just going to do the best I can do to honor Jesus Christ.” Learn more from Todd Starnes.
Komen leaders step down months after flap
Susan G. Komen’s top two leaders will leave their current positions in changes announced about six months after the world’s leading breast cancer charity reversed its decision to defund Planned Parenthood amid an onslaught of criticism.
Komen announced Aug. 8 its founder, Nancy Brinker, will step down as chief executive officer to become chair of its board’s executive committee and concentrate on “revenue creation, strategy and global growth.” Komen President Elizabeth Thompson announced her resignation at the same time. The charity also disclosed the departure of two of its board members. Read more about the changes at Komen.
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