# Why are all Presidential Candidates religious? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 25, 2003, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-presidential-candidates-religious/215158 "2003-11-25T08:55:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gmork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f19dbf/32.png) [@Gmork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gmork)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-presidential-candidates-religious/215158/21 "2003-11-27T08:36:44Z")
**Shodan** - not to stamp my little foot in dispute or anything - but if you have a cite that verifies that George Bush Snr. never said that about atheists - I’d appreciate it. Mostly because I had been led to believe that he did, and I was going to use that fact in an ongoing argument I’m having with someone. They probably wouldn’t go look it up - but I’d rather not use it if it isn’t a true quote. thanks 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Live\_Better\_Electrically](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@Live\_Better\_Electrically](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Live_Better_Electrically)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-presidential-candidates-religious/215158/22 "2003-11-27T13:01:24Z")
We can’t know what these candidates really think. It’s hard for me to believe that some of the dominion Christians we’ve had in various offices the last couple of decades are sincerely religious, like Rumsfeld, James Watt, possibly George W., etc. Their beliefs are self-serving and don’t seem to require any sacrifices. To me they seem like cynical opportunists, yet Rumsfeld, for one, engages in religious rituals that seem to show a genuine…something. It’s a conundrum. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-presidential-candidates-religious/215158/23 "2003-11-27T16:32:19Z")
> [@](#): > > A line I heard somewhere (some movie or something…) went to the effect that “religion in politics is like catsup…poured liberally over everything”. That would be _The Best Man_. Excellent movie set at the Democratic convention (back when conventions took place without absolute certainty about who the candidate was going to be). James Watt was something of a religious nut. During his Senate confirmation hearing to be Secretary of the Interior, addressing the question of preserving wilderness for future generations, he mentioned that he felt the End Times might not be far away, in which case future generations wouldn’t be an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-presidential-candidates-religious/215158/24 "2003-11-27T17:51:55Z")
Why _wouldn’t_ all presidential candidates be religious? It’s about the oldest propaganda tactic in the book. > [@](#): > > The mayor is here at hand: intend some fear; > Be not you spoke with, but by mighty suit: > And look you get a prayer-book in your hand, > And stand betwixt two churchmen, good my lord; > For on that ground I’ll build a holy descant: > And be not easily won to our request: > Play the maid’s part, still answer nay, and take it. > –Buckingham in _Richard III_ Still works as well now as it did then. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-all-presidential-candidates-religious/215158.md?page=1)