Matt Taibbi on John McCain's Problem with the Religious Right

Update: Prominent evangelical leaders to McCain: Don't pick Mitt. We don't trust him.

Matt Taibbi in Rolling Stone discusses the failure of John McCain to consolidate his position as GOP nominee with the religious right, asking: Is this the end of the GOP's unholy alliance?

As written here before, though I happen to disagree with their descriptive facts of the world, those of the religious right whom I have met personally (here in Wisconsin) are earnest and well-intentioned, disdainful of cynicism and involved in the concept of community. And they do not respect liars.

And that's why McCain is not playing well.

(H)is basic stump speech doesn't contain a single line about God or religion. McCain is probably the first Republican in modern history to talk more about 'green technology' than about his personal relationship with Jesus Christ. ...

... Here's the thing about John McCain, and it's never easy to tell whether this is a good quality or a bad one. He's a shitty liar. He may be willing to change his position on anything from immigration to torture to campaign finance at the drop of a hat to win votes, and he may have no problem aiming below the belt — below the knees even — to impugn an opponent's patriotism. But this is not a guy who can get up in front of a churchgoing crowd in Asscrack, Arkansas, and start weeping to Jesus. In fact, he appears to deeply resent the implication that he needs to genuflect to the baby savior at all. As in, 'Hell, I already lived through five years of torture! You want me to do more?'

For more information:

- McCain Extends His Outreach, but Evangelicals Are Still Wary
- McCain's Evangelical Problem
- Religious Right to Kill 2008 Republican Nominee
- Evangelicals deserting ahead of 2008 election