The Rev. Al Sharpton, left, a former Democratic presidential candidate, debates the Rev. Jerry Falwell, who, along with other conservative religious leaders, has linked support for President Bush's Social Security plan to his backing of a gay marriage ban.The Detroit News Poll
Few fear Bush's ties to religious right
Most Michiganians don't think evangelicals will have a greater role in president's 2nd term.
Most Michigan residents want their president to have a spiritual compass, and they don't fear that President Bush will be held captive by the religious right, which helped elect him to a second term.
A Detroit News poll of 600 Michigan voters taken Jan. 26-31 shows three-quarters believe the president should have strong religious beliefs.
And it confirms that moral values strongly motivate Michigan voters. The survey shows 18 percent gave moral values top consideration in their vote for president, closely trailing the war in Iraq and the economy, which each drew 21 percent.
"Yes, moral values are important on who I vote for. One always has the pipe dream that the candidate has some moral values, that you're getting an honest person," said Susan Frump, 58, a homemaker from Farmington Hills.
When asked whether evangelical Christians will have more clout in Bush's decision-making this term, only 18 percent said yes, while 8 percent said less influence and six in 10 said about the same. Even two-thirds of frequent churchgoers said they expect the Christian right to have no greater role over the next four years.
"Many evangelical organizational leaders immediately after the election claimed Bush owed the election to evangelicals. They said there would be a payback," said Corwin Smidt, director of the Paul B. Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics at Calvin College. "This poll indicates the people in the trenches don't necessarily subscribe to that point of view."
News pollster Steve Mitchell said the poll indicates a clear majority of Michiganians worry about the nation's moral course.
"There are strong concerns about popular culture and how it's lowering moral standards, and that cuts across just about all demographic groups," Mitchell said. "Groups that are clearly more concerned are women, older voters, Republicans and those who frequently attend religious services.
Asked about the influence of evangelical Christians on the White House, 39 percent of voters said "too much," while 14 percent said "too little" and 47 percent said the "right amount." Viewed along partisan lines, though, a different picture emerges.
While 12 percent of Republicans thought the Christian right had too much influence, the number rose to 64 percent among Democrats and 50 percent among independents.
Evangelicals are counting on Bush to back them on efforts to ban gay marriage, appoint anti-abortion Supreme Court justices and place tougher restrictions on teens obtaining abortions without parental notification. A group of religious leaders including the Rev. Jerry Falwell recently upped the ante in a memo to Bush aides, saying that unless the administration worked harder for a gay marriage ban, they might find it difficult to support the president in his efforts to overhaul Social Security.
More than four in 10 of the Michigan poll respondents agreed that people with strong religious beliefs are discriminated against.
"Today, it's hard for Christian people to speak out without being branded lunatics or fanatics," said Diane Deming, a homemaker from Bay Port, in the Thumb. "If moral issues in this country are kept straight, the country will run right."
About seven in 10 of those surveyed said they thought sex, violence and profanity on TV are lowering the nation's moral standards, and eight in 10 say the entertainment industry should make a serious effort to reduce the amount of violence and sex in movies, television and music.
Said Donna Caruss, a poll respondent from Farmington Hills: "It really aggravates me that Hollywood doesn't crack down on it."
Nearly half of those surveyed said the popular entertainment media include too many gay themes and characters.
"Gay people are playing a role in the corruption of our society," said Thomas Sockow, a 42-year-old carpenter and father of five from Pinckney. "Not only is it unnatural, it's physically unhealthy and leads to a breakdown of the family and the marriage vow."
You can reach Mark Hornbeck at (313) 222-2470 or mhornbeck@detnews.com.
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