The Big Sort : Evangelicals

How Running a Campaign Is Like Building a Megachurch

Bill Bishop — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:47:00 GMT

The model for the modern political campaign is the evangelical megachurch. This isn't a partisan observation. Both George Bush in 2004 and Barack Obama adopted the basic organizing techniques that many ministers have been using since the 1970s to grow...(read more)

If This Is a "Change" Election, Then What's Changed?

Bill Bishop — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:56:00 GMT

Let's consider what's not new in this election. There's a lot. The last five or six elections have been pushed along by trends that have been in place since the mid-1970s. Despite the extraordinary circumstances this year, the basic political contours...(read more)

So What If They Didn't Talk? The Differences Were Still Fundamental.

Bill Bishop — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:29:00 GMT

Just a few minutes into Friday's debate and Jim Lehrer was already exasperated. The moderator wanted McCain and Obama to talk to each other. (Did he expect the candidates to banter away the next 90 minutes like two buddies in a fishing boat?) And Lehrer...(read more)