By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Shocking many political observers, militant atheists on the Democratic Party’s platform committee successfully pushed through a resolution that purged the Democratic Party’s platform of any acknowledgment of a higher power. In a similarly shocking development the same platform committee at the urging of the Muslim dominated Michigan delegation rejected a 2008 Democratic Party Platform plank that acknowledged that the Capitol of Israel is Jerusalem. Democratic Party leaders used an unusual floor vote of the entire convention to over ride the two platform changes made by its own Democratic Party National Convention platform committee. God and Jerusalem were both restored to the platform, though the outcome of the voice vote was very close.
Republicans were quick to pounce on the Democrats controversy.
Alabama Republican Party Chairman Bill Armistead said in a written statement, “What I think I found most offensive in the Democratic Party’s new platform was what they left out God. They removed every mention of our Creator’s name.” “Striking God from the Democratic Party platform is not a trifle. I was also disturbed to learn that they removed the language acknowledging Jerusalem as the capital city of our ally, Israel.”
Chairman Armistead said, “Mark Kennedy and the Alabama Democratic Party have made it clear that they embrace the radical agenda of the National Democratic Party. One of their delegates, Darrell Turner, who is the Chairman of the Cleburne County Democratic Party, is a member of the DNC Platform Committee and told the Montgomery Advertiser that he is ‘an agent to help get the program to the rest of the convention for them to vote on.’ Well, I’m glad that someone in leadership with the Alabama Democratic Party has made it clear that Alabama Democrats stand on this radical, liberal National Democratic Party platform. But I have news for them. This new platform is not a reflection of what Alabama voters believe. And it’s not a reflection of what most Alabama Democrat voters believe. Chairman Kennedy, stop misleading Alabama voters by claiming to be conservative. And once again, I remind conservative voters in Alabama that the Alabama Democratic Party has left you and your values behind.”
Moderate Democrats were aghast at the strange but highly organized revolt by their party’s more extreme elements.
Alabama State Representative Joe Hubbard (D) from Montgomery said on Facebook, “As the national parties race to the fringe, I wonder where those of us in the middle are supposed to go?” “Make no mistake, both parties are racing to the fringe for the very reason you mention – that is where their power base is. And, did I mention the Democratic platform is wholly and utterly devoid of any mention of God?”
Democratic Party strategist and former Clinton Administration Paul Begala called the raucous floor vote in which Democratic delegates were literally booing God an “embarrassing” mistake and was an error. Begala said, “It was stupid.” “We are a people of faith and the Democratic Party reflects that faith.”
Former President Bill Clinton later launched into a lengthy 49 minute speech to attempt to convince moderate swing voters to give President Obama four more years in office.
