EXCLUSIVE: Obama Religious Team Meets with House Members July 30, 2008 [David Brody]
The Brody File has learned that the Obama campaign met with over 30 House members and senior staff this morning to strategize on Obama's faith outreach strategy this fall.
A meeting participant tells The Brody File it was a "high level strategy session" that focused on how to stress Barack Obama's family values and how to respond to faith based attacks from his religious conservative critics on the right. The off-the-record briefing was led by Obama's religious outreach team and when the meeting was over, House members and senior staff in the room agreed to host values forums in their district and talk publicly about Obama's family values in their surrogate work. The meeting focused quite a bit on Catholic outreach. According to one member in the room, the mood was very positive and upbeat.
House members present included Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and Congressman Tim Ryan (they both have been working on a House bill that would work to reduce the amount of abortions in the country) Congressman Mel Watt, former Congressman Tim Roemer, speaker Pelosi's senior advisor and others. During the meeting, Congresswoman DeLauro told the group the following: "It's a miracle that we're even in this room, as Democrats. But we're not here for show; we're here for work."
And folks, that's the important point to remember here. The Democratic Party is serious about courting faith voters. The tables have been turned. The Democrats are serious about this.
John Kerry wasn't the best candidate to carry out that faith message in 2004. But fast forward to 2008 and in steps Barack Obama. He has a faith narrative that complements what the DNC has been trying to do the last 5 years or so. It's a match made in Heaven so to speak.