THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 18, 1995 TAG: 9509180114
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Guy Friddell
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
``Religion and politics don't mix,'' our elders used to warn, long ago.
And, truly, when mixed, the two can become highly combustible.
As threatened Sept. 10 when Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi blended them on CBS' ``Face the Nation.''
Moderator Bob Schieffer noted that Pat Robertson says his plan is for the Christian Coalition to take over the GOP in all 50 states.
``How does that sit with you?'' he asked Lott.
``Well, you know what really concerns me, the converse of that, is how little religious activity you have going on in the Democratic Party. That - that is something we should worry about,'' Lott said. ``We (Republicans) welcome people.''
``Oh, come now!'' Schieffer said.
Lott: ``Absolutely! We welcome people of all faiths in the Republican Party. They're not just - ''
Schieffer cut in: ``Well, now how - I must - I certainly must challenge you. You're not saying the Democrats are not religious.''
Lott: ``No, but I'm saying they seem to have a religious intolerance. They seem to say that people of religious faith should not be involved. That's what upsets me - ''
Again, Schieffer cut in: ``I don't believe I've ever heard that.''
``Well,'' Lott began.
Schieffer: ``I'm not here to be a spokesman for the Democratic Party by any stretch of the imagination.''
Lott: ``Well, they seem to be saying that there's something wrong with . .
Schieffer cut in: ``but I don't think I've heard anybody say that.''
Lott, continuing: ``. . . Christians and Jews and Catholics being involved in the Republican Party. I'm not threatened by people of faith being involved in the Republican Party.''
``All right,'' said Schieffer.
``I am one,'' said Lott.
``We'll let it go at that,'' said Schieffer.
Jocular Lott has a squarish face and good-natured grin, like James Garner playing Maverick. Next day he had more to say in the Senate.
His apology or clarification took three-quarters of a column in the Congressional Record.
Midway, he went into his wind-up, saying: ``I meant to express the hope that our fellow citizens, whose religious beliefs lead them to advocate school prayer, engage in home-schooling, or oppose abortion, could feel equally at home on either side of the fence.
``I did not mean to imply, and I regret it if my comments suggested otherwise, that the Democratic Party is without religious members.
``That of course is not the case. Neither party has a monopoly on faith, although, judging from the result of the 1994 elections, the GOP does seem to have a better track record with miracles. . .
``I have the greatest respect for the diversity of faith represented within both Republican and Democratic ranks. And I close with the observation that during the next two months or so, as the Senate deals with the hardest, toughest issues of the day, both sides of the aisle here will need our share of prayers.''
Which ought to include a prayer for guidance in refraining from smearing one another over religion.
Another saying of long ago was, after somebody had a harrowing ordeal: ``It made a Christian of him.''
Bob Schieffer, persisting, made a Christian - for that moment - of Trent Lott. by CNB