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Obama at the Intersection of Religion and Politics

Posted February 4th, 2016 at 4:16 pm (UTC-4)
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During a 24-hour span, President Barack Obama walked that line between American politics and American religion. On Wednesday’s first-of-his-presidency visit to a mosque, Obama thanked Muslim-Americans for their service to the country and acknowledged their concerns and fears of being targeted or blamed when terrorists strike. He assured Muslims — especially the young — that they fit in the American fabric, exhorting “You are not Muslim or American. You are Muslim and American.” Thursday, Obama took advantage of the annual National Prayer Breakfast to press the mostly Christian audience to reject an underlying theme in the presidential campaign, saying “faith is the great cure for fear.” The president’s high-wire act has drawn both praise and scorn.