Wow :shock:
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/politics/Holier-Than-Thou-53798357.html
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/politics/Holier-Than-Thou-53798357.html
I need you to knock on doors, talk to neighbors, spread the facts and speak the truth," he told religious leaders and reporters on a conference call that was streamed over the Web at faithforhealth.org.
"This debate over health care goes to the heart of who we are as a people," he said. "I believe that nobody in America should be denied basic health care because he or she lacks health insurance."
Some 140,000 people participated in the call, the coalition of more than 30 faith-based groups that organized the event said in a written statement.
Obama urged the listeners to reject misinformation about his plans, noting, "There are some folks out there who are, frankly, bearing false witness."
The president is using blatant religious language to rally members of the clergy to help push his health-care policy. Furthermore, the "bearing false witness" is language traditionally reserved for issues of major import: Not telling the truth with respect to a crime or sin committed, for example. Using the phrase as a club against those -- like the president -- who are engaged in a political battle -- arguably cheapens it.
Obama got even more in a religious mode later, telling rabbis:
"We are God's partners in matters of life and death," Obama said, according to Moline (paging Sarah Palin...), quoting from the Rosh Hashanah prayer that says that in the holiday period, it is decided "who shall live and who shall die."