How Religion May Affect Presidential Candidates Obama and McCain

Analysts are predicting that religion has the potential to play a major, negative role in the campaigns of Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, according to Ed Stoddard from Reuters. The controversial issue that surrounds Obama is the comments that were made by Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Obama's former pastor, who made controversial remarks in response to the tragic destruction of the World Trade Center that occurred on September 11, 2001.

Though the comments were made awhile ago, opinion polls continue to show that some voters are still angered by the fact that the two men were once associated together, according to Stoddard. The religious affect on McCain's campaign stems from the conservative evangelical base. This base, which strongly backed current Republican President George W. Bush, has negative feelings towards McCain because of his past.

According to Stoddard, McCain has not supported a federal ban on gay marriage and has publicly supported research for stem-cells. Though the religious issues that negatively affect each candidate stem from their past, it will be critical for each candidate in the coming months to rid themselves of religious controversy that would negatively affect their chances of winning the election.