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Program Particulars
*Times indicated refer to web version of audio
(01:38–03:48) Music:
"The Multiples of One" from Awakening, performed by Joseph Curiale
(03:56) Newspaper Headlines
The first citation by Krista appeared in the Christianity Today column "Weblog: 'Moral Values' Carry Bush to Victory" (November 3, 2004):
The presidential race is no longer in doubt, and Election Day's headline is written: In a time of economic uncertainty and international instability, "moral values" is the most important issue in the minds of American voters.
The second citation was excerpted from a New York Times article "Moral Values Cited as a Defining Issue of the Election" (November 4, 2004) by Katharine Q. Seelye:
Even in a time of war and economic hardship, Americans said they were motivated to vote for President Bush on Tuesday by moral values as much as anything else, according to a survey of voters as they left their polling places. In the survey, a striking portrait of one influential group emerged — that of a traditional, church-going electorate that leans conservative on social issues and strongly backed Mr. Bush in his victory over Senator John Kerry, the Democratic nominee.
(04:32) Reference to Exit Poll
Waldman is referring to an exit poll for the 2004 election day that was conducted by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International on behalf of major news organizations, including CBS, CNN, and NBC. The question asked was:
Which ONE issue mattered most in deciding how you voted for president? (Check only one.)
Category % Total Kerry Bush Nader Taxes 5 43 57 0 Education 4 73 26 - Iraq 15 73 26 0 Terrorism 19 14 86 0 Economy/Jobs 20 80 18 0 Moral values 22 18 80 1 Health care 8 77 23 -
In the Beliefnet article, "The Mixed Message of 'Moral Values'", Waldman writes about the three-quarters of voters who didn't cite "moral values" as their key issue.
(07:00) Citation of Pew Study
An Associated Press article appearing in USA Today "Survey: Format influenced voter priorities" (November 12, 2004) cited a Pew Research Center study, which found that voters' key issues depended on the framing of the question and whether the subject "moral values" was included in a list of choices provided by polling organizations:
When "moral values" was included in poll questions, it was named more often than any other issue. But when voters were just asked to name the issue most important in their vote for president — without being given a list of answers — moral values trailed the war in Iraq and the economy, according to the Pew survey.
Comparing the exit poll results for the 2004 election and the 2000 election, Senator Kerry won 47 percent and President Bush 52 percent of the Catholic vote, whereas Vice-President Gore won 50 percent and Governor Bush only 46 percent of the same constituency.
(08:36–10:09) Music:
"Frost Circus" from Mummer, performed by XTC
(15:50) Entertaining Statements in the Press
Zell Miller, a retired Democratic senator from Georgia and a contributor to Fox News Channel, said of New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd on MSNBC's Imus in the Morning (November 9, 2004): "You can just see the horns sprouting up through that Technicolor hair."
The quotes from Newt Gingrich and Jon Stewart cited appeared in Frank Rich's essay, "On 'Moral Values,' It's Blue in A Landslide" from the November 14, 2004 edition of The New York Times:
"It really is Michael Moore versus Mel Gibson," said Newt Gingrich. To Jon Stewart, Nov. 2 was the red states' revenge on "Will & Grace." William Safire, speaking on "Meet the Press," called the Janet Jackson fracas "the social-political event of the past year." Karl Rove was of the same mind: "I think it's people who are concerned about the coarseness of our culture, about what they see on the television sets, what they see in the movies …"
(16:45–18:23) Music:
"Minor Blue" from Journal October, performed by David Darling
(17:38) Citation of Waldman Article
In his article "Perverted, God-Hating Frenchies vs. Inbred, Sex-Obsessed Yokels," Waldman writes about five truths about liberals and conservatives that each side doesn't understand about each other.
Truth about Liberals Truth about Conservatives #1: They're just as moral as conservatives. They're just as smart as liberals. #2: Most are religious. They don't want a religious dictatorship. #3: They believe history is on the side of tolerance. The pro-life position is born of compassion. #4: Most support separation of church and state to protect religion. They feel under assault. #5: Family values are revered. They believe American culture has become an insult to God.
(22:16) Column by Frank Rich
In the November 14, 2004 article from The New York Times, "On 'Moral Values,' It's Blue in a Landslide," Frank Rich writes:
There's only one problem with the storyline proclaiming that the country swung to the right on cultural issues in 2004. Like so many other narratives that immediately calcify into our 24/7 media's conventional wisdom, it is fiction. Everything about the election results — and about American culture itself — confirms an inescapable reality: John Kerry's defeat notwithstanding, it's blue America, not red, that is inexorably winning the culture war, and by a landslide. Kerry voters who have been flagellating themselves since Election Day with a vengeance worthy of "The Passion of the Christ" should wake up and smell the Chardonnay.
The blue ascendancy is nearly as strong among Republicans as it is among Democrats. Those whose "moral values" are invested in cultural heroes like the accused loofah fetishist Bill O'Reilly and the self-gratifying drug consumer Rush Limbaugh are surely joking when they turn apoplectic over MTV. William Bennett's name is now as synonymous with Las Vegas as silicone. The Democrats' Ashton Kutcher is trumped by the Republicans' Britney Spears. Excess and vulgarity, as always, enjoy a vast, bipartisan constituency, and in a democracy no political party will ever stamp them out.
(25:46–27:48) Music:
"Prelude No. 24, BWV 869" from Music for Two, performed by Béla Fleck & Edgar Meyer
(29:46) Actuality from Meet the Press
The audio clip was excerpted from the NBC News program Meet the Press on November 28, 2004. The program featured Dr. Jerry Falwell, Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jim Wallis, and Dr. Richard Land and focused primarily on the issues of abortion and gay marriage:
Rev. Wallis: Well, the pope was against the war in Iraq. The pope was against President Bush on the war in Iraq. War and peace is a life issue, too. Social justice is a moral issue, too.
Dr. Falwell: Anyone who takes the Bible seriously believes that family…
Rev. Wallis: If we could define these more broadly…
Dr. Falwell: …is one man married to one woman. Anyone who takes the Bible seriously. Anyone who takes the Bible seriously believes that life is sacred from conception on.
Rev. Sharpton: And anyone that takes the Bible seriously gives people the right to disagree even with their beliefs. This country was founded with freedom of religion. It is unpatriotic to impose…
Dr. Falwell: Well, then that's where we want to—why were you against slavery? Why were you against slavery?
Rev. Sharpton: I was against slavery because slavery imposed the will of some on others.
Dr. Land: Well, if there's no demand, than it's the same thing.
(31:25) Citation from New York Times Article
Krista cited an article by Stephanie Rosenbloom, "Religious Leaders Clash on Meet the Press," published in the November 28, 2004 edition of The New York Times: "At the heart of this debate is the separation of church and state in America."
(32:07) Reference to Crèches
A crèche is a representation of the infant Jesus in the manger, usually surrounded by figures of Mary and Joseph, and often includes figures of shepherds, animals, and the three wise men. The scenes depicting the birth of Jesus are created from materials such as straw and porcelain, and can be found in cultures spanning the globe. In many Christian faiths, it's commonly referred to as the Christmas Crib or the Nativity Scene, which was popularized by Francis of Assisi in his celebration at Greccio, Italy, in 1223.
In the Speaking of Faith program, "Hanukkah, and a Rediscovery of Jewish Customs," book designer Scott-Martin Kosofsky discusses the meaning of Jewish customs, scripture, and prayer, as well as the story behind the lighting of the menorah.
Electoral map of the 1800 election.
(33:02) Election of 1800
Considered one of the most acrimonious presidential campaigns, the election of 1800 brought a serious constitutional crisis to the forefront of American politics. President John Adams of the newly formed Federalist party faced his 1796 opponent in Vice President Thomas Jefferson of the Democratic-Republican party. The heated contest centered on two major campaign issues: the Alien and Sedition Acts and the high taxes and enlarged army, in which the Republicans asserted the acts threatened the liberty of American citizens.
Due to a tie in electoral votes between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, the election was moved to the House of Representatives. On the thirty-sixth ballot, the House declared Jefferson the president and his running mate the vice president. As a result, the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1804 providing that electors make a distinct choice between their selections for President and Vice President.
(38:00–39:06) Music:
"River Out Back" from Midnight on the Water, performed by Mark O'Connor
(45:26–45:48) Music:
"River Out Back" from Midnight on the Water, performed by Mark O'Connor
(47:12) Reference to Andrew Sullivan
Waldman says that many of the high-trafficked political Web sites and blogs appeal to the most fervent supporters, with the one of the exceptions being Andrew Sullivan's blog. Sullivan is a senior editor at The New Republic and a columnist for Time magazine.
(48:18–51:00) Music:
"Prelude" from Song of Hope, performed by Bruce Stark
(50:58–52:48) Music:
"Prelude No. 24, BWV 869" from Music for Two, performed by Béla Fleck & Edgar Meyer