Barack Bashes Right for 'Hijacking' Faith

Barack Obama assailed right-wing evangelical leaders yesterday, accusing them of "hijacking" faith and politicizing religion, the Daily News reports. Addressing the national conference of the United Church of Christ, he criticized "so-called leaders of the Christian right" for demonizing Democrats and convincing Americans that Christians' main concerns are gay marriage and abortion.

Obama, a long-time member of the UCC, proposed an alternative set of "matters of conscience" such as universal health care, an issue the church champions. One Republican in attendance said the event fell nothing short of a "Democratic pep rally," the Chicago Tribune reports.