When one doesn’t fit the mainstream media’s religious stereotypes
As apparently Mr Bush doesn’t — he’s more an easygoing upper-class liberal like his dad than a member of the Protestant religious right. It seems not only his minders (Karl Rove targeting red-state voters for example) but the media in general hide this. Huw discusses it.

I - the Reporter or Journalist - need know nothing about the reality or lack of your faith. I simply need to appeal to a stereotype and how you do or do not measure up (depending on my angle).

...religion, qua religion, does not enter into American Politics. No one cares what defines “The Real ____ Religion”. Religion is the strawman in most political debates.

Which in one sense is good: some people like my candidate for US president know it’s a strawman and refuse to use it to cadge votes. I used to say I was proud not to know which church if any he goes to. (Now everybody knows: he’s a born Lutheran-turned-Episcopalian-turned-Baptist.)

Huw is entirely correct on not judging private persons; when one is a public figure and professes some kind of religion (‘hey, vote for me; I’m one of you’) then public hypocrisy does matter in a way as Archbishop Burke had the integrity to point out (neither Kerry nor Giuliani are really in good standing with their church).

Now the Religious Right is trying to distance itself from Dubya in a lot of ways (I think, mostly to prepare for the Presidential cycle as they seek a candidate).

Who like Dubya wouldn’t get my vote.

Don’t get played.