What if Barack Obama had come out as an Atheist in one of the debates in 2008?

[Phony Moderate]

Discuss, with maps.

He probably would have lost by a 1988 type margin.

[memphis]

One in four Americans would still think he's a secret Muslim.

[Bo]

He still wins

[Derek]

Well he's already said that someone from his church sends him biblical passaged each day but it's not always Christianity but sometimes other religions help him. I wonder what religions help him? Possibly Islam? I mean for me he might as well have been an atheist. For the record, he would've lost if he said that.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

He'd get no more than 45% of the vote.

Too many Americans wouldn't vote for an atheist.

[DariusNJ]

My gut tells me he would've lost, but then again, if you asked me a few years ago" If a half black Democratic candidate with Hussein as his middle name was running in a good year for Dems, would he win?" I also would've said he would lose in a landslide.

No doubt he would lose some votes, but who knows how many.

[Derek]

The Catholic Church would've had bulletins about it the next Sunday and there goes the election. Yes, I know I know they came out against candidates in the past, but that wasn't in regards to atheism. Besides freedom of religion doesn't mean freedom from religion. Never let anyone tell you any different either.

[ag]

He would have lost. Aside from being the Atheist, it would have exposed him as very untrustworthy and, probably, dishonest: he had made quite a bit out of his Christianity previously.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Freedom from religion should be guaranteed nonetheless.  People should be given the option to follow one or not.

Nonetheless, I'm thinking he'd lose, but my gut says he'd pull out a slight margin.

[Sasquatch]

I'd vote for him twice.

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

291-247

[Filuwaúrdjan]

He would have lost. Aside from being the Atheist, it would have exposed him as very untrustworthy and, probably, dishonest: he had made quite a bit out of his Christianity previously.

^^^

'Vote for me - I'm a fraud!' isn't really the greatest campaign slogan ever.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

the electoral vote stays relatively close, but the margins in the Bible Belt are absurd. 

McCain - 288, 56% PV
Obama - 250, 43% PV

[Nym90]

Well, the sudden reversal on such a core issue as one's religious beliefs would certainly betray much of the trust that the American people had, up to that point, placed in him. Which means he probably loses.

[Joe Republic]

Well, the sudden reversal on such a core issue as one's religious beliefs would certainly betray much of the trust that the American people had, up to that point, placed in him. Which means he probably loses.

It's appalling that so many Americans would actually consider this to be a "core issue", but tragically you are of course correct.

[Thomas D]

If he comes out in 2004 it's not such a problem in '08. But you can't drop a bomb like that with less then a month to go. So, I'm sad to say, he likely loses.

[Bo]

If he comes out in 2004 it's not such a problem in '08. But you can't drop a bomb like that with less then a month to go. So, I'm sad to say, he likely loses.

If he would have come out in 2004, he would have likely lost the nomination in 2008.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

He would have lost. Aside from being the Atheist, it would have exposed him as very untrustworthy and, probably, dishonest: he had made quite a bit out of his Christianity previously.

This also.

He would suffer a net loss everywhere, but things really get bad in the strong Republican states.

[fezzyfestoon]

Well, the sudden reversal on such a core issue as one's religious beliefs would certainly betray much of the trust that the American people had, up to that point, placed in him. Which means he probably loses.

It's appalling that so many Americans would actually consider this to be a "core issue", but tragically you are of course correct.

Yep.

[Derek]

What if it happens in one of the next debates.

[phk]

He would have lost. Aside from being the Atheist, it would have exposed him as very untrustworthy and, probably, dishonest: he had made quite a bit out of his Christianity previously.