Campaign 2000: Whose Bully Pulpit Now?

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While no one doubts the sincerity of his beliefs, Lieberman seems to be dodging their implications on the campaign trail. He calls for "a constitutional place for faith in our public life," and yet he is against prayer in school and defends church-state separation. So what, specifically, does he mean? He complains that "Hollywood doesn't understand piety" and deplores its coarse product, and yet vows not to resort to sanctions to change that culture. And though many Orthodox Jews argue that abortion is immoral, Lieberman is pro-choice because, as he said in 1990, "while I might personally argue against abortion, as a lawmaker I cannot impose my personal judgment on others." In the end, does it make any difference what the man believes? Lieberman suggests not. "This is really less a matter of programs or legislation than it is of giving respect to the constructive role that faith can play," he said last week. After a decade in which Christian conservatives have tied their faith to policies from abortion to taxes to school reform, Lieberman's stance may seem refreshing. But it may have dangers of its own.

"When religion and politics are too closely aligned, it's more often the religion than the politics that is compromised," warns Thomas. Lieberman has said he hopes his religion will be irrelevant by Election Day. "The only way that's going to happen," says Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, "is if he stops talking about it all the time."

--With reporting by Tamala M. Edwards/Nashville