Values and Voters

John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama, and the Role of Religion in Presidential Politics

February 9, 2009, 12:00pm - 1:00pm

In 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected the first Catholic president of the United States. How did Kennedy approach religion--and what can we learn from his campaign about the role of religion in politics today? Are there parallels between Kennedy's approach to religion and Obama's? What role did Catholic and evangelical voters play in both elections? How has the politics of religion changed since 1960? Would Kennedy's response to his religious critics suffice today? Join E.J. Dionne and Shaun Casey for an illuminating and provocative discussion of Casey's new book, The Making of a Catholic President: Kennedy vs. Nixon 1960.