Six years ago journalist Jeff Sharlet went undercover in the underground evangelical organization known as the “The Family.” The group consists of Congressmen, members of the executive branch and many other D.C. powerbrokers. Unlike Pat Robertson and other widely known Christian conservatives, the Family operates outside of the public eye — but that by no means limits their influence or power. Sharlet’s book The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power exposes the real men behind the growing evangelical movement in America. Click here for his recent Q&A with Rolling Stone.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a greater Jon Stewart enthusiast than myself, but last night’s interview with John McCain left me a little disappointed with the convivially caustic pundit.

About halfway through the interview — after signaling the end of “pleasantries” — Stewart invoked the unsinkable “Reverend Wright issue” and its accompanied queasiness among voters.

As Frank Rich wrote in the Sunday Times this week, McCain’s courting of maladjusted televangelist Rev. John Hagee’s endorsement should be no less vexing than Barack Obama’s relationship with Wright. Hagee, who speaks of the Catholic Church as “the Great Whore,” suggested Hurricane Katrina was God’s punishment for scheduling a gay parade through the streets of New Orleans.

After setting up the Wright segue, it looked like Stewart was going down that trail. “You have your own religious… person endorsing your campaign that Americans have expressed greater concern over,” he told McCain. “Will you take the opportunity right now to repudiate and denounce…

…President Bush?”

The line roused the audience yet proved a wasted opportunity in the end. McCain jokingly walked off the set, but there’s no doubt he was inwardly wiping his brow in relief.

Stewart’s friendship with the candidate is no secret; McCain, after all, has now appeared a whopping 13 times on the Daily Show, more than any other guest since Stewart took the helm in 1999. Though it’s unfair and unwise to expect a Russert-style grilling between buds on a faux news show, Stewart still could have – and should have – asked the Republican nominee about an issue that could potentially plague him as much as his competition.

You be the judge.

If you’re tired of Mitt Romney and all of his gosh-darn ads, and you really just want to focus on the baby Jesus (who, incidentally, is most certainly not the brother of Satan), then God bless you and Merry Christmas. And vote for me. And Jesus.

Yours in Christ (son of God, not brother of Lucifer),

Mike Huckabee:

I wasn’t sure this was going to be worth watching in full, but if you want to get a glimpse of Willard Romney beyond the cartoonish opportunist who has been on display in the debates, Mitt’s speech on religion yesterday is well worth your time:

Part 1:
“Radical, violent Islam seeks to destroy us.”
“Freedom requires religion, just as religion requires freedom.”
“A person should not be elected because of his faith, nor should he be rejected because of his faith.”
“When I place my hand on the bible, and take the oath of office…”

Part 2:
“Americans tire of those who would jettison their beliefs even to gain the world.”
“I believe Jesus Christ is the son of God and the savior of mankind.”
“Some are intent on establishing a new religion in America, the religion of secularism. They are wrong.”
“I will not separate us from the God who gave us liberty.”

(more…)