“Little by little, the Lord is seeping into Howard Dean’s presidential campaign.” So says the New York Times. But which Lord? “In South Carolina the other day,” the article says, “an invocation preceded the political speeches, and David Mack, a state legislator, closed the rally with ‘God bless you and keep you.’ In Iowa last weekend, Dr. Dean referred to the New Testament. On Friday in New Hampshire, he invoked a Muslim phrase, ‘inshallah,’ God willing, to make a point about Americans believing they control their destiny.”
Shades of Bishop Chane — apparently, any Lord will do if He will get Dean votes. Now, many Arabic-speaking Christians also use the phrase “inshallah,” but I think the Times is most likely correct that in using it, Dean was trying to appear Muslim-friendly. But as President, will the man who wasn’t sure that Osama bin Laden is guilty also be friendly to those of whatever creed who are trying to resist Islamic terrorism?