KIM LAWTON: Religion played a key role at the Republican National Convention, although rarely in the prime-time spotlight.
Most of the high-profile speakers were political moderates -- politicians who favor abortion rights and oppose a constitutional amendment against gay marriage. This troubled some religious conservatives outside the convention hall.
REVEREND PATRICK MAHONEY (Christian Defense Coalition): I'm actually quite disappointed. It seems that what's happening here at the Republican Convention is that they are running away from the core constituency.UNIDENTIFIED MAN (praying): "We pray, Lord, that in the upcoming presidential election that your will be done, and if it pleases you to give Mr. Bush a second term."
LAWTON: Reverend Mahoney was part of a group that gathered at the World Trade Center site to pray for the convention and its leaders. He said Republicans shouldn't take their conservative base for granted.
But inside the convention, delegates -- including religious conservatives -- said they were pleased with the Republicans' broad-based, "big-tent" philosophy.
Georgia alternate delegate Phil Kent is an evangelical.
PHIL KENT (Georgia Delegate): I mean, we're all for security. We're all for fighting terrorism, and you don't have to be an evangelical Christian to band together with folks like that to know that we've got a good commander-in-chief and that John Kerry and the Democrats do not give you what we want the most now in this country, and that is security.LAWTON: Around the margins -- often behind the scenes -- Republicans sent the message that people of faith are a critical part of their electoral strategy. The party appeared to walk a delicate line between focusing on evangelicals, while also expanding their reach into other faith communities. A variety of religious leaders offered the traditional opening and closing prayers, among them, popular evangelical writer Max Lucado and California evangelist Greg Laurie.
REVEREND GREG LAURIE (praying): "Heavenly Father, we come to you to pray for our nation. You have blessed us in so many ways, and we often take that for granted."LAWTON: Much of the convention music was provided by prominent gospel singers, including Christian rock band Third Day and Bush favorite Michael W. Smith.
Convention organizers say there was great religious diversity here, with delegates from almost every major faith group. The vast majority -- 61 percent -- were Protestant; another 26 percent, Roman Catholic. Despite the prime-time lineup of moderate speakers, almost a quarter of the delegates here identified themselves with the Religious Right.
Kentucky first-time delegate John Crittenden, Jr. is pastor of the Forest Missionary Baptist Church in Louisville. He switched political parties last year, he says, because he felt the Democrats were taking African Americans for granted. The pastor says Republican positions on social issues are more in line with his own.
REVEREND JOHN CRITTENDEN, JR. (Kentucky Delegate and Pastor, Forest Missionary Baptist Church): All the biblical values they hold are being true to what our Bible teaches us about marriage -- marriage is sanctified. What it teaches us about life -- only God determines life. And I appreciate those values that they hold, and they harmonize with my Gospel message.LAWTON: Virginia delegate Kamal Nawash is a Muslim. Although many of his fellow Muslims have withdrawn the support they gave President Bush in 2000, Nawash believes Muslims will come to realize Bush is the best choice.
KAMAL NAWASH (Virginia Delegate): I think he understands the dangers of terrorism in the world, and as a Muslim who realizes that most of the victims of terrorism are actually Muslims -- it's actually up to 80 percent -- most Muslims don't realize that.LAWTON: Religion was also part of the off-stage activities. Many delegates were pleased the convention set aside Tuesday morning as a time for community service. The president asked delegates to participate in what he called "acts of compassion."
BETTYE FINE COLLINS (Alabama Delegate): We're here today to show our support for faith-based organizations all across America who make the difference.LAWTON: Members of the Alabama delegation volunteered at a soup kitchen run by the Church of the Holy Apostles, an Episcopal church in Manhattan.
SCOTT MYERS (Alabama Delegate): Being a compassionate conservative -- which is what I consider myself -- means showing compassion, obviously, in various outlets. The Republican Party, I believe, does have a plan to be a compassionate party and to help others in need.
LAWTON: But other people of faith said the Republicans didn't give enough attention to issues of poverty and social justice. Several religious groups sponsored an interfaith service called "Let Justice Roll." They challenged politicians to offer more concrete policies to help the poor.
REVEREND PAUL SHERRY (National Council of Churches): You hear a great deal of talk about middle class people, which is fine. But what about the poor -- those who hurt the most? And unless we talk about it, unless we bring that to visibility, change will not come. And we're committed to change.
LEONARD LEO (Catholic Working Group): Catholics are out in full force. It's very heartening. I think that's partly attributable to the fact that the Republican Party is espousing a number of the values and ideals that the church articulates on a regular basis, in areas like the culture of life, educational choice and vouchers, faith-based initiatives, and other positions along those lines.
RALPH REED (Bush Campaign): We know both anecdotally and from the data that we got out-hustled four years ago. They did a better job of delivering their core vote to the polls than we did. We really believe that a large turnout, that a grassroots, shoe-leather participatory campaign works to our advantage. And in that sense, it's really central to a strategy to victory. 
LAWTON: Well, they certainly didn't. They really played to the centrist parts of their Party. But to be fair, the Democrats did the same thing at their convention and down-played the more liberal wings of their Party. I spoke with some of the Christian conservatives prior to the meeting, and they were a little offended by that. They want to be sure the Bush administration -- the Republican Party -- doesn't take them for granted. And they were a little worried. But at the convention itself, many of the Christian conservatives I spoke with understood this is politics, this is how it goes. And, they were also not ignored at this convention.
LAWTON: And that seemed to be the strategy. The things you don't say publicly on the convention floor, you target to the specific audiences. And so there were small briefings for Orthodox Jews, for Catholics, for evangelicals. There was this big "Faith, Family, and Freedom" rally. There was a video from President Bush and in that video he said everything the Christian conservatives wanted him to say on the convention floor. He talked about abortion, gay marriage, his deep faith. And so, they really got what they wanted to hear -- just not in public.
ABERNETHY: And the organization in your story -- I mean, the organization is so detailed, isn't it?
