Harkin: Kerry's rise in polls is "How God wants it to be."

(Hat tip: Carol Platt Liebau)

According to Senator Tom Harkin (D-Mirror Universe), John Kerry has been gaining in the polls every day for the last week, and "That's how God wants it to be."

Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin says John Kerry has been gaining in the polls every day since Oct. 21, and George Bush has been going down every day.

"That's how God wants it to be," Harkin told a group of about 25 people at the Benton County Headquarters in Vinton on Thursday afternoon.

Harkin was touring the state to stump for Kerry and Democratic legislative candidates. He appeared in Benton County on behalf of Mt. Auburn Mayor Dawn Pettengill, who is running against incumbent Republican Dell Hanson for the Iowa House District 39 seat.

Remember the rules: Republicans may never invoke God or reference their personal faith without the left getting all skittish. Democrats, on the other hand, are free to use God like a battering ram.

Two other interesting things here. First: Harkin was speaking to a group of only 25 people? Is that all the supporters they could find?

And second, was he kidding about Kerry rising in the polls? Or is he practicing "name it and claim it" theology?

I love this next part, though:

After encouraging the party faithful to get out the vote for Kerry, Harkin turned his attention to the Iowa Legislature, which he called an "albatross around the neck" of Gov. Tom Vilsack, whom he referred to as the "best governor in the United States."

"This is the worst legislature I've seen since the 1950s," Harkin said.

Harkin didn't remember the name of Pettengill's opponent, but told the group, "he has to go."

Harkin seems to have a memory problem.

Carol adds:

This kind of silliness is why people of faith overwhelmingly tend to prefer Republicans. Tom Harkin thinks he's reached out to the religious by telling voters that Kerry has been rising in the polls (what?!) because "That's how God wants it to be." How cool is it that Senator Harkin somehow knows the mind of the Almighty? And who would have guessed that God was in favor of partial birth abortion?

Further thoughts: I'm not comfortable with supporters of either side saying that that God supports their candidate. I could say that given what's revealed in scripture, God is probably opposed to same-sex marriage and, as Carol says, partial birth abortion. The argument can be made, then, but I'm not going to do it. Instead I'm going to pray that President Bush gets reelected, while attempting to find peace in the knowledge that God is ultimately in control of whatever happens.