Obama finds support in born-again community

Barack Obama appears to be making inroads among a group that has been a tough sell for Democrats -- born-again and evangelical Christians.
To solidify and increase those gains in the campaign's final week, the liberal-leaning Matthew 25 Network announced today it will air a final round of radio ads on Christian radio stations in the battleground states of Michigan, Colorado, Ohio, Missouri, Indiana, Virginia, and North Carolina.

One spot features Obama talking about becoming a Christian as an adult -- "I submitted myself to his will," he says -- and about his faith as the source of his hope.

Another features Doug Kmiec, a Catholic legal scholar and former Reagan legal counsel, talking about abortion. "Can you be pro-life and vote for Obama? Unequivocally yes," Kmiec says. He adds that instead of focusing on Roe v. Wade, voters should look at Obama's pledge to increase prenatal care and take other steps to dramatically reduce the number of abortions.

The Barna Group says that Obama is statistically tied with Republican John McCain among born-again Christians -- 45 percent for McCain, 43 percent for Obama -- while President Bush won 62 percent of that vote in 2004.

According to its poll released Oct. 22, McCain leads among older voters, but Obama is leading 51 percent to 39 percent among born-again Christians in their 20s and 30s.