A Republican politician with presidential aspirations visits a Christian college. What happens next, in terms of the way the event is covered by the mainstream press, is predictable — during this era of niche news, with stories written to appeal to the beliefs of specific political flocks.
The politician in question is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the school is Hillsdale College in Michigan. The visit took place this past February and was used as an example in a recent Miami Herald article of DeSantis’ mingling of faith and politics.
This is how the paper opens its Sept. 13 piece:
While visiting a private Christian college in southern Michigan that wields influence in national politics, Gov. Ron DeSantis rephrased a biblical passage to deliver a message to conservatives.
“Put on the full armor of God. Stand firm against the left’s schemes. You will face flaming arrows, but if you have the shield of faith, you will overcome them, and in Florida we walk the line here,” DeSantis told the audience at Hillsdale College in February. “And I can tell you this, I have only begun to fight.”
The Republican governor, a strategic politician who is up for reelection in November, is increasingly using biblical references in speeches that cater to those who see policy fights through a morality lens and flirting with those who embrace nationalist ideas that see the true identity of the nation as Christian.
That’s followed by the thesis:
He and other Republicans on the campaign trail are blending elements of Christianity with being American and portraying their battle against their political opponents as one between good and evil. Those dynamics have some political observers and religious leaders worrying that such rhetoric could become dangerous, as it could mobilize fringe groups who could be prone to violence in an attempt to have the government recognize their beliefs.
The article has no problem finding experts who warn of impending danger. After all, Christian nationalism is a real thing and something that has been increasingly infecting some groups active in GOP politics.
In this case, journalists needed to answer a crucial question: Is it possible for politicians to use religious language and images (as was common with President Barack Obama) without veering into Christian nationalism? More importantly, doesn’t a story of this kind require voices on both sides of this debate? The thesis in this story automatically assumes that this type of speech is dangerous, as argued by cherry-picked experts on one side.
Whenever I read a piece like the one the Miami Herald published — which also appeared in the Tampa Bay Times — it makes me wonder whether mainstream news publications are predicating their stories on a false premise. If, indeed, democracy in this country is under threat, then a story like this makes sense.
What if it isn’t? Certainly, the Jan. 6 riots gave us all — journalists included — something to fear. But what if this is just hyperbolic political rhetoric that both Republicans and Democrats are increasingly engaging in given how polarized the electorate is, both in terms of geography and ideology?
In recent years, writers at GetReligion have consistently argued that partisan journalism of this kind — right and left — is only going to turn up the heat.
Instead of covering DeSantis as a fascist, why not ask an array of experts — in the case of this particular story both political and religious — to give readers context to his remarks? Why not reach out to church-going supporters asking what they think of this language? Could it be that DeSantis is trying to energize Christians to vote rather than attempting to incite violence? Is he speaking to a majority of Florida voters or just crackpots on Twitter who get the most attention? The article never addresses any of these factors.
The Miami Herald seems to have made up its mind already: DeSantis is dangerous. That makes the piece they published one that should be labeled either “news analysis” or “opinion.” A hard-news story it isn’t, at least not in the way most journalists have been trained for decades. In some ways, it reminds me of The Atlantic piece from earlier this summer on the rosary (see this GetReligion post and podcast) and how it was being weaponized by some gun enthusiasts.
Let’s start with a basic question: In biblical terms, what exactly is the “full armor of God” that DeSantis is referring to? Found in Ephesians 6:10-18, BibleInfo.com describes it this way:
It isn’t as difficult as you might think. All the pieces of the armor are found in a relationship with Jesus. Paul said it like this: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14). When you give yourself to Jesus and “put on” His righteousness, you are clothed in the whole armor of God.
Do you sometimes feel weak? Do you find yourself giving in to temptation when you really want to overcome? Are you ever discouraged? We all face these moments. But clothed in the whole armor God, the weakest of His children is more than a match for Satan. In Jesus, clothed in God’s invincible armor, you will “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” You will “be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10, 11).
A blog post from 2016 at Grand Canyon University, a Christian school, explained it this way:
How can we put on the armor of God in today’s world? This passage can be applied to our lives in the same way it was during the time it was written, even though we may not be familiar with putting on armor for battle like a Roman soldier.
The armor of God represents the defense we must take in our spiritual lives. The Bible tells us that we are fighting a war against Satan, who seeks to destroy us. Therefore, we must take action and put on God’s armor.
As Christians, it is important for us to understand the severity of this battle. As it is often something we cannot physically see, it is easy to lose sight of the impact it can have. However, it can be very dangerous when we forget to equip ourselves with the armor of God and allow the enemy to take control in our lives.
The first piece of armor Paul discusses is the belt of truth. In Ephesians 6:14, he says, “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.” Of all of the pieces of the armor of God, you may be wondering why Paul started with the belt. However, the belt plays a much more important role than we may think.
The belt is where Roman soldiers stored their weapon – without a belt, they could not carry a weapon! So, why does Paul associate the belt of a soldier with truth? For Christians, God’s Word is truth, and it serves as our foundation.
2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” If our beliefs are not rooted in God’s Word, we cannot expect to fight battles for Christ.
Just as a belt is worn close to the body, we should hold God’s truth close to us and allow it to surround us. When we remain in His Word, we can distinguish what is true from what is untrue.
The Miami Herald article also illustrates a broader trend of how DeSantis has increasingly been covered in Florida and by the national media.
President Joe Biden’s Catholic faith has often been lauded as a virtue, something that compliments his liberal political ideology. He has been cast as “devout” and someone who carries a rosary in his pocket. DeSantis, on the other hand, because of his conservative politics (he’s also Catholic) is seen as dangerous and someone who distorts faith to appeal to dangerous believers.
Politicians, both on the left and right, have quoted scripture before. But the lens through which the mainstream press looks and judges these figures seems to change based largely on whether the newsroom agrees with the politics of whoever is using ancient words and images.
For example, the feature goes on to broaden its scope to include former gridiron great Herschel Walker, who is running for the U.S. senate in Georgia as a Republican. Walker often mentions Jesus on the campaign trail in speeches. Walker’s opponent is the incumbent, the Rev. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat who is also a senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., also served as pastor. Walker, however, is cast as an extremist because he mentions Jesus; Warnock is not.
In March 2021, Warnock called voting “a kind of prayer.” The coverage at the time did not link faith to violence or any kind of extremism. Warnock had used a similar line during his 2020 U.S. Senate race. This is the full quote: “Matter of fact, I think that a vote is a kind of prayer for the kind of world we desire for ourselves and for our children. And our prayers are stronger when we pray together.”
The Miami Herald piece is a news article, but doesn’t bother with balance or objectivity. Instead, it is written like something we see in the “European Model of the Press” (click here for background on that term). Under that model, editors and reporters are not shy about doing stories that makes it very clear who is good and who is bad.
This DeSantis piece falls into this category. To be even more specific, the goal is to depict a clash between “good” Christians and “bad” ones.
The same is true of when DeSantis made the Bible reference back in July and Breitbart wrote about it. They, too, engage in a similar journalistic model, where objectivity is ignored. In the Breitbart world, DeSantis is no existential threat. Instead, he’s celebrated as a culture-war hero. Here’s what the right-wing website reported:
While the governor said it is crucial to be “right” on the issues, that alone is not enough. One must have the courage of their convictions to stand up against the corrupt establishment media, cancel culture, the woke mob, and the “Brandon Administration,” he emphasized, before giving the ultimate word of advice to fellow conservative Floridians, straight out of Ephesians 6.
“You gotta be ready for battle. So put on the full armor of God,” he said, triggering a round of applause. “Take a stand against the left’s schemes. Stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around your waist. You will face fire from flaming arrows, but the shield of faith will protect you.”
“We’re just getting warmed up. I’ve only begun to fight,” he declared. “I’m standing my ground, walking the line all the way through the finish line, and I can tell you this. With your help and everybody behind us, there is no doubt in my mind that come November, we are going to keep the state of Florida free.”
Do a News Google search of DeSantis and the phrase “full armor of God” and you will see several stories that frame the discussion in much the same way.
Meanwhile, a Washington Post story from Sept. 15 uses that same quote, but in a story regarding immigration. It came a day after DeSantis sent a group of migrants to Martha Vineyard, an exclusive summer destination spot in Massachusetts for many wealthy and powerful people. This is how the piece ends:
He also warned the crowd that Democrats planned to change the structure of the governing system in the U.S. if they continued to hold power. He included, as he described, efforts by liberals to add justices to the Supreme Court, add congressional representation for the District of Columbia, replace the electoral college with a popular vote system and loosen voter identification laws. Most Democrats are not united behind those efforts and lack the votes to pass them in the current Congress.
“Unless you bend the knee to their leftist agenda, they want to make you a second-class citizen,” he said. “Unity for them is to take everybody in the majority that disagrees with them, make them second-class citizens, and then unify whatever is left standing.”
He said the only solution was to fight back, and to be ready to withstand criticism from both Democrats and the media.
“We have strapped on the full armor of God,” he said. “We are standing strong.”
Note that there is no reference to the Bible or where this phrase “strapped on the full armor of God” even comes from. It could be that The Washington Post copy desk has no clue about the reference. That’s entirely possible as mainstream newsrooms remain largely secular spaces.
A New York Times Magazine feature from this past Sunday cast DeSantis as “a more disciplined heir to Trump.” This is the piece’s main takeaway as to how DeSantis is seen by his political adversaries and many in the press who frame storylines:
That DeSantis has made enemies in these endeavors is clearly part of the point. He has become Democrats’ favorite governor to despise — nothing less than an aspiring authoritarian, many say, their criticisms only further galvanizing his fans. His persistent conflict with reporters is so ingrained in his public identity that he cast himself in a recent ad as Maverick of “Top Gun,” “dogfighting” the “corporate media” in shades and a bomber jacket.
The piece ends much the same way the Washington Post story did:
From the stage moments earlier, DeSantis suggested that the times demanded a little daring. Threats were everywhere. Bold offensives were necessary. The hour had come, he said, pulling from scripture, to “put on the full armor of God.” He gazed out on a crowd full of MAGA red, specked with more than a few rally-worn encouragements if he looked closely enough: “Can’t Miss DeSantis” (with a caricatured governor playing beer pong beneath palm trees); “My Pronouns Are UNVACCINATED”; “DeSantis 2024: Make America Florida.”
“Stand your ground, stand firm, don’t back down,” DeSantis said as he closed, nodding a little at his own words. “We can do this.”
The conclusion of the midterm elections in November will mark the unofficial start of the 2024 presidential race. It’s expected to be a very long two years of debates and primaries.
The media spotlight is already firmly on DeSantis, with some seeing him as a GOP option that is as dangerous as former President Donald Trump. What the governor says on the stump will reveal whether the electorate is interested in him as a potential White House occupant. How the mainstream press cover him could reveal itself to be a repeat of what we saw with Trump.
FIRST IMAGE: Portrait of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis via Wikipedia Commons.