Is There too Much God in Politics?

Nov. 27, 2007 — -- With just five weeks left before the first vote in the Iowa caucases, the candidates are pulling out all the stops.

Some Democrats are calling in the "glamour guns" — Oprah Winfrey will be stumping for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and former President Clinton for his wife, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Meanwhile, the Republican debate is heating up over religious credentials, as Gov. Mike Huckabee puts out a new ad calling himself a "Christian leader" and "authentic conservative."

The latest ABC News/Washington Post Democratic preference poll in Iowa shows Obama at 30 percent and Clinton at 26 percent . Obama's campaign is expecting a boost from Winfrey's upcoming visit on Dec. 8 and 9, while Clinton's campaign Republicanan brought the former president in today to help close the gap.

Comparing the star power and energy between the two candidates, Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich placed his bet on Obama. "My guess is Senator Obama's going to win all of them and that he's going to win by a surprising margin," he said today on "Good Morning America."

One reason Gingrich gave for Obama's advantage was that people trust Winfrey. "I think Oprah Winfrey is a remarkable figure...there are millions of people who trust her judgment."

Because Jan. 3 is also the night of the Orange Bowl college football game, Gingrich predicted that it will take more of an emotional appeal to bring voters out than perhaps Clinton is inspiring right now.

Despite praising her campaign as "a tremendous machine" Gingrich said that because Obama represents "new ideas" he could have more of an impact on voters.

"I have a hunch that the emotional energy that Senator Obama's building is more powerful than the emotional energy Clinton's building," Gingrich said.

On the Republican side, the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll finds former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney in the lead with 28 percent, and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in a surprise second place with 24 percent.