While the Democratic Party reportedly reinserted God into its platform at the request of President Barack Obama, it doesn’t seem as though he’s too interested in talking about the Almighty otherwise. For the fourth straight year, President Obama failed to mention God in his national Thanksgiving Day address given Thursday.
It should be noted, in Obama’s official written Thanksgiving Day proclamation released by the White House , the president did mention God twice. He referenced a “God-given bounty that enriches our lives,” in addition to one other mention.
“Let us spend this day by lifting up those we love, mindful of the grace bestowed upon us by God and by all who have made our lives richer with their presence,” the president wrote.
But in his speech, certain to be seen by more people than the official proclamation of Thanksgiving, God was again left out. The Daily Caller reported that the president did reference “blessings” and the “freedom to worship” in his address, but he stopped short of thanking God.
“But, most of all, it’s a time to give thanks — for each other, and for the incredible bounty we enjoy in this country,” Obama said. “It’s especially important this year.”
When President George Washington first proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving, God got a few more lines. Christian News dug up the proclamation of America’s first president issued in 1789, just 13 years after American independence.
“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor,” Washington wrote. “Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the people of these states to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be.”
Washington’s proclamation went even further, begging that God would pardon any national transgressions.
Obama, the Democratic Party, and God shared headlines a few months back when the party narrowly passed a voice vote at their convention to avoid dropping God from the party platform. The result of the vote drew audible boos from the crowd.