Congress Latest Battlefield in Annual 'War on Christmas' Debate

WASHINGTON (Dec. 16) -- Talk about holier than thou. If there was any better example of the perils of mixing politics and religion, it was on display in the lame-duck Congress this week.

It began when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that senators might have to work through the Christmas break if that's what it takes to get through a spending bill, a nuclear arms treaty, the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" and other pressing legislation.

That prompted Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Arizona to accuse the Democrat of Grinch-like behavior, saying it was not possible to stay in session "without disrespecting one of the two holiest of holidays for Christians."

South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint soon piled on. He told Politico the schedule was "sacrilegious," suggesting Reid, a Mormon, was acting in a most un-Christian fashion. "What's going on here is just wrong. This is the most sacred holiday for Christians," he said.

Reid would have none of that. He took to the Senate floor to blame Republican filibusters all year long for keeping lawmakers at work.

"As a Christian, no one has to remind me of the importance of Christmas for all of the Christian faith, all their families across America," he said. "I don't need to hear the sanctimonious lectures of Sens. Kyl and DeMint to remind me of what Christmas means."

The senatorial sniping had some observers wondering how the troops in Afghanistan or working-class Americans routinely on the job -- if they have one -- on Christmas might feel about their elected leaders complaining about putting in overtime.

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, a former congressman, expressed disgust at the whining, wondering "if they cannot worship Jesus in Washington, D.C." He said his fellow Republicans owed Reid an apology: "They need to shut their mouths; they are embarrassing themselves."

The dust-up on Capitol Hill is just the latest salvo in what has become the annual "War on Christmas" debate. This year the fight includes a Dallas church issuing "naughty or nice" labels to stores depending on whether their workers wish customers "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas," and atheist ads featuring a Nativity scene with the caption, "You Know It's a Myth. This Season Celebrate Reason."

That the GOP senators would bring Christianity into the legislative calendar doesn't surprise political scientist David Campbell. The co-author of "American Grace: How Religion Unites and Divides Us" said his research found a strong connection between religiosity and political persuasion, with those professing more of it leaning Republican and the more secular leaning Democratic.

The so-called "God gap" was on display in how Kyl and DeMint talked about their Christianity, he said.

"The Republican Party has spent a generation building up its brand" as the party of God, Campbell said. "They have a way they talk about religion and the way they exploit religiously oriented issues."

While DeMint didn't go so far as to accuse Reid of blasphemy, he said Democrats "did the same thing last year" when the Senate stayed in session to pass the health care bill, the first time it voted on Christmas Eve since 1895.

Not that such sessions are unprecedented.

Since 1855, the Senate has worked on Christmas Eve nine times.

According to the Senate historian's office, until the 20th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1933, Congress typically convened in December and met through the spring. Senators usually worked right through the holiday season with only a day or two off for Christmas.

From 1933 into the 1970s, lawmakers usually left town by August or September. Since then, sessions have grown longer, with many sessions lasting into December in most recent years.

House members also have worked holiday hours. About a dozen House sessions have stretched into mid- to late December. The first session of the 104th Congress worked straight through New Year's to end on Jan. 20, 1996.

Back in 1963, House members were summoned to vote on a controversial measure to sell wheat to the Soviet Union. President Lyndon Johnson was so appreciative he threw an impromptu White House Christmas party.

A later Democratic president, Bill Clinton, was less enthused when Republicans worked overtime, without complaint, to impeach him. The vote came on Dec. 19, 1998. It was late but still early enough to give satisfied Republicans time to head home to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the messenger of forgiveness.