Progress Illinois

Perusing the Chicago Tribune headlines this morning, I let out a reflexive groan at the sight of the following:

Until recently, such a headline would surely have sat atop an article about the disconcerting number of Americans -- many of them Democrats -- who think that Obama is Muslim or irreligious. These damaging misconceptions are largely due to a rash of smear emails that have circulated widely during the past year. Back in January, a press pool report by Time's Mark Halperin showed how common it was for Obama to face questions about his faith (or purported lack thereof) from voters on the campaign trail:

He reached over the counter and shook hands with workers at the Subway sandwich shop.

Zanata Moore-El asked Obama if he was an atheist.

“I’m a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ,” Obama replied. “Don’t read e-mails.”

Similarly, a report by CBS' 60 Minutes prior to the March 4 primaries came across voters in Ohio who had "been told" that Obama was Muslim. Here's what one had to say:

"There are a couple issues with him I'm not too clear on. ... I'm hearing he doesn't even know the Pledge of Allegiance. He wouldn't use the Holy Bible. He's got his own beliefs -- with the Muslim beliefs. A couple issues that bother me at heart ... This is what I've been told."

But if there's one good thing about the Rev. Wright controversy, it's this: there are now a lot fewer Americans who think Obama is a Muslim.

For instance, that Tribune headline that illicited my groan? Turns out it accompanied an article that focused entirely on Obama's Christian church and made no mention of the Muslim rumors.

Well, thank God for that.