Mosque Issue Doesn't Boost GOP

Dave Weigel has some important insight into the debate over the proposed Islamic center in lower Manhattan: Despite the fact that Republican Rick Lazio has been hammering away at the issue for a month (indeed he was the first candidate for major politician office to do so), he has gained absolutely no ground in his gubernatorial bid in New York.

The new Siena Poll finds that New Yorkers (everyone in the state) oppose the mosque by a 63-27 margin; they defend the constitutional right to build it by a 64-28 margin. At the same time, Lazio trails Cuomo by 34 points. He's down 2 points -- within the margin of error, but not what you'd expect if the Great Mosque Debate of 2010 was hitting home. He leads his closest rival, businessman and tea party candidate Carl Paladino, by 33 points. Last month, he led by 41 points.

As Weigel notes, New York is not the greatest bellwether for the country as a whole -- "but if [the mosque issue] was truly explosive, wouldn't Lazio be gaining something?" Good question.

While the Beltway media hyperventilates about whether or not an Islamic center will be placed at the site of an old Burlington Coat Factory, come November voters will have forgotten this August distraction. By then, the economy (as it remains today, in fact) will be voters top priority. And the more politicians harp on issues that voters don't really care a great deal about, the less those politicians will be viewed as credible on the important issues. Which is all to reiterate that talking mosques rather than jobs isn't necessarily good politics.