Democrats reinstate "God" and Jerusalem language in party platform

Updated 6:40 p.m. ET

(CBS News)  CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- After sharp criticism from Mitt Romney and Republicans, the Democrats have reinstated language into their party platform that recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel as well as the words "God-given" in a passage about employment, both of which were removed in this year's platform.

The platform released by Democrats Monday evening dropped a clause included in the 2008 platform that read: "Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel." That platform went on to say, however, that "[t]he parties have agreed that Jerusalem is a matter for final status negotiations. It should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths."

CBS News has confirmed that President Obama personally intervened to have the platform language changed.

"The platform is being amended to maintain consistency with the personal views expressed by the President and in the Democratic Party platform in 2008," Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement. "Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel. The parties have agreed that Jerusalem is a matter for final status negotiations. It should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths."

Israel maintains that its capital is Jerusalem, but the United States and other nations maintain embassies in Tel Aviv because East Jerusalem is contested by the Palestinians, who see it as a potential capital for their state.

Romney called Jerusalem "the capital of Israel" in July, prompting criticism from the Palestinians as well as China. Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat called the comment "absolutely unacceptable."

But as a presidential candidate, Mr. Obama said in 2008 that "Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided," though he later softened his stance and said he is not trying to "predetermine" the final status of the city. As president, he has maintained that, as his campaign put it to CBS News, "the capital is something that should be determined in final status negotiations between the parties."

Romney said in a statement Tuesday that it's "unfortunate that the entire Democratic Party has embraced President Obama's shameful refusal to acknowledge that Jerusalem is Israel's capital."

"Four years of President Obama's repeated attempts to create distance between the United States and our cherished ally have led the Democratic Party to remove from their platform an unequivocal acknowledgment of a simple reality," he said. "As president, I will restore our relationship with Israel and stand shoulder to shoulder with our close ally."

Romney: Democrats "shameful" for omitting Jerusalem from platform

Meantime, the word "God" was dropped from a paragraph that, in 2008, spoke of giving those willing to work the opportunity to "make the most of their God-given potential." In this year's platform a similar paragraph reads "the simple principle that in America, hard work should pay off, responsibility should be rewarded, and each one of us should be able to go as far as our talent and drive take us."

In an interview with Fox News Correspondent Carl Cameron, Romney voiced his disappointment.

"I think their having removed purposefully God from their platform suggests a party that is increasingly out of touch with the mainstream of American people," Romney said in the televised interview. "I think this party is veering further and further away into an extreme wing that Americans don't recognize."

The convention chairman, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, had to take a voice vote three times, as the number of "nays" shouted was unexpected.  After declaring the changes passed, a chorus of boos could be heard from delegates in the Time Warner Center Arena.

CBS News' Caroline Horn contributed to this report.

[jonnyooh]

Was Mr Ryan miffed because Obama failed to mention the Republican God MONEY! Hush my mouth! That is one cryin shame, huh Mr Ryan? Mr Ryan, did you hear about them finding the place where Jesus wuz buried? Yessir, it was in the rear parking lot of this here Taco Bueno in Sulphur Springs Texas. God"S half brother Skip was there too, along with his momma's ex boy friend. Jesus wuzzunt there his own self, they reckin he went inside to get some tacos and a chiklit milk shake, but they did find this piece of cloth with his pitcher on it, they think it wuz probly cuzzed by lightnin when they went and buried our dear Lord. It acted as some sort of camera and all that kind of stuff. Heck fire, it shore gits yew to wonderin about stuff, huh Mr Ryan? Y'all peace out, Mr Y'yan, y'all hear?

[0bama2O12]

There is no mention of deity in the constitution. There is only a vague reference to the lord at the end:
"done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord". For all we know it could have been referring to Lord Baltimore.

[JV1970]

No, we Christians know who it's referring to and it's DEFINITELY NOT referring to Lord Baltimore! It's referring to the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the living God!

[wfw3536]

If you watched and listened to the 3 voice votes, it is really sad that a majority of the Dems in who voted are against God and Israel. The lie that it was just a technical error is incredible as they had language that replaced God and Jerusalem. And the idea that the Obama campaign team didn't look at the platform is an even bigger joke.

[RollotheNorman]

Why was it sad? Especially more sad than a party for 30 years that they will get Roe v Wade overturned and has delivered zilch. The RepubliCONs con the evangelical community with a bunch of flim-flam that they have never had any intention of delivering on. At least the Dems are hypocrites enough to do that.

[unclebernies]

I would have said who cares about the capital of Isreal. Lets first care about the people in our own country.

[infantryman1968]

Democrats reinstate "God" and Jerusalem language in party platform


LOL!


The whole world was watching as the followers of Obama denounced God and the Jews..........

Another warning sign.

[ownit77]

Can anybody get real and admit the horror show we have in both parties? Mitt is nothing to get excited about -- but Obama is a disaster and has to go. So does every wack job, lifetime politician in Washington. Toss out the corrupt, win at all cost, juvenile media morons littering our airwaves and really deal with the serious issues we have at hand. It's desperate times folks. How can anybody defend either party for the crap we're in now -- or -- somehow justify CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX and the rest for not doing their jobs and standing up for the truth in spite of ther own personal agendas? You are all the reason why we are where we are. Congrats dumb *****. Keep telling yourselves how much brighter and more informed you are than everyone else. What a sad joke.

No choice -- Mitt hopefully wins butbwhat does that get us? Don't expect much with a country full of fat, self-absorbed half wits looking to be spoon fed from Uncle Sam day after day.

Getting what we deserve America. Too stupid and lazy for anything better. But please, stop defending this garbage. It's way beyond pathetic. Are you brainwashed or just completely inept?

[realtimecoffee]

ownit77 cutting edge truth will get you nothing but disdain here, but kudos none the less.

[cbs_bull]

Funny, are we in the 21st century now?

[realtimecoffee]

Well if anyone needed a hint about how tight this election is going to be this is it. The President made the right call in "nudging" this through for triangulation purposes. The religious right will never vote for him anyway, but this might gain him half a point with the Methodist middle. And the booing shows him standing up to far left, who will vote for him anyway. In the end though the price of gas will be more impoortant than either convention.

[alphaa10000]

SMOLLETT'S LAMENT or, DOUBLE-TEAMING IS UNFAIR

CaptainSmollett said, "Wow, the liberals are acting like Clinton was on the ticket. Is Obama so weak that he has to call in a surrogate to do his bidding?"
--------
If Obama were so "weak" he had to call in Clinton, how can you also claim he has the power to force anybody "do his bidding"?

Instead, this week-long spectacle in Charlotte displays what is called political continuity-- the connection between the Clinton and Obama years.

Obama throughout his administration has been on good terms with the Clintons and staff from the Clinton terms. In fact, his own chief of staff (for better or worse) was Rahm Emanuel.

Which brings up a question-- is Bush still so unpopular that he would skip Tampa, four years after he left office in disgrace?

You will recall Bush was so unpopular in 2008 he made a point of avoiding the RNC convention, and was seldom openly solicited for support by any GOP candidates in that campaign.

[johngalt_as]

Not one, but THREE times they did a voice vote and each time the "no's" got louder and were at least equal to the yes's. This event shows the splits within the party. This is far from a successful convention and they are tripping up with something amost daily. Meanwhile, outlets like CBS and especially MSNBC are working overtime to cover these fumbles. The result of the platform changes I will bet result in many Dems being disallusioned and staying home on election day. If they'd left the platform alone this wouldn't be an issue but as it is - pandering to the far left base of the party has ripped a scab off and made things worse. Keep up the good work. Clinton's speech was the highlight of the convention and he'll overshadow Obama's speech. It is funny, Dems talk about the Republican convention as being about old values and yet, Dems live in the past, still running against Bush and running Clinton for President because Obama is such a dud. How weird is that?

[CaptainSmollett]

Insightful post.

[alphaa10000]

CHURCH AND STATE, OR GREED AND DEBT ?

CBS News reports The Romney said, "I think their having removed purposefully God from their platform suggests a party that is increasingly out of touch with the mainstream of American people."
--------

The GOP waved the flag about what it called "patriotism" for decades, and then left us with the damage, fraud, high crimes, misdemeanors and criminal acts of the Bush family.

The GOP loved to talk about constitutional fundamentals, but left us with as little of the public trust (not to mention, church-state separation) as it could arrange.

As for religion, itself, what many GOP bozos do not yet register is Bush staff were openly contemptuous of the very religious support they solicited. Today, only those know the comments made by Bush staffers fully understand GOP hypocrisy about faith groups.

So, speaking of being "out of touch" with the American people, The Romney never bothered to shed for a moment his nouveau riche pretensions, and One-Percent-style love affair with greed and injustice.

Asked about his years of plunder with Bain Capital (his own company), The Romney presents himself as an exemplar of corporate propriety (rare as that may be).

Yet, for a number of years The Romney cheated taxpayers, leaving them to cover massive debts he created while he ruined viable American companies, firing workers and shipping production and American jobs overseas. (And keeping million-dollar plus fees for himself.)

As a measure of his hypocrisy, this is the candidate who wants us to regard him as a capitalist (aka "job creator") who feels the pain of the 99 percent of America now suffering his misdeeds.

Read about The Romney's greed and the debt he left us--

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/greed-and-debt-the-true-story-of-mitt-romney-and-bain-capital-20120829_

[CaptainSmollett]

...and you read "Rolling Stone" for intelligent unbiased economic analysis...and you believe it? LOL

[alphaa10000]

Smollett-- Rolling Stone also broke the story on ex-Gen. Stanley McChrystal, which perhaps accounts for your distrust.

Whatever the magazine's name, it should be judged by its journalism, and Rolling Stone has published excellent articles over perhaps four decades.

In any case, you cannot even pretend to judge what you are unwilling to read. (Which hasn't stopped you, so far.)