Washington (CNN) -- The uproar last week over a proposed campaign ad highlighting President Barack Obama's former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, lit up political circles before organizers finally backed off the idea. And Mitt Romney came under fire from evangelicals before his speech to Liberty University in Virginia earlier this month because some at the traditional Christian school still believe Mormonism is a cult. Two very different candidates joined by similar, yet hollow, attacks on their faith illustrate the intense mix of identity politics simmering just beneath the surface of the presidential race. When it comes to faith and race, there are some who want to paint both candidates as outside the mainstream, not members of the traditional American club. They want to paint them as "others."
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Both Romney and Obama have suffered attacks because of their faith
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Candidates painted by some as outside the mainstream, 'others'
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"It's the elephant in the room," said one expert on race and politics
But on religion, he has to tell a story about how his @placeholder is an American religion and coincides with his conservative base."