America needs a president who will 'walk humbly with God', says Hillary Clinton

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton declared that America needs a president who will "pray with you" and "walk humbly with our God" during her speech at the National Baptist Convention (NBC, USA Inc.).

Clinton emphasized why a "praying person" should be president, at the event held on Thursday in Kansas City, Missouri.

"We need a president who understands the powerful role that faith — and communities of faith — have always played in moving our country toward justice, from the abolitionists of the 19th century, to the Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century, to the unfinished business of today," Clinton said.

"A president who will pray with you, and for you, who will defend the dignity of every individual, and the principle of religious freedom that was woven into the moral fabric of our nation from the very beginning," she continued.

The convention is notably the largest African-American religious organization in the U.S with an estimated 7.5 million members.

The Secular Coalition for America immediately raised their concern regarding Clinton's speech. The coalition stated that her speech "reinforce[s] the de facto religious test imposed on nonreligious Americans seeking elected office."

The coalition noted that Clinton previously received a score of "A" on its presidential voter guides. It gave this rating to Clinton for her consistency in defending the separation of church and state as well as her efforts in promoting science-based public policy. The atheist organization added that her speech implying that prayer is a requirement for the presidency was inexcusable despite her track record.

The Washington Times recently reported on the absence of religion in Clinton's campaign. The publication mentioned that Clinton had not gone to church except to garner votes at the pulpit and discuss her political objectives with religious leaders.

Analysts have speculated that the absence of faith in her campaign is due to the large number of atheists and agnostics in the Democratic Party. Another reason cited was the public perception of Trump as the most nonreligious presidential candidate in history.

A pew poll reportedly revealed that only 30 percent perceive Trump as religious while 48 percent say the same about Clinton.