I think there is no doubt that the 'God' debate has increased the public awareness of such issues as evolution/creation and the role of religion in government. It would definitely be interesting to see some statistics which indicate the 'then and now' views people possess regarding God, religion, politics, and ID.
No doubt, there have been shifts in world views brought about by the increasing public exposure of the subject; however, without any figures, we can only guess what impact the public debate has had on society. To me, it appears converts have been won, lines have been drawn, and people have chosen their sides. I have no data or information to validate this assertion, but in my opinion it is plausible to conclude that the number of potential 'converts' to either camp is slowly dwindling as time goes by.
If this is true, it is also possible that the increasingly heated debates are doing nothing but increasing the animosity of those who will not be swayed. The dialogue seems to be growing more contentious, with people from both camps rallying around their cause. Both sides have their prominent public figures who have created somewhat of a groupie following who seem to wait for the next utterance of the leaders. People tune in to hear the latest address or sound-bite and cry out, "Amen, give it to them Brother !"
Where is this debate headed and what are your opinions regarding it's impact on society? Do you believe the debate will ultimately be successful in creating a significant change in world views or will it simply result in stagnation and increased animosity?
Now that the subject has been aired out in public, I am personally skeptical that the debate will have much impact going forward.