I don't see why Democrats should participate at all in a function sponsored by an organization whose leadership is practically a member of the Republican Party. It ranks right up there with the Saddleback Forum in pointlessness. At least it was for charity this time.
Why then was Obama welcomed to the Al Smith Dinner, his hand on Cardinal Egan's shoulder as they chuckled together, while Kerry had to stay away? It helps that Obama is not Catholic. Some Catholics have criticized his support for abortion rights, but as he is not a member of their tradition, they don't feel the same need to sanction him.
If Catholics refuse to vote for a Catholic Democrat just because he's pro-choice, but will vote for a pro-choice non-Catholic Democrat, why should Democrats ever nominate Catholics? We're not going to compromise our strong belief in women's rights just to make a bunch of dress wearing freaks happy. They're essentially talking themselves out of the Presidency. The Republicans will certainly never nominate a Catholic since their base of racist fundies hate Catholics. Now they're essentially telling the Dems they'd better not nominate a Catholic either. They'll never have another Kennedy as long as they treat Catholic Dems harder than they treat non-Catholic Dems.
In early October, Bishop Joseph Martino of Scranton released a letter to be read in every pulpit in the diocese that said, in part: "Abortion is the issue this year and every year in every campaign. [Catholics] are wrong when they assert that abortion is only one of a multitude of issues of equal importance. Abortion must take precedence over every other issue."
Somebody should investigate the tax exemption this asshole enjoys. We all know what he's saying even if he doesn't come right out and say "Vote Republican" or "Vote for McCain".
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