Posted on 04/08/2009 8:03:55 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich drew attention last week when he publicly converted to Catholicism.
To many, who view the Republican Party as merely a Protestant/Southern party -- and the conservative movement as the embodiment of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, this was probably shocking news.
To the rest of us, the announcement resulted in a collective yawn.
Though never monolithic, having nominated both Al Smith in 1928 and JFK in 1960, Catholics, were once a reliable Democratic constituency. Today, however, Catholics are arguably the swing vote (for example, George W. Bush won the Catholic vote -- and so did Barack Obama).
To be sure, there were always exceptions. William F. Buckley -- whose contribution to conservative thought cannot be over-stated -- was a proud, practicing Catholic (in fact, National Review remains largely a voice of Catholic conservatism), and Republican speechwriter, turned pundit, turned politician, turned pundit, Pat Buchanan was, as well.
But it was actually Ronald Reagan's Catholic father, Jack, who helped bring Catholics into the mainstream of the conservative movement by welcoming such Neoconservative intellectuals as Jeanne Kirkpatrick and Bill Bennett into his administration. (Of course, you also cannot overstate the impact of the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision in moving many Catholics away from the Democratic Party. It is also important to note that Catholics were the first to defend the "Right to Life," while too many Protestants, sadly, sat on the sidelines.)
In recent years, Catholic conservatives and Republicans (there is a difference) have grown in numbers and gained in prominence. Perhaps because Catholics are a huge swing vote, many of George W. Bush's most prominent speech writers -- such as Michael Gerson-- were Catholic. Bush also cleverly adopted Catholic rhetoric, such as the term "culture of life", as a way to appeal to this demographic in
(Excerpt) Read more at news.aol.com ...
campaigning sorry for the typo
[Converting from a “Baptist” to Catholic is just another reason among many, that Newt can’t be trusted.]
Why?
It doesn’t bother me at all.
Exit polling is not scientifically reliable.
Coldwater Creek, do you represent a store in Idaho - if so, then I certainly won’t buy anything there again, can’t be trusted!
Last week? Was there a special Easter for Newt?
Wow!
Sounds like a lot of not-so-crypto Catholic haters here on Free Republic.
I figure that by post no.53 we’ll have someone talk about the Vatican tunnel to Washington.
On the contrary ... I trust him more now.
Dude .... watch the bigoted statements.
Most of the so called Conservative Catholics voted for the pro Muslim Obama.
Barely over 1/2 ... 53%. Yeah, that's inexcusable, but hardly what I'd call "most."
“that Newt can’t be trusted.”
Why? I can think of a lot of Catholics I would be proud to vote for. Maybe Newt felt led by God to convert, I don’t know what is in his heart.—JM
BTW-I’m Protestant. Check out the Catholic position on The Sanctity of Life. Very impressive.
Doesn't always happen on Easter Sunday. When I made the jump, it was a week before as well.
Kathleen Parker and Peggy Noonan subsequently trashed Palin while fawning like pre-teen girls over Obama's charisma. Makes me think those two are more about image than substance and core principles, which is probably why they went for Romney.
“Converting from a “Baptist” to Catholic is just another reason among many, that Newt can’t be trusted.”
Oops, that’s my story, too (Baptist to Catholic). I find, as opposed to what you say, that I’m now a much more comitted social conservative b/c now I can carry on an intelligent argument about social issues w/a non-believer w/out resorting to Scripture citations; I can argue my views based on reason and natural law (which hold sway with an intelligent non-believer) w/out wasting my breath with references to Holy Scriptures in which he or she does not believe.
People with no moral center assume that everyone else's is a pose. How about turning this assumption on its head. Because many articulate conservatives are catholic, its no surprise if some of Bush's speech writers are catholic.
Bush also cleverly adopted Catholic rhetoric, such as the term "culture of life", as a way to appeal to this demographic in his speeches (a Politico writer recently got this one wrong, writing that the term "culture of life" was "code language'"meant to appeal to Evangelicals).
Again, if a speechwriter is a catholic, its not a surprise if his prose occasionally reflects his catholic sensibility. But Lewis is reaching if he thinks that "culture of life" doesn't also ring with evangelicals, or frankly anyone with his soul intact.
The NE is largely Catholic and they vote democrat. Obviously.
Newt’s presence during the Easter Vigil could have become a media event and distraction. A private conversion is appropriate in these circumstances.
You wrote:
“The NE is largely Catholic and they vote democrat.”
Actually the body of the faithful in the Northeast has all but imploded - especially (and not conicidentally) in New England. There are still many fine Catholics there, but they are vastly outnumbered by the CINOs.
No, the tunnel goes to Chicago. Didn’t you get the last memo from the Tunnelmaster?
Massachusetts
Barney Franks
Ted Kennedy
Nancy Pelosi
Joe Biden
Most Catholics in Congress are pro killing babies
You wrote:
“Barney FranksTed KennedyNancy PelosiJoe Biden
Most Catholics in Congress are pro killing babies”
Which just proves they’re CINOs. Their Church has always been resolutely pro-life. These CINOs aren’t. That’s my point. These people are not representative of the Church’s teaching at all. They’re not Catholic in spirit at all.
Most?
Really?
You have identified four.
There are about 150 Catholics in Congress.
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