Kerry is no more at odds with his own church than Pataki, Giuliani and Schwarzenegger are. For that matter, someone who opposes abortion but supports capital punishment is just as guilty of contradicting the Church.

For some reason, conservatives only care about it when it's a pro-choice Democrat in question.

Too bad Bush won't be there. He could reprise his "Nope, no weapons here" routine that he did at the Correspondents' Dinner. Now that the fatalities in Iraq have cracked 1,000, that would be just a riot. He'd have them rolling in the aisles.

Flash, you are dead wrong.

As a conservative Catholic, I can tell you that there are a lot of us highly critical of the "Cultural Catholics" who seem to come to mass only with photographers and only during elections.

And it doesnt matter which party.

However, given the difference, and having to choose between a Democrat pro-choicer, and a Republican pro-choicer, we choose the Republican - because the Democrats are not allowed to quesiton Pro-Choice at all - its DOGMA to them and the left wing that has taken over the Democratic Pary and is leaving no room for religion in publiuc life - and is squeezing out men like Zell Miller, Sam Nunn, Scoop Jackson, and marginalizing good men like Joe Lieberman.

It comes down to this: the Pro-Choice Republican can usually be reasoned with and approached. The Pro-Choice Democrats univerasally refuse to listen.

Plus, the Republicans are far more likely to appoint judges who will simply rule on the law, not create it from the bench.

Flash:

My understanding is that in Catholic theology there is a difference between the Church's opposition to abortion and the death penalty. See Archbishop Myers (of Newark) column on page W13 of Friday's (Sept. 17th) Wall Street Journal for one view of how Catholics should view pro-abortion politicians and balance this issue against others. (http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110005634)

Also, if you think that conservatives only care aout abortion when it is an issue involving Democrats then you have not paid much attention to Republican primary elections, party platform disputes and other internal fights. The party has repeatedly torn itself apart over abortion in fights between 'social conservatives' and 'moderates'.

First, Thanks to Hugh for bringing this site to my attention.

With respect to the current discussion as to why Cardinal Eagan did not invite the two presidential candidates to the Al Smith Dinner, it is my opinion that either the Cardinal or those on his staff did not want to provide an opportunity for Bush to look and sound more Catholic than Kerry. I believe there are those in the archdiaocese who are sympathetic with Kerry and this decision avoids him having to answer to those in the crowd during the schmoozing why he is in favor of child killing. The dignitaries would have been polite and proper but there would be one person who would say something and then, well.... front page news. At least I think that is the way whoever did not want Kerry there may have played it. Eagan is no O'Conner and does not have his guts or his temperment. As a result, the mantle of leadership in the Catholic Church is moving away from the old eastern cities where the Catholicism is more cultural than actual and into the heartland of America. Those bishops who have embraced the pope's teaching on evangelization, who are reforming the seminaries, who are unafraid to stand up on the life issues, these are the nation's spiritual leaders. Men like Chaput in Denver, Burke in St. Louis, and Olmsted in Phoenix, have a clear sense of their purpose and mission: to bring the gospel of Jess Christ to everyone and to renew every Chrsitian person's committment to the truth and to personal holiness.

As for the Rupulbican pro-abortion politicians, some are hopeless, others may be reachable. However we cannot compromise on giving them our vote if they will not protect children. Here I disagreed with Hugh over supporting Arnold for governor ( Hugh will respond that Arnold is doing a good job so far - touche) . Now if I could get a good priest friend of mine to talk to Arnold and explain the eternal consequesnce of his actions, maybe Arnold might see his way toward repentance. Then everyone wins.

As for Democrats, in the rank and file there are many who are pro life. However, they have lived with the evil in their midst. They must root it out by getting into the arena and duking it out with the pro-aborts in the primaries. Any Democrat who values his party must begin by withholding from any pro-abort democrat his vote. He must demand respect and work at the grass roots. Any Catholic who looks at the Northeast, sees all the pro abortion democrats and must realize that the leadership and the laity have not done enough to change the status quo. That implies that they do not care enough.

Finally there is a major difference between abortion, the killing of an innocent unbron child, and capital punishment, i.e. the use of the death penalty to punish a person who has been convicted by due process of a capital crime against society. Please refer to the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the details.

Pax.

John