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| Catholic Vote Tending Toward Bush |
| 2004-10-04 |
| President Bush is rapidly tying up the Catholic vote, according to two polls that show him gaining support among this traditionally Democratic group. The first poll, released last Monday by the Barna Group, an evangelical Christian polling firm, showed Mr. Bush, a Methodist, edging out his Catholic Democratic challenger, Sen. John Kerry, 53 percent to 39 percent. Pollster George Barna termed the switch "seismic," considering that a similar survey taken by his firm in May showed the president trailing the Massachusetts senator by 43 percent to 48 percent. "Many of the Catholics now behind Mr. Bush have traditionally voted Democratic, but have chosen a different course this time around," he said. His poll represents a 19-point shift in preference in just four months among Roman Catholics, who make up 23 percent of the nation's electorate. Conducted Sept. 11 to 24 among 898 registered voters, it had a margin of error of 3 percent. A second poll, released Tuesday by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press, was not as dramatic, but it does show the president building an edge of 49 percent to 39 percent against Mr. Kerry among white Catholics. This poll, conducted Sept. 22 to 26 among 948 registered voters, had a margin of error of 3.5 percent. Analysts say once-undecided Catholics are leaning toward the president on character issues. Raymond Flynn, former Democratic mayor of Boston and ambassador to the Vatican during the Clinton administration, said that during a recent trip to Ohio, he noticed a tilt toward Bush among Catholics there. "They've been moving and closer to George Bush all the time," he said. "I think people don't make decisions on political or social issues; they make decisions on the character of the person. That's where George Bush's strength is: his character and its qualities. He's a good man, and people like him." |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #10 (Cisco router guy, eh?) The cat's out of the bag. As usual, good point on the commentary. I forgot that Congress pass the partial abortion bill and was struck down by the courts. |
| Posted by: Poison Reverse 2004-10-05 9:06:56 AM |
| #9 Poison Reverse (Cisco router guy, eh?), you're changing the subject. Its not about what the current congress does, its about Kerry's moral character. As for laws outlawing abortion, the Ban on Partial Birth Abortion (a particularly barbaric procedure) was passed and signed into law, and promply overturned by 3 different courts. If we cannot get a third trimester procedure during which the child is partially born wiht the skull exposed, the its neck broken and skull crushed by the "doctor", or the brain liquified via a "mixer-like" whip wire inserted into the skull and the liquified cerebral material removed by suction, then how do you expect to get any sort of reasonable limitations placed on abortion? Its a waste of time until we replace the judges who manufacture law from the bench. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2004-10-04 11:31:15 PM |
| #8 OS, I am a Christian and totally against abortion. I know you have the respect of everyone at RB and I am not trying to pick a fight. But, I have a question. If the Republicans control Congress and the White House, why was there not even a bill introduced outlawing abortion? The liberals actually use this against the conservatives stating, if the Republicans cared so much for the fetus, why did they not even introduce a bill in Congress? |
| Posted by: Poison Reverse 2004-10-04 11:07:05 PM |
| #7 The problem for Kerry is that he is in direct contravention to Cardinal Ratzinger's policy letter and the Bishops ruling that politicians may not present themselves for communion if they vote FOR laws that promote or allow abortion. The Church has been very clear on this: Abortion, the Right to Life is first and foremost amongst issues. There can be no quality of life issues for Social Justice without a life to begin with. Kerry is lying to himself, to the Church and to the public when he claims to be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church. If he can blithely lie about something as fundamental to a human's nature as his core religiouc beliefs, then he will certainly lie about everything else. If he had any moral courage at all, he woudl step up and say "I'm Catholic, and I will not sign any law that promotes or enables abortion, or Gay MArriage or fetal stem cell research". OR else he wil lfind the moral courage to say what Martin Luther did, and stand up and say "I disgree with the Catholic Church on Abortion and Gay Marriage and fetal stem-scell research, and I am leaving the Church based on that fundamental disagreement - I am instead joining the Anglican Church". The fact that he does neither proves to me that John Kerry is a moral coward, and uses his attachment to the Catholic Church for political purposes only. Moral Coward. That is why I despise the man. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2004-10-04 10:55:08 PM |
| #6 interesting discussion on NPR (PBS?) this morning on the faith vote. The conservative was happy that JFK was expressing his faith - the liberal was saying that it was necessary for Kerry to discuss his faith to pick up votes. The screeners allowed in multiple calls that used Bush's faith to call him a drunk and a alcoholic. You think that the Dem's would get a clue. It didn't work last time - but it's fun to call him a drunk, even if it does just add to the perception that the left has become mean, intolerant and shrill people. |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-10-04 8:23:09 PM |
| #5 The Catholic vote going for Bush does not surprise me. It is the abortion issue. I thought Kerry was being ex-communicated or some such wrist-slapping by the Church for his position. The Hispanic vote will be interesting. There is more than one Hispanic vote block out there. |
| Posted by: John (Q. Citizen) 2004-10-04 8:09:45 PM |
| #4 Hispanics. It will be interesting to see how the hispanic vote will affect other electoral issues in the next decade or so. |
| Posted by: jules 187 2004-10-04 5:49:22 PM |
| #3 Trending? Try following moving in droves! I bet there are Catholics that are voting for Kerry, but like the 'Veterans for Kerry' they are a small minority. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2004-10-04 5:40:46 PM |
| #2 Er, "JFK"? You may want to check your RB cookie... |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2004-10-04 2:41:49 PM |
| #1 I'm Catholic and unlike Kerry I agree with the Church on its social positions (except for the death penalty). Kerry is Catholic in name only. He is only one in order to achieve some voting bloc. This is bad news for him. Expect him to covert back to Judism or maybe even Episcopalian (they are more in tune with his conscience and ilk). |
| Posted by: John Forbes Kerry 2004-10-04 2:39:49 PM |