Zahn transcript re: the bad, baaaaad Catholic

[Neecy]

The transcript is up. Here's how she phrased her promos for the piece:

"One in every four voters is Catholic, just like Senator John Kerry. But what does the Catholic Church think about his stance on abortion and gay rights? A look at the divide that separates the candidate, his religion, and the Catholic vote."

---a few minutes later--

"Senator John Kerry doesn't always practice what his church preaches. Could that cost him the crucial Catholic vote and possibly the election?

---and again, a few minutes later---


"He is a Catholic candidate who differs with the church on abortion and gay rights. Could that alienate one of the largest bloc of voters in November?"

--then, a few minutes later---

"Coming up, John Kerry's politics often clash with the values of his Catholic religion. Will that make a difference to tens of millions of Catholic voters?"

These are just the promos. You can tell she wanted to get in as much trashin' as she could before the piece itself.

Then the piece begins as follows:

"(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ZAHN: Today's Good Friday, of course, a day when Christians remember the crucifixion of Jesus. Pope John Paul II presided over events at the Vatican, including tonight's Way of the Cross service at the ruins of Rome's Coliseum.

Back here one of the Pope's followers is coming under scrutiny by members of his own church. Presidential hopeful John Kerry is a Roman Catholic who regularly attends Sunday mass, but his Senate votes are sometimes at odds with church teachings on things like the issue of abortion and stem cell research. Being at odds with the church could hurt Kerry politically since Catholicism is the largest denomination in America and the Catholic vote key to winning the White House."

Part of the interview:

"ZAHN: I'm fine, thanks. So, do you think the senator should be allowed to take the Eucharist on Sunday?

FLYNN: Well, let me just give background to it, Paula, I think that the Vatican is facing an ultimatum now, facing a very serious problem. Not only the Vatican but Catholics across this country are going to face a problem, what to do, how to discipline Catholic politicians who run as Catholics but, in many respects, don't adhere to Catholic principles. That's a decision the Vatican is going to soon make, the Catholic Church is going to make.

Let me say this, Paula: some people often describe this situation as comparable to what it was with John Kennedy in 1960. And I've read certain aspects of that. Nothing could be further from the truth. The big issue, the big challenge for Kennedy in 1960, a Catholic, was try to convince non-Catholics that he wouldn't take orders from the pope. John Kerry, a Catholic also, has a very different problem. He has to convince Catholics that he is supportive and is going to be respectful of the principles and the teachings of the Catholic Church. So therein lies, I think, Paula, one of the most extraordinary political dilemmas, potentially one of the most important issues in this presidential campaign.

ZAHN: So if you were the guy in charge, how would you deal with John Kerry? Would you let him take communion?"

Note the words she chose: divide/separates/candidate/religion
differs/church/alienate
clash/values/religion
at odds/church/politically

Gee, do you think she's trying to send a message?

http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0404/09/pzn.00.html

[Warpy]

1. It'll blow up in her media whore face

Catholics tend to be far more liberal than their Protestant cousins, and most approve of both birth control and safe, legal abortion, even if their Church hierarchy is only now being dragged kicking and screaming into the 1600s. Having one of their own pushed around by a bunch of celibate old farts who are yelling about stuff they have absolutely no knowledge of (marriage, family, procreative choices) will not sit well with about 2/3 of them.

They tried all this garbage with Kennedy, too, and it didn't work. I think the more appropriate response would be to start questioning the influence of Bush's spiritual leader, La Haye. He's the nutbag who wrote the "Left Behind" series which seeks to convince neocons that if they blow the world up, they'll get Raptured up to paradise before the fecal material hits the air circulator.

After all, having to pick a liberal church to go to is small potatoes next to being advised to create Armageddon so some hack writer can feel vindicated.

[scarletlib]

6. Absolutely correct

I have tremendous respect for the Pope but he is an old man who fought the communist threat and at this point I question whether he is really running things in the Vatican. I really don't think he has been "in charge" in any meaningful way for many years.

The Church has been going backwards for many years and retreating from Vatican II.

What Paula doesn't appear to know is that Catholic teaching tells us that we must obey our conscience in all matters of faith. Just because the Pope says something doesn't mean we all follow in lock step.

I support birth control and used it. I am pro choice. I am Catholic

[Shoedogg]

2. This is nothing...

...I grew up in a Catholic family. Not one person in my (very large) family doesn't differ with the church on some issues.

And we don't know any other Catholics who don't have their differences, either.

You won't find a great deal of "fundamentalist" Catholics in the general population, in my opinion.

[SemperEadem]

3. the fundamental catholics are in Rome at the Vatican

quite frankly, there needs to be a split for the American catholic church from the Roman catholic church. The whole predatory priest debacle points to how badly out of touch with reality Rome is with the 21st century.

what the church doesn't know about what you think on political issues won't hurt them. it's information about you they don't need to know. this isn't pre-reformation Europe.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

4. It's a B.S Issue!

No validity to it.

[noahmijo]

5. You almost have to be liberal to be a Catholic

For one thing during mass you're encouraged (nearly required) to shake hands with those around you and say "peace be upon to you" and chances are depending on where you live you're going to be shaking Hispanic, Italian, White, and in some cases even Africn-American hands. This is at least the case here in Arizona, but I bet it doesn't differ in other parts.

You won't find too many fundies in Catholic churches either, and so far I've yet to meet another Catholic who supports the govt regulating abortion or even gay marraige for that matter.