Pro-abortion Catholic as Obama VP pick would be a mistake, group says

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Gov. Tim Kaine, Sen. Barack Obama, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius

Chicago, Ill., Jul 31, 2008 / 04:58 am (CNA).- As reports circulate that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama is considering Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, a Catholic who supports abortion, for his vice-presidential pick, the national Catholic advocacy group Fidelis is arguing that the choice of a pro-abortion Catholic as Obama’s running mate would put off Catholic voters who are still considering his candidacy.

"The choice of a pro-abortion Catholic for vice president would deal a major blow to any efforts by the Obama campaign to reach out to Catholic voters," said President of Fidelis Brian Burch, speaking in a press release. “Both the bishops and the laity continue to wrestle with the scandal of prominent Catholic politicians who support abortion, and the choice of a pro-abortion Catholic running mate would amount to scratching at a deep and festering wound in the American Catholic Church.”

Other pro-abortion Catholics have been named as choices for the Democratic ticket, including Sens. Joe Biden and Chris Dodd and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

Earlier this year Governor Sebelius was rebuked by Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph Naumann for her support for legalized abortion and her connections with notorious late-term Kansas abortionist George Tiller. The archbishop asked Sebelius not to receive Holy Communion until she renounced her stand.

“Given his position on abortion, everyone expects Senator Obama to select a pro-abortion vice presidential candidate. But the choice of a Catholic who publicly rejects the teachings of their faith on this 'foundational' issue could be disastrous," said Burch. "Just ask John Kerry or Rudy Giuliani.”

Sen. Obama has a history of surrounding himself with dissenting Catholics. The Catholic League argues that “not one of the 26 former and current public policy holders who constitute the group stand with the Catholic Church on all three major issues: abortion, embryonic stem cell research and school vouchers.”

Comments: 16

Subscriber comments:

Published by: JuneA
Danbury, CT USA 08/21/2008 12:38 PM EST

I'm sorry, but I believe you are mistaken about Gov. Kaine's stand on abortion. He is pro-life, and the evil tragedy of Obama possibly choosing him as a running mate is that many Catholics will consider it "okay" to vote for Obama after all since Kaine, a pro-life Catholic, on the ticket. And don't think Obama hasn't thought of that very advantage. I hope he picks Biden - I already know die-hard Catholic Dems who will vote for McCain if Biden is Obama's VP pick.

Published by: James
tampa/FL 08/13/2008 09:34 PM EST

To Jim from Newington:

You are flat wrong. Choice is a reality all humans have as it is the gift of God at all times known as free will. Sometimes the choices we have are limited by laws but that only makes our decision more challenging. Sometimes the laws are good laws and sometimes the laws are bad ones. Sometimes our choices are limited by extreme force but we, for all intents and purposes, still have a choice even if it costs us our life. If a person uses the euphemism, Pro-Choice, they are putting a positive spin on the use of violence on the unborn child. Be intellectually honest, you can not support abortion when you know the biological facts about the child in the womb and realize God's commandments against murder. Are you your brother's keeper? Let me answer that for you. Yes, stop letting God down with this modern lie. Abortion may be a choice, but it should be illegal.

Published by: Jim
Newington,CT 08/05/2008 10:45 AM EST

There is no such thing as being "pro-abortion"...It's like saying that GWB is "PRO-MURDER" because he let executions happen as Governor of TX.

They are PRO-CHOICE.

Published by: David
Manistee/MI/USA 08/01/2008 02:58 PM EST

Governor Tim Kaine is a member of Democrats For Life of America and is Pro-Life. Which means from conception to natural death. He is not pro-choice.

So if you would be so kind as to correct that, that would be great.

Published by: WM
US 08/01/2008 02:41 PM EST

Wait a Tick: What is a pro-choice loyal Catholic? I've never met one or even heard of one. Someone can be pro-choice or a loyal Catholic, but not both.

While we're at it, does the right to life stop at birth? When 10s of thousands of women and children noncombatants die in a war against a country that never threatened us, is that somehow more acceptable? Obama voted to fund the war and McCain, well, McCain is proud of it. In November, remember that there are alternatives.

Published by: Lance Patrick
Columbus/GA/USA 07/31/2008 08:34 PM EST

Why would it matter whether the VP is pro-choice or pro-life. Obama is pro-abortion and has stated that he will strip all state restrictions on abortion upon taking office. How could any Catholic even consider voting for someone like that? And yes, abortionists should be prosecuted for what we as Catholics have been told in no uncertain terms by Holy Mother Church(remember Her?) that an innocent life is being taken by these people. This practice is barbaric and it is inexcuable for someone to proclaim that they are a faithful Catholic to even consider voting for someone who is so blatantly pro-abortion.

Published by: Tom Webb
Santa Rosa, CA 07/31/2008 06:50 PM EST

The concerns voiced by Mr. Burch and others about Catholic presidential or vice-presidential candidates are somewhat irrelevant. Issues like abortion will be dealt with by the Supreme Court and not the President. While its true the President nominates Supreme Court justices, its up to legislators to confirm them.

The abortion controversy will eventually be challenged by a multitude of small legal decisions which erode absolutist positions on abortion, the conditions which often lead desparate women to seek them. Likewise, legislation that reduces the need for abortion like the Democrats for Life 95-10 initiative will go a long way in reducing the number of abortions in the U.S.

Published by: Christina
Dillsburg, PA USA 07/31/2008 06:42 PM EST

Could someone please tell me why Catholics are even concerned with WHO Obama picks as his VP? Catholics shouldn't even be registered in the Democrat Party! Have they read the party platform??

Published by: Alan
USA 07/31/2008 06:41 PM EST

One cannot be a Catholic and support abortion.

Published by: Fr. Chris
California 07/31/2008 05:56 PM EST

Guys,

Don't be deceived by these tricks. They sell you the "pro-life" ticket to take something more from you. If Obama will have a pro-life VP, how is that going to help you? Did you hear Obama talking? What he is saying is PURE communism!

Did you hear him about the war in Iraq couple of months ago? He promised to bring the troupes back after he will be elected. Now, that he is the nominee, after the visit in Iraq he said the tropes can not come back now because they have to finish their job. Isn't this what Bush and McCain were saying from the beginning? (either you agree or not with Bush or McCain, this is a fact!)

He will do the same thing with the "pro-life" ticket. Now he is indirectly presenting himself as a pro-life supporter because the VP is pro-lifer, but the VP doesn't have any power to change things until the president dies. And until than, Obama can continue with his anti-life, pro-gay and anti-american agenda.

Wake up people. Don't be deceived like Eve by the serpent because the "fruit it was pleasant to the eyes".

Fr. Chris.

Published by: Jaime
Los Angeles, CA 07/31/2008 11:42 AM EST

I can see how abortion and embryonic stem cell research are major issues for Catholics; but since when are "school vouchers" part of Catholic teaching (I'd like to see someone argue this one...)???

It's fine and well that organizations such as the Catholic League make their recommendations, but the truth in the end is that we must either make the choice that approximates our teaching best (if we are willing to make compromises), or not vote at all: in this race I'm tending toward the latter. We'll have to see who the VP nominees are before any hasty decisions, nevertheless.

Published by: WM
US 07/31/2008 11:36 AM EST

When Illinois tried to prohibit partial-birth abortions where babies were prematurely born alive and placed in a dirty laundry room to die, Obama was chairman of the Senate committee that would hear arguments on the bill. He refused to allow arguments to be heard, single-handedly defeating a bill to prohibit partial-birth abortion. The bill could not proceed (and pass) until Obama left the State legislature. What does it matter who his running mate will be? Could a Catholic possibly consider voting for him? (Same question for McCain who pushes for fetal stem-cell research.) There are alternatives.

Published by: Joan L. Roccasalvo
Bronx, NY 07/31/2008 11:29 AM EST

In recent days, MSNBC and CNN have reported that Gov Kaine is pro-life. Networks consider this a plus to prove that Sen Obama is open to pro-lifers (a token gesture to pro-lifers). Gov Kaine would not need to defend his so-called pro-life position to pro-abortioners because he would be serving at the pleasure of the President.
His appointment would be a bold and risky political move, but a mistake. If Gov Kaine is, in fact, pro-choice, then the Catholic Church in Virginia would have to speak up, were he to be nominated as VP.

Published by: Wait a Tick
arlington, va, usa 07/31/2008 11:22 AM EST

So the Catholic Leadership would rather have a Protestant Pro-Choice VP ... than a Catholic Pro-Choice VP??

Why!?

Why wouldn't you want a good loyal Catholic to succeed?

Published by: José
Michigan 07/31/2008 10:01 AM EST

It is a political opinion to say that Gov Kaine is pro-abortion. Kaine is a practicing Catholic, a former lay missionary and declares himself to be pro-life. He has regularly for many years spoken out against abortion and is a member of Democrats For Life. That organization and Gov. Kaine have proposed and advocated policies that seek to reduce the amount of abortions in Virginia and in the U.S. Ideally, as Catholics we would want our country and all countries to legally protect the life of the unborn. Gov Kaine has stated his agreement to that. Yet he recognizes that as a policy maker, one has to choose policies that realistically protect the unborn right now. There is currently no consensus to outlaw all abortions nor is there likely to be this consensus or law in the foreseeable future. It is also a political opinion to label as "pro-abortion" other politicians such as Guiliani, Obama or Hillary Clinton when they have spoken out against abortion and have advocated policies that would reduce abortions. They, however, do not share the political opinion of this website and other similarly concerned Catholics that the most effective public policy to protect the unborn is to outlaw all abortions and put women and doctors in jail for that horrible crime. In this country, the position to advocate for that ideally correct but unrealistic option has not served in effect to protect the unborn, but rather distracted us from promoting polices that would save their lives.

Published by: PBrown
Franklin/TN/USA 07/31/2008 08:22 AM EST

I, for one, hope he does choose one of these people. It will force the "discussion" that desperately needs to be resolved once and for all. Many of our clergy/Bishops are actually speaking out forcefully on the issue of abortion, yet many remain ambivalent. Obama choosing a pro-abortion "Catholic" would be the line drawn in the sand, one that really should have been drawn a long time ago.

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