AP on Roberts and Catholics – Some Balance Please?

Despite assertions otherwise, the liberal media in general and the AP specifically continue to make Supreme Court nominee John Roberts’ Catholic faith an issue. In a piece called, “Roberts, Catholics at center of scrutiny,” they titularly admit it.

Richard N. Ostling’s first paragraph:

If John Roberts is confirmed, he will be the fourth Roman Catholic on the Supreme Court, an all-time high that is focusing attention on how faith might influence law on the high court.

He then begins an examination of how the Catholic faith alone might influence Judge Roberts and other Catholic Supreme Court Justices. He omits an exploration of how Justice Ginsburg or Breyer’s Jewish faith, or Justice Souter’s Episcopalian faith might influence law--something which might have given balance to the piece.

Ostling then goes on to explain cases involving abortion that might come before the court and adds: “And a shift of one vote could allow laws to ban ‘partial-birth’ abortion.” No, a shift of one vote would allow numerous laws already on the books for years to be enforced. He continues:

From abortion rights to capital punishment to physician-assisted suicide, the upcoming term offers plenty of issues in which the Catholic Church has strong interest. But history shows a justice’s religion does not provide a road map for rulings.

Again, Ostling is disingenuous in implying that none but the Catholic religion has “strong interest” in moral issues that might come before the court--at least none he discusses in his piece. This might come as a shock to his colleagues who daily decry the Evangelical Christian movement.

And if “history shows a justice’s religion does not provide a road map for rulings,” then what in heavens name is the purpose of this article?