Jay Lindsay quoted almost exclusively from liberals in his report on Ted Kennedy’s Catholicism for the AP on Friday. Only one of those excerpted by Lindsay was a conservative, not counting Catholic Church officials.
The AP correspondent led his article, titled “Kennedy’s Catholicism source of comfort, conflict,” with some glowing language, but at least portrayed how the deceased senator was not always a faithful believer: “Sen. Edward Kennedy was raised from birth to cherish his Catholicism, and it became both a source of comfort and conflict throughout his life. The son of the country’s most famous Catholic family defied church teachings when he divorced his first wife, then was granted an annulment only after he admitted he wasn’t being honest when he promised her he’d be faithful. His most significant and public break with the church came with his support for abortion rights.”
Lindsay followed this summary about the Democrats’s “significant and public break” with Church teaching by countering that “Kennedy also advocated for signature Catholic causes, such as help for the poor, health care and immigration reform, and opposition to the Iraq war.” While the Church does do significant work on those three issues, and Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI voiced their opposition to the Iraq war, they do not raise to the same moral importance as abortion and the sanctity of marriage, contrary to what many Catholic dissenters might say.
The correspondent continued by quoting from three liberal writers- Boston College professor Alan Wolfe, who extolled the senator’s commitment to left-wing politics and pondered the “future of Kennedy liberalism” in the Boston Globe on Thursday; Kennedy biographer and former New York Times Washington correspondent Adam Clymer, who admired Kennedy’s left-wing accomplishments; and “Catholic author” Michael Sean Winters, wrote about the “stupidity of banning gay priests” in 2005. Lindsay also included quoted from Ted Kennedy himself from his 1983 speech at Liberty University, where he defended his “pro-choice” position on abortion.
The only conservative Lindsay quoted in his piece was Russell Shaw, who earlier this year called on Catholic supporters of the President to apologize for saying “Obama and the Church would have a lot in common.” Shaw commented that “when Kennedy defied the church on issues such as abortion and later, gay marriage, he reinforced a corrosive belief among Catholics that they can simply ignore teachings they don't agree with.” The AP correspondent also included quotes from the Rev. Gerry Creedon, a Catholic priest who was “Kennedy’s friend” and was at the senator’s bedside shortly before his death, and Susan Gibbs, the spokeswoman for the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.
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Waitress Sandwich?
August 28, 2009 - 11:23 ET by NortoIs that really true re tfk & dodd?
THE KENNEDY CLAN...
August 28, 2009 - 13:18 ET by danybhoyThat story is very hard to believe, but then you must factor that a Kennedy was involved. The family has always been pushing the grounds of decent behavior & getting away with things we normal people would get in real trouble if we had done whatever it is. They have always done what wanted because they always got off easy.
How much truth is there in this story? Who knows, but almost nothing should ever be discounted when the Kennedy's are involved.
"...How blind can you be, don't you see...
...that the gambler lost all he does not have..."
Nightwish
Norto
August 28, 2009 - 16:06 ET by acumenHere is the story. It comes down to whether or not to believe the (multiple) witnesses. Based on other reports/witnesses, this particular case is not an isolated incident by Kennedy. Many other similar escapades have been documented in the media.
I know if this story had been written about me, a slander suit would soon follow. That wasn't the case with Kennedy.
Howdy
August 28, 2009 - 16:15 ET by bigtimerHowdy acumen...
Exactly.
I remember the story when it was out there, you could catch it between the cracks here and there.
Heck, Imus used to have Dodd on frequently and he would mention it constantly...for me when he did so it wasn't one bit funny...then again, Imus had a way of gettin his point across and acting dumb about it while doing so.
Btw...I'm talking about when he was on msnbc, before he was fired.
Obama's a Community Agitator, a walking, talking destroyer. ~ Rush Limbaugh
RAMPAGE OF CLUELESS FAWNERS
August 28, 2009 - 18:28 ET by reelman46TEDDY-PEPE…ABSURD CLUELESS ARTICLE
After Kennedy’s Death: Silence from the Pope
By JEFF ISRAELY — Aug 27, 2009
There was a poignant footnote to President Obama’s historic July 10
meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. Behind closed doors in
the papal library, Obama handed Benedict a letter that Senator Edward
Kennedy had asked him to personally deliver to the pontiff.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs later told reporters that nobody -
not even the President - knew the contents of the sealed missive. Obama
himself asked Benedict to pray for Kennedy, and called the ailing
Senator afterward to fill him in on his encounter with the 82-year-old
Pope.
The letter, most likely already re-sealed and tucked away in the
Vatican archives, was probably just a dying Catholic’s request for a
papal blessing. In the eyes of the traditionalist wing of the Church,
however, Kennedy should have been asking the Pope for forgiveness.
CRAWFISH NOTE: There is no “traditionalist
wing”…are “Jews for Jesus” a proper model for Judaism? Good grief, just
type any silly unfounded slanted premise to show your biased boot
licking side.
Realize the Vatican is not a democrat media puppet…realize Teddy K. was
a deliberate fallen-away catholic….realize Teddy K. was a serial moral
midget also involved in a death…realize it took years for Teddy K. to
manage an annulment of his first marriage…realize the fawning lib-media
cannot pressure the Pope and realize morals still matter to some on the
planet.
Did I mention the Kennedys have a body and soul like the rest of
humanity, no more…only their inherited money and arrogant power
distinguishes them…let’s see how far that gets Teddy K. in the
afterlife. Wonder how much Teddy K. left his Diocese in his will? Wanna
bet not much if anything? If its not revealed in 30 days or so we know
it was a shameful amount. Remember he was born a multimillionaire trust
funder.
Be very thankful my ultimate political wish (congressional 12 year
term limits) has not yet come to pass…not yet…as the “2009 toilet
congress” overflows we need a strong flush in November 2010…the smell
of media boot licking saliva combined with dripping political arrogance
could kill a possum…the elected weasels enjoy it so much…the mere words
“Term Limits” makes them ALL hyperventilate.
Remember a democrat weasel filed suit and ended the concept…a week of great partying followed to be sure…
46 years at the tax trough spewing arrogance is disgusting.
The next lionizing may be the frail forgetful Robbie Byrd who clings
to every hour of power as democrats do so well…superb retirement you
can’t have, HealthCare Plan you can’t have, millionaire plus status
after serving which you can’t explore…and they virtually all are drunk
with power, perks and arrogance…but they stay, they deny family
timer…they stay every single minute…heaven on earth is like that…
Doug Schexnayder, Ph.D. (theconservativecrawfish)
What the Catholic Church has said ...
August 28, 2009 - 11:25 ET by SentryDanWhat the Catholic Church has said is that abortion is WRONG and that gay marriage is WRONG. What part of "WRONG" don't these liberals understand?
Kennedy has supported both of these issues. That makes Kennedy wrong in the eyes of the Church. And any one in the religious orders who does not agree with the Church on these issues is "WRONG". It is as simple as that. To teach otherwise is going against the tenents of the Church.
Remember folks, Freedom isn't Free. It was bought with the blood and sacrifice of the men and women who are serving and who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
For those who fought for it, Freedom has a flavor that the protected will never know.
Also remember folks, that the way to SUPPORT THE TROOPS is to support their mission. Anyone who says that they support the troops but don't support their mission is lying about supporting the troops. And if you want to know, yes I do have a dog in the fight, he is a United States Marine.
What God has said...
August 28, 2009 - 12:01 ET by lotrI've chimed in before on this, but FWIW, it's not just Rome that teaches these things -- Catholicism only echoes what God's own Word teaches.
"Let's wrap him up, alright?" -- Keith Olbermann
Ted Kennedy was about as Catholic as I am
August 28, 2009 - 13:13 ET by R D Helm-Dave
Even when the government tries to kiss you, it is just a prelude to a good screwing. -Neal Boortz
RIP MJK
August 28, 2009 - 14:01 ET by retroconDon't worry, you won't see him soon.
August 28, 2009 - 14:55 ET by jessieHThey should have the funeral at Chapaquidick. (sp?) He should have died there, anyway.