Chris Matthews: Are All Catholic Bishops Republican?
The University of Notre Dame along with dozens of other Catholic institutions sued the Obama administration Monday to block the mandate requiring employers to provide contraceptives to employees.
In a discussion about this matter on MSNBC's Hardball Monday, host Chris Matthews asked one of his guests, "Do you think they’re all Republican, the bishops?" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Well, what’s the politics here between it seems to me the universities and the older Catholics, more conservative Catholics, and this administration and the younger people that go to these schools and a lot of them who work at these schools? What’s the real politics going on here, Sister?
SISTER SIMONE CAMPBELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NETWORK, A NATIONAL CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE LOBBY: I think that this is mostly related to the project that the bishops have coming out in June which they’re calling the Fortnight of Freedom. They want to raise up this idea that we in the United States are religiously persecuted. I quite frankly find that quite offensive because we have connections with people all over the world who are actually persecuted. And so the Catholic bishops saying that they are suffering under this persecution from this administration I think is more fueled politically, and is their effort to draw attention to what I understand is going to be quite a PR blitz that they’re paying for.
MATTHEWS: Do you think they’re all Republican, the bishops?
CAMPBELL: I don’t know if they’re all Republican, but it sure seems that they’re speaking from the, the playbook, sort of possibly as surrogates for the Republican Party, I don’t know. But they certainly are engaged in politics that seem much more aligned with the Right.
Matthews as a Catholic Democrat was either being tremendously dishonest with this question or really is losing his bearings.
Catholics in this country historically have been solidly Democratic, although this has waned in recent years.
As EWTN News reported in February, a 2011 Pew study found 48 percent of Catholics surveyed said they were Democrat or Democrat-leaning compared to 43 percent claiming to be Republican or Republican-leaning.
As such, it seems absurd to think all Catholic bishops are Republican.
But that's Matthews for you, always conjuring up a vast right-wing conspiracy to explain why folks have the nerve to disagree with the President that gives him a thrill up his leg.
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Comments
Yes they are
Submitted by octavioj on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:08pm.
That is why they supported comprehensive health care. That is why they support comprehensive immigration report. That is why they support government spending on the poor. That is it. Because they are Republicans...
The Bishops, Booker, Harold Ford
Submitted by merly1 on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 9:34pm.
Chris--->it's either one big conspiracy, or our President sucks at his job.
Hmmm, which is it?
;oD
He's doing his best
Submitted by KornKing on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 7:40am.
to turn Bishops into Republicans
Are All Catholic Bishops Republican?
Submitted by djwolf12 on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:10pm.
Are all Anarchist Athiests Democrats?
You can add
Submitted by Boudin on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 9:39pm.
Thieves and liars
Tingles
Submitted by lilium479 on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:15pm.
Are all Chris Matthews Communists?
Are all idiot MSNBC anchors . .
Submitted by Gary Hall on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:38pm.
Hey Chris Matthews. Are all idiot MSNBC anchors . .Democrats?
(;~> gary
Big surprise that Sister Simone is his guest,
Submitted by motherbelt on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:22pm.
and agrees with him.
Her group is one of those reprimanded by the Vatican for straying from Catholic doctrine.
Amazing motherbelt
Submitted by octavioj on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:25pm.
At one time a sister or priest who spoke this way about the bishops would not be well received by Catholics, as Chris Matthews proclaims to be. It really amazes me.
LIBERALS
Submitted by PVC1234 on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:23pm.
are all liberals bed wetters
Liberals
Submitted by PVC1234 on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:24pm.
are all supporters of child molesters rights LIBERALS
Once again
Submitted by c5then on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:26pm.
Matthews proves that liberals (he is DEFINITELY a liberal) don't believe that religious values should have anything to do with how you life your life. They treat religion and its core values as an overcoat that you put on and take off when it is convenient, and then expect to force others to behave the same way.
How can any Catholic support a politician, let alone a political party, that believes abortion is OK, gay marriage is OK and forcing people to pay for services that are against their religious teachings is OK?
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
Religious Rainwear
Submitted by Pilgrim1949 on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 10:38am.
Your use of the "overcoat" analogy seems verrrrrry apropos!
I can image little Chrissie donning his (gay apparel? oops, wrong song) Dem-approved raincoat (only that, plus dress socks and a pair of wing-tip shoes) and then jumping out from an ally, flashing it open and shut at passers-by, after which claiming any and all who don't appreciate his "performance art" exhibition with applause are racist homophobic right-wing war-monger knuckle-dragging Conservatives.
(Admittedly, even mentally picturing him from afar doing that could induce fits of nausea...)
"Ye canne change the laws of physics....." but some politicians believe that with the right legislation you can pretend they don't really apply to your own pet projects...
War on Catholicism
Submitted by MidAmerica on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:37pm.
Well let's see... attack a fundamental tenet of the Catholic Church and the obama people are surprised that the Catholic Church won't just roll over?
Who the hell is running obama's campaign? They better look for some Republican moles that have infiltrated Team obama. Taking on the Catholic Church in an election year has got to be one of the stupidest political moves I've ever seen.
Catholics want to vote democrat so where is the payoff for alienating them? It’s like a wild animal that gnaws off its own foot.
It's not a war on Catholicism
Submitted by c5then on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:56pm.
It's a war on Christianity specifically and religion in general. Liberals are secularists. They believe that religion is something the someone does on one day a week in a special building for an hour or two. This is the latest skirmish in that war, but do not misunderstand, it is not just aimed at the Catholic church. It is aimed at all and any institution who would stand in the way of free contraception and free abortion at the taxpayer's expense. If they win this battle, it will escalate to forced gay marriage and forced employment of gays and pedophiles by religious schools. These policies apply equally to Protestant, Methodist, Baptist, etc institutions too.
Most Jewish and Islamic schools are insulated because they do not accept Federal money. The Catholic church, for better or worse decided to get in bed with the Federal Government. Now they are paying the price.
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
Anger from Chris Matthews
Submitted by djwolf12 on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:37pm.
I think that Chris Matthews is with the Catholic Church not because they are religious. It is because they are not willing to surrender their institution and all their beliefs to be dictated to them from Chris Matthew's God, Barack Obama.
Chris
Submitted by Samaritan01 on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:43pm.
Are all Catholic Bishops Republicans?? No, probably not, they just seem that way because pro-lifers are intelligent.
Republican Bishops
Submitted by Steve Cakouros on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 8:51pm.
The Bishops are Democrats. They have however been awakened rudely, like that guy who was a liberal and soft on punishment until he was mugged.
The Bishops may join the GOP because Socialists like Obama always want freedom for themselves but not for others.
➚No, they're not all Republicans
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 9:01pm.
But if they would sell their mortal souls in homage to an earthly master, they'd certainly be Democrats.
Are the bishops all Republican?
Submitted by Bliggie on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 9:59pm.
Only a leftist would even ask such a question. Because TINGLE UP HIS PUSS Chris Matthews only thinks in terms of political Ideology and because everything he does is based on this outlook he thinks everyone in the world must do the same. That is why they oppose the Great Obama, they must be Republicans. Communists (like Matthews) do not believe in God or an afterlife, that leaves them only the here and now, and they will do whatever it takes, i.e. lie, cheat, bribe, intimidate, find votes in car trunks, even purge the non-believers like uncle joe and chairman mao to get their way and push their agenda. We are seeing the first and dishonest part of that situation at work right before our very eyes and in our time with the corrupt leftists state media in America today.
Tingles is apparently not a regular church-goer. Big surprise.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 10:09pm.
The entire Catholic clergy is and has always been monolithically Democrat.
They're just sick and tired of being stabbed in the back over and over again.
If Mitt does manage to pull this off, Tingles will be found dangling from a rafter in his attic within a month, mark my words.
Chris Matthews: Are All
Submitted by MightyMouth on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 10:16pm.
Chris Matthews: Are All Catholic Bishops Republican?
Damn right Chrissy, if they aint they should be!
Panic...
Submitted by seen the light on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 11:00pm.
this is panic setting in with Matthews and much of the liberal establishment. Their media arm, that is the MSM, is revealing it every time they do something like this. They are scared.
The real question
Submitted by Kilroy on Mon, 05/21/2012 - 11:44pm.
The real question is are all MSNBC commentators such douche bag, window licking liars?
Look over there!
Submitted by hoosherdaddy137 on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 6:05am.
This just screams BS. The catholic church would be completely lefty if abortion and gay marriage wernt on the table ALL the time in america(IMO).
Hmmmmmmmmm
Submitted by DontFeedTheTrolls on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 6:57am.
Are all Muslim terrorists Democrats?
Consitutional Rights
Submitted by LaVallette on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 7:13am.
So according to Matthews, standing up for your consitutional rights makes you a Republican. Then every American who respects the Rights guarnated under the Constituion of the USA and the Bill of Rights is or should be a Republican. By definition then, anyone who is aginst or is not prepared to stand up for these rights is a Democrat and a traitor against the principles the USA stands upon and for.
Incidentally, i bet anyhting that sister SISTER SIMONE CAMPBELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NETWORK, A NATIONAL CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE LOBBY is a member of the The Leadership Conference of Women Religious. Her comments here gives further evidence on why the Catholic Hierarchy has decide to take action to reform this group. It has ceased to stand for Catholic prinicples but has just become another progressive "social justice" pressure group and includes support for contrception, abortion, the gay lifestyle and the whole range of the progressive agenda which is cooroding the very fabric of Western JudeoChristian civilization.
If you do not like what Catholicism stands for, stop representing yourself as a Catholic and worse still a practicing Catholic in good standing. Latae sentenae excommunication is still on the books. A lot fo the so called "reformers from within" are not prophets. They are treacherous fifth columnists.
My thoughts exactly
Submitted by ant on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 7:21am.
When I read this, I realized the more appropriate question from Tingles should have been, "Do all Catholic Bishops actually believe in this Constitutional stuff?"
No, Chris...
Submitted by SamC on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 7:47am.
they're not all Republicans, and that should tell you something. (but it won't)
However, I'm sure the ones that aren't Republican are surely only becoming involved because the President is black. Yeah, that's it. They're either Republican or racist. (like there's a difference)
No, Chris,
Submitted by notinstl on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 8:19am.
....you dumbass, they're all CATHOLIC!
AMEN
Submitted by Skunk Ape on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 10:18am.
AMEN
Christie here is a little
Submitted by John21 on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 10:57am.
Christie here is a little secret just for you. Not everyone thinks that Obama is God.
There are still a fair amount of people in this country that believe in the rights that were granted to them in the Constitution. They still believe in the separation of church and state. They still believe in the laws of this country.
Kool-Aid drinker like you can continue believing that Obama is the “Messiah”. You can continue to believe in the Obama version of socialism. You can believe that the current White House is competent. You see that is what is being fought for here, you can be wrong, a bigot, and a brainwashed moron and at least till you really lose it (very soon) no one will come and force you to acknowledge the real world (for you that means anti-delution medication after the stay),
“Few men have the virtue to withstand the highest bidder.” George Washington
WHAT?
Submitted by rusino on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 11:32am.
Chris Matthews is an idiot!
All Roman Catholic Bishops are CATHOLIC. Their Politics are inconsequential.
Mathhews claims to be also. I wish he, Pelosi, Kerry, Mikulski, and other catholics that no longer believe in The Catholic Church make clear to the public that they have some kind of ax to grind.
Cardinal Bernardin's "seamless garment"
Submitted by CO2Maker on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 12:12pm.
The Catholic church regards life and its protection as very important. It's central to the core tenets. As Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago said many years ago, the protection of life in a "seamless garment" that regards everything that threatens life—from capital punishment to abortion—as grave sins.
Liberals support the prohibition of capital punishment, but they loathe any limitation on abortions.
Related to the church's stand against abortion is, of course, it's opposition to contraception, which directly affects women far more than men. And the church prohibits the ordination of women.
So the Catholic church is on its face opposed to women, and its protects pedophile celibate priests—men.
Who else opposes the aspirations and protections of women? Well, duh, Republicans. So the hierarchy of the church must be Republicans.
QED
Given the beliefs and platform of the Democrats
Submitted by chiefpayne on Tue, 05/22/2012 - 12:50pm.
if ALL Bishops ARE NOT Republicans...they SHOULD BE!
I will wager a MAJORITY of their parishioners ARE Republican!