Cafeteria Journalism: NYT Suggests Pro-Choice Democrats Are Church-Friendly to Catholics

New York Times reporter David Kirkpatrick reported on Tuesday that more Catholic Democrats and Hillary voters he studied in Scranton, Pennsylvania -- much touted as the scene of the Irish-Catholic upbringing of Joe Biden -- were leaning McCain after Catholic Democrats like Biden and Nancy Pelosi have been scolded by Catholic bishops for their proclamations about abortion on television. But Kirkpatrick tried to elide the issue of how abortion is a defining issue in Catholic teaching, while the other issues liberals tout are less important and doctrinal. Kirkpatrick began the story of young Matthew Figured, now moved to supporting McCain:

He had watched progressive Catholics work with the Democratic Party over the last four years to remind the faithful of the party's support for Catholic teaching on the Iraq war, immigration, health care and even reducing abortion rates.

But then his local bishop plunged into the fray, barring Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, from receiving communion in the area because of his support for abortion rights.

It's quite a stretch to imagine that Barack Obama - who advocated the "right to choose" death for children already born alive - could be matched with Catholic teaching on "reducing abortion rates." It's also a stretch to believe that Catholic teaching is synonymous with Obama's plan for socialized medicine or synonymous with amnesty for illegal immigrants. The church obviously teaches work for the poor, the sick, and the alien - but it doesn't automatically translate to a Democratic bumper sticker.

The Democrats, so accustomed to campaigning in black churches and enjoying the mingling of church and politics when it helps them, clearly loathe bishops speaking up on abortion and Catholic politicians:

Catholic Democrats outside the campaign have also worked hard to avoid repeating the experience of 2004, when a small group of outspoken bishops dominated news coverage of the church with criticism of Democratic Senator John Kerry focused on the single issue of abortion.

Oddly enough, Kirkpatrick suggested that Catholic Democrats should just shut up about church teachings:

Progressive Catholics complain that by wading into the history of church opposition to abortion - Mr. Biden brought up St. Thomas Aquinas, Ms. Pelosi discussed St. Augustine - Democratic officials are starting a distracting debate with the church hierarchy.

"Getting into Augustine and Aquinas - it is just not helpful," said Chris Korzen, executive director of Catholics United, a progressive Catholic group running television commercials that emphasize the church's social justice teachings. "It would be wise for them to focus on how policies they are going to implement as leaders are going to move forward the church teachings they say they believe in."

In other words, it would be wise of them to emphasize the piece of cafeteria Catholicism they still support - and avoid the issues on which they've completely rejected church teaching and support what the church defines as moral evils.