For all the gripes about the media from the right, the Obama campaign can’t be very happy about the growing questions about Joe Biden as his vice presidential candidate. Stories about the lack of press attention for Biden and now  the public disagreements between the two Democrats seem to be building.

For what it’s worth, the Snopes still shows the “Biden to step down” rumor officially as “undetermined.”

Bill Clinton’s appearance on both The View and Letterman in the last day both exuded pro-Hillary behavior, while the Matt Lauer interview being discussed today is the latest in a series of “what the heck is Joe Biden doing on the ticket” oriented stories.

Also of interest, watch at about 4:47 into the interview.  Obama is asked about Hillary.  As he attempts to describe their relationship, he almost calls her a friend, but checks himself.

Joseph Curl brings up an excellent question in the Washington Times today, what would happen to the country if John McCain and Barack Obama each ended up with 269 electoral votes and the election was thrown into the Congress.

Sound implausible? If Obama flips Iowa and New Mexico, and wins all the other states Kerry won, then we are at a 269-269 deadlock.

Then the election goes to the Congress (the incoming Congress). Each state delegation gets one vote in the House. All sorts of crazy things could happen because the Senate would elect the Vice-President and the House would elect the President. It could be possible to have a divided executive branch with Obama-Palin. Or McCain-Biden.

Each state has as many electoral votes as they have Representatives in the House plus two for their Senators. So when you add up the 435 members of the House, plus the 100 Senators, plus the 3 electors from DC, you end up with an even number: 538. Thus the potential for a tie.

To prevent a tie, the U.S. House ought to increase its membership to an even number.

If there were 436 members (instead of 435) , then the total number of electors would be 539. If only two candidates received electoral votes, you would never tie. The closest you’d get to a tie is 270-269.

This fix only prevents a 50% tie. If three candidates split the electoral college vote and no one gets a majority, the election is thrown into the House. The Constitution requires a majority, not just a plurality in the Electoral College vote to get elected president.

UPDATE: I’m not the first person to come up with this idea. I just found an article by Prof. Robert Bennett of Northwestern University, written in 2004, that had this same idea.

Time magazine is asking the question.

Is it snidy to say, “I told you so?”

Well, we did.

Sad news coming from Fordham, a “Catholic” university in New York. From the Catholic News Agency:

A Fordham University legal ethics center’s decision to award an ethics prize to the pro-abortion rights Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer is drawing criticism for apparently ignoring the justice’s participation in a Supreme Court decision that struck down laws restricting the practice of partial-birth abortion….

Cardinal Newman Society President Patrick J. Reilly criticized the Jesuit-run university, saying in a statement that the awarding of the prize “amounts to nothing less than Fordham University thumbing its nose at the US Bishops, whose opposition to such honors is clear.”

“The choice by Fordham University of Justice Breyer to receive this prestigious award,” Reilly continued, “is a far cry from an award established to recognize the ‘positive contributions of the legal profession to American society.’ Justice Breyer did not act objectively in Stenberg, but rather overstepped his authority and legislated from the bench.”

Reilly contacted Fordham president Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J. three weeks ago asking him to rescind the award, but has still not received a reply.

I wonder if Fordham ever honored Justice Scalia. Nah, I don’t wonder. I already know….

Congressman Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) sent Fidelis the following statement regarding the anti-Catholic campaign mailings distributed by the DCCC against Catholic candidate Keith Fimian:

Left-wing Democrats have expanded their litany of anti-Catholic bigotry.

This latest leftist smearing of Catholics was launched by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which repeatedly mailed vile attacks upon Republican Congressional candidate Keith Fimian (VA-11) for his Catholic faith, and upon a noble Catholic organization, Legatus.

Here are the facts.  Mr. Fimian is a member and officer of Legatus, an organization for Catholic business owners and their spouses that is dedicated to bringing Christian ethics into the field of business, and strengthening the faith of its members.  Unlike some purportedly “non-partisan” secular organizations, Legatus takes no formal positions on public policy issues, such as abortion, stem cell research or contraception; nor does Legatus suggest public policy be adopted based on St. Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesians in Chapter 5.  

Yet, the official political organization of United States House Democrats is attacking Legatus and Mr. Fimian over website links on the Legatus homepage to an organization devoted to defending and advancing the sanctity and dignity of life, and another that encourages husbands to love their wives in a Christ-like fashion.  Neither organization opposes contraception, as the mailings suggest, and not surprisingly, the House Democrats are also twisting St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, which instructs men to love their wives like Christ loved the Church. This is the height of left-wing gutter politics.

Sadly, Fimian’s opponent, Gerry Connolly – the intended beneficiary of this Democrat smear attack – supports this anti-Catholic bigotry and refuses to call for its end.  Disturbingly, like Mr. Fimian, Mr. Connolly is Catholic; however, unlike Mr. Fimian, Mr. Connolly subscribes to the teachings of Nancy Pelosi, not the true teachings of the Catholic Church.

Perversely if not surprisingly, this vicious assault on Mr. Fimian occurs at a time Democrats are engaging in “Catholic Outreach” to lure back voters disgusted by the Democrats’ dominant left-wing’s virulent secularism and moral relativism.  

True, a spirited debate can and should happen on all public issues, including the topics of abortion and embryonic stem cell research.  But to mask these issues regarding the culture of life behind fliers laden with anti-Catholic bigotry provides another example of how today’s left-wing Democrats have destroyed the moral foundations of the party that once gave America her only Catholic President.

[cross posted at CatholicVote.com]

While our film intentionally highlights the contributions of Catholics in American history, a key element left out (not intentionally), is the contribution of Catholic schools to American prosperity.  Indeed the legacy of Catholic education in America is unparalleled, and despite the economic challenges of late, Catholic schools continue to provide a vital service not only to the Church, but to the civic health of our country by nurturing responsible citizenship.

The Catholic News Service features a piece today titled Where Are Presidential Candidates on Education Issues. The article explains:

In their 2007 document, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility,” the U.S. bishops emphasize that parents should be able to choose the best education for their children and that the government, through tax credits and scholarships, “should help provide resources for parents, especially those of modest means.”

For all the partisan divisions among Catholics, it strikes me as odd, that on the issue of support for Catholic schools, Republicans and Democrats haven’t worked very closely.  Regrettably, the Democratic Party has wed itself to the powerful teachers unions who place the preservation of the status quo in public schools above the needs of children.  And while Republicans have touted school choice for years, not much has been accomplished.  Most recently, a bi-partisan coalition helped pass a modest measure allowing a small number of children (2000 to be exact) in failing D.C. schools to use a $7,500 taxpayer voucher to attend a private school.  However, last I checked, the Democratic Congress (including Barack Obama) favored a phase out of this program. I hope I am wrong.

On their campaign websites, Obama and McCain offer very different alternatives.

McCain’s camp argues:

If a school will not change, the students should be able to change schools. John McCain believes parents should be empowered with school choice to send their children to the school that can best educate them just as many members of Congress do with their own children. He finds it beyond hypocritical that many of those who would refuse to allow public school parents to choose their child’s school would never agree to force their own children into a school that did not work or was unsafe. They can make another choice. John McCain believes that is a fundamental and essential right we should honor for all parents.

[snip]

John McCain will place parents and children at the center of the education process, empowering parents by greatly expanding the ability of parents to choose among schools for their children. He believes all federal financial support must be predicated on providing parents the ability to move their children, and the dollars associated with them, from failing school.

Barack Obama’s plan is broken down into many pieces, but generally involves increased “investment” (funding) for public schools beginning with “universal pre-school,” better teachers, and “supporting schools that need improvement, rather than punishing them.”  Obama is opposed to school choice.

Regardless of who is elected. I hope both give serious thought to the contribution of Catholic schools in America and how they might improve the acknowledged dismal state of education in our country.

Perhaps a good start might be recalling one of the more famous lines of Ronald Reagan: “There is no limit to what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.”

This is, hands down, the most powerful and moving issue ad I’ve seen in quite some time.

God Bless you, Gianna, for your beautiful witness to a culture of life.

One News Now has this report, which includes an interview with yours truly.

You can also listen to the report by clicking the button next to the “hear report” caption off to the right.

The saying a picture is worth a thousand words doesn’t always fit.  But I came across this picture in a story about a Canadian doctor who worries that Palin’s decision to have her child will cause other women to reconsider aborting Downs children.

This picture tells me everything I need to know about Sarah Palin.

photo credit: Getty Images

Win or lose, Sarah Palin has already done so much to promote a “culture of life” in this country.

God Bless her for that.

The Fidelis Center for Law and Policy announces the launch of a new website – CatholicVote.com – to educate and inspire Catholic voters this fall and beyond.  The site includes a powerful video designed to encourage viewers to prioritize the issues of life, faith, and family.  In addition to the video, the site contains resources on how to register to vote, research on candidate positions, documents from the Bishops and an invitation to join in prayer.
 
The highlight of CatholicVote.com is a powerful 3:30 minute documentary on Catholic contributions to American public life. The video connects the fight for civil rights, human dignity, and the family throughout the history of our country.  The dramatic conclusion of the film urges viewers to “Vote Your Conscience.”
 
“The U.S. Bishops have stated that ‘responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation,’” said Brian Burch, director of CatholicVote.com. “We launched CatholicVote.com to provide Catholics and all people of good will with the tools to both educate and inspire their fellow citizens as they prepare to vote in November.”

To watch the amazing video, visit CatholicVote.com. 

Supporters of Barack Obama are wise to emphasize that he gave up a lucrative Wall Street job to become a community organizer, to help people who had lost a job.

It’s also fair for Republicans to point out that the career move wasn’t purely altruistic. That in fact it’s an ingenious way to embark on a political career in the South Side of Chicago.

Democrats are fuming that Rudy Guiliani and Sarah Palin were so dismissive of the job of a community organizer. The attacks were tough, but fair, because it was obvious that Obama’s camp was overplaying that role in his life to distract attention away from his thin political resume.

Liberals even brought about a Biblical challenge: “Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate was a governor.”

Kinda funny, but also plays into the whole Messianic feel of Obama’s campaign.

Besides, Mark Hemingway has a great rejoinder to this: ”It demonstrates a total lack of Biblical literacy. Pilate merely voted ‘present.’”

The new Bishop of Wilmington had this to say at his installation:

Mary’s mother, St. Anne, carried a very special life in her womb which serves as a vivid reminder that every life is special. We will continue to stress the constant teaching of the Church that each person must respect every life from conception to natural death. And we will continue to seek the intercession of Saint Thomas More for Statesmen, Politicians, Supreme Court Justices, Judges and Lawyers—that they may be courageous and effective in defending and promoting the sanctity of human life, the foundation of every human right, the foundation of our love for the poor.

No surprise that Senator Biden couldn’t make it. Tom at American Papist had more details on the Biden vs. Bishop controversy.

Bishop Morlino of Madison, WI responds to Biden comments over the weekend, including the ongoing Pelosi controversy.

Some quotes:

“This has nothing to do with Democrats…this has to do with Catholics behaving like Catholics.”

“Senator Biden…is a scrappy Catholic kid from Scranton.  So am I.  I bet that back in high school, I was scrappier than he was!”

“Any human being, regardless of his faith or religious practice or having no faith, any human being can reason to the fact that human life from conception until natural dealth is sacred.  BIOLOGY, not faith, not philosophy, not any kind of theology…the best science says that at the moment of conception there is a unique individual of the human species.”

“They are stepping on the Pope’s turf, and mine, and they are violating the separation of church and state confusing God’s good people.”

“What I ask of you is in the first place to make sure that you really understand what the Church teaches.”

“This is not a homily about pro-life, and not a homily about Democrats.  It’s a homily about Catholics and catechesis.”

“Prominent Catholics should not be violating the separation between church and state, and teaching the wrong thing.”

“We [Bishops] are not holier than anyone else.  But we have a special gift from the Holy Spirit to teach, to govern, and to sanctify.”

Download the entire homily here.

Charlie Spiering has this report for National Catholic Register. Here’s a taste, which includes a quote from yours truly:

Catholic Democratic activists believe that Biden’s faith will be an asset to the Obama campaign — particularly in Pennsylvania, his native state.

Chris Corzen of Catholics United stated, “Senator Biden’s selection as vice presidential candidate is a positive development for Americans who respect leaders who have strong religious, family and personal values.”

But Stephen Dillard, the founder of a new blog, Catholics Against Joe Biden, disagreed. “I think Obama’s selection of Biden may help him with cultural or cafeteria Catholics,” he said, “But I don’t see faithful Catholics voting for the most pro-abortion presidential ticket ever simply because Biden grew up as a Catholic.”

The Republicans played the song “Barracuda” in the celebratory time after John McCain’s speech in homage to the moniker ascribed to his running mate. Sarah was dubbed the ”Barracuda” for her tenacious basketball playing that lead her basketball team to the state championship in high school.

Well, the band Heart, is not happy.

They’ve sent a cease and desist letter to the Republicans, demanding that they no longer use the music at any of their campaign stops.

It would be understandable if they simply distanced themselves from the McCain-Palin ticket. But their song is part of the pop culture. The Republicans aren’t trying to make a buck off it. (If anything, constant play would drive up sales for Heart.)

So why insist they stop playing the song? It’s a compliment to you that they want good music.

It brings to mind a refreshing attitude from NBA megastar Michael Jordan. Democrats pleaded with the basketball star to attack the North Carolina GOP.

He refused. 

“You know,” he said, ”Republicans buy shoes, too.”

John J. Miller was just mentioned on the NRO about how Democrats want to revive what they call the “Fairness Doctrine.”

The name is truly Orwellian. It’s got nothing to do with fairness. It forces the long arm of the federal government to mandate radio stations to adjust their programming schedule or ultimately terminate programming if they refuse to “balance” these opinions with opinions which are daimetrically opposed to them.

It’s like having forcing a Catholic bookstore to sell books calling the Vatican the Whore of Babylon.

Let’s call this bill what it really is: The Radio Gag Rule. Let’s stop Democrats from muzzling free speech on the radio waves.

Most importantly, with this speech debuts Johnny Mack, the Reformer Fighting for You. As Ramesh Ponnuru said, “Finally a theme!”

And a much better argument than Mr. John Experienced Resume McCain. (Not only a snore, but also a losing argument: ask “President Bob Dole” or “President Al Gore.”)

The RNC has released the Palin biography video that was cut from the program last night (apparently because Rudy went too long).

Take special notice at 1:38 into the film.  It looks like Todd Palin is wearing a Cubs hat!  Sorry readers, Fidelis is based in Chicago.  And the team is teasing the city with the prospect of breaking the 100 year curse.  Come October, should the Cubs make it that far, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Obama pulling a Rudy Giuliani in the front row at Wrigley Field grabbing some free publicity. Then again, Obama did rip Cubs fans last week saying baseball at Wrigley is “not serious.”

“Palin Power,” “Palintology” t-shirts selling in Alaska