Newt Gingrich -- the thrice-married supporter of the war and the death penalty, who isn't a Catholic but is about to convert -- called Notre Dame's decision "sad," and accused the president of embracing "anti-Catholic values.">

I guess he didn't consider adultery to be an anti-Protestant value.

Of course Conservatives are outraged.

When I was a boy, my daddy told me that when I find things that I enjoy and do well; continue to do them.

As I became an adult, I found that there had to be more than eating & sleeping in my life, so I became outraged.

I do it well & I enjoy it, so why shouldn't I continue to be outraged.

Where is the respect for the office of the Presidency that conservatives were so loudly touting when Bush was President?

Of course Newt is going to make a public statement giving up his support for the death penalty once he converts, right? Because there's nothing worse than a "cafeteria Catholic".

Seriously? Newtie's gonna convert? Does he figure that will give him a clean slate on his past for 2012?

In any case, here's what I understand to be "Catholic values":

The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy are:
Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Welcome the stranger
Clothe the naked
Visit the sick
Visit the prisoner
Bury the dead.
Nary a word about foeti or Teh Gay.

It sure is a good thing that the only thing that makes you 'anti-catholic' is to be for a women to have control over her own medical decisions.

Otherwise, all of the politicians who embraced the Iraq war would be 'anti-catholic'. Otherwise, all persons who embrace the death penalty would be 'anti-catholic'.

Fortunately, the Nazi Pope seems to be ok with catholics rejecting other parts of his decrees other than being against abortions.

Why is it always just abortion that's the deal breaker with these people--not support for the death penalty, war, contraception, etc.
It's okay for Catholics to support other things that result in far more human deaths and suffering, but not abortion?

Now that he's converting to Catholicism, Newt thinks he speaks for Catholics? He reminds me of that character on Seinfeld who converted to Judaism so he could get away with telling anti-Semitic jokes.

The religious right has gotten worse, haven't they? I mean, seriously, now a pro-choice individual can't speak at a religious university? Seriously? And I thought conservatives complained about liberals not taking religious folks seriously. Evidently they feel pro-choicers have no wisdom to offer on anything since they disagree on one thing, which is a complicated and nuanced issue that I doubt any two people completely agree on outside the extremes.

I mean, seriously, this is just stupid, and these morons cry bloody murder about how biased academe is all the time. Then again, with conservatives it's always terrible when the other side (allegedly) does it, but fine when we do it. Go away!

I'll bet Notre Dame wouldn't mind a pro-choice quarterback either, if it meant they would start winning again--and I'll bet there wouldn't be a single priest or other "pro-Catholic" organization complaining either.

It's important to remember what a Newt actually is,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newt

It's a kind of lizard.

So, Obama is an "Abortion President" because he's, oh, a Democrat? But, of course, the various organizations that oppose his appearance aren't "political" are they? I mean, they're tax exempt, right?

You are wrong Allan!

On our questionaire for linemen for the football team:

1) Height
2) Weight
3) 40 yard dash time
4) Pro-Choice (Y / N)

In related brainiacism conservatives have engorged their "concerns" over how Richard Dawkins was "allowed" to speak at the University of Oklahoma,

from,
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/03/suspected_criminal_richard_daw.php

I just received confirmation today in a letter from the Open Records Office at the University of Oklahoma. The letter confirms that on the day of Dawkins' speech, Oklahoma State Representative Rebecca Hamilton requested substantial information relating to the speech from Vice President for Governmental Relations Danny Hilliard. Representative Hamilton's exhaustive request included demands for all e-mails and correspondence relating to the speech; a list of all money paid to Dawkins and the entities, public or private, responsible for this funding; and the total cost to the university, including, among other things, security fees, advertising, and even "faculty time spent promoting this event."

Know what really chaps my ass about these groups like CatholicVote? It's that they are doing their damndest to make sure that everyone (falsely) believes that Catholic = Conservative.

Which makes MY life far more difficult than it need be...I'm getting pretty sick of having to explain to my atheist/agnostic friends that yes, I do in fact believe in Evolution, and no I don't think teh gays should burn in hell.

Won't these people PLEASE shut up for just a minute already??

(sorry for the rant :)

p.s. I think when Steve edited his post on Fox News vs. Canada he accidentally closed the comments.

neilt: I hear you. A lot of people also don't realize that The Catholic League, ie William Donohue, has absolutely NO affiliation with the Catholic Church. Maybe the Vatican should trademark the word Catholic...

As for Newt, he also supported the Iraq War, which the Vatican issued a powerful encyclical against. Pope John Paul II even challenged Bush about it when Bush visited the Vatican.

Why are we complaining that these morons continue to marginalize themselves? Soon the conservative movement will be small enough to drown in a bathtub.

Why does Notre Dame hate the troops so much? I hear in order to speak at Commencement you have to be able to pass Freshman calculus. That leaves out most of his detractors, plus 99% of the possible football recruits that would have brought ND back to prominence. I say, let him speak and then laugh at their pedestrian take on woman's rights...

Catholic colleges and universities put up with this crap all the time. I know one that got picketed by Joseph Scheidler and his band of merry madmen because its law school's career services office posted a summer internship with NOW.

It's very tough on the higher-ed institutions because as they defend academic freedom and the spirit of inquiry, they have to try to minimally piss off older and generally more religiously conservative big donors.

I hear in order to speak at Commencement you have to be able to pass Freshman calculus.

That sounds like a major urban legend. Still, I heard that at Liberty University you have to prove that you can't pass freshman biology.

neilt: I hear you. A lot of people also don't realize that The Catholic League, ie William Donohue, has absolutely NO affiliation with the Catholic Church. Maybe the Vatican should trademark the word Catholic...

At the least, the Vatican could complain to CNN or whoever that they resent Donohue being made the leading spokesman for the Catholic faith in American.

There are so many pro-choice Catholics. We enjoy the freedom of a pluralistice society. We all have personal beliefs, but we can't make a personal belief in life into a litmus test, and expect the entire Catholic church to be in lockstep with their position. Just because a person would not choose abortion for themselves or their loved ones, does not give anyone the right to force an anti-abortion position on someone else. I teach Religious Studies in a Catholic High School and I would be honored if the President of the United States would speak at our graduation.

I love my religous freedom, and I am grateful to live under the freedom of the constitution. Perhaps these so called Catholics might try to concieve of a world where religion reigns supreme over all, and no person is able to go against whatever or whomever decides what a good catholic should believe.

None other than Newt Gingrich -- the thrice-married supporter of the war and the death penalty, who isn't a Catholic but is about to convert -- called Notre Dame's decision "sad," and accused the president of embracing "anti-Catholic values."

Newtie's going to start the Pope Leo X Society.

Newtie as a Catholic is like Hitler as a Jew.

A church that makes a claim to universality in its very name can't really make that claim if it doesn't have at least some room for discussion and debate. We might all wish that the Catholic Church had more, but this is one of those places where you can see that the Catholic Church can be less rigid, doctrinaire and hysterical than many of its Protestant counterparts. Of course, that's damning with faint praise, but that's just about all the good I can say about freedom of thought at the intersection of contemporary American politics and contemporary American religion

A lot of people also don't realize that The Catholic League, ie William Donohue, has absolutely NO affiliation with the Catholic Church.

Wasn't the Catholic League behind the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre and the assassination of Henri III?

Sort of like Halle Berry, Alicia Keys, and Barack Obama not being black enough for Ann Coulter, the University of Notre Dame isn't Catholic enough for Newt Gingrich (and presumably Rush Limbaugh, Mitt Romney, and Pat Robertson).

When any movement or organization decides to portray a newly elected president as a pariah based on general policy differences, that movement succeeds only in divorcing itself from the larger society.

This is yet another example of conservatives condemning themselves to fringe status. I hope they like it out there on the edge of insignificance.

Last I checked, the Pope came out against the Iraq war. So, as hawk of that war, is Gingrich also guilty of harboring "anti-Catholic" views?

The Roman Catholic Church -- Church of Antonin Scalia and now Newt Gingrich. Holy Father was a Nazi youth and sympathizes with Holocaust deniers. Church that excommunicates 9 year old rape victim but not her rapist.

Holy Mother Church. Jesus must be turning over in his grave.

"On our questionaire for linemen for the football team:

1) Height
2) Weight
3) 40 yard dash time
4) Pro-Choice (Y / N)"

THAT's why Notre Damn stinks. Try to find a quarterback who doesn't wear a condom! (Football players consistently test among the most intelligent athletes.)

"Maybe the Vatican should trademark the word C
Catholic... "

Sorry, but Anglicans are "Catholic" too, so if they want to trademark anything it would have to be "Roman Catholic."

Actually I think it's great for our side when "conservatives" put themselves in opposition to basic human decency, dignified discourse and what most Americans perceive as common sense.

Newt is converting? What are you talking about? He can't possibly convert unless he leaves his multiple wives, or at least leaves their beds forever.

Looks like it's true. Apparently wife #3 was a Catholic and wants to be again. I assume the first wife is dead, and maybe he can get an annulment from the 2nd wife. Until then he and wife #3 are excommuncated and damned to the flames of hell for all eternity. As if spreading your legs for Newtie wasn't bad enough.

Is it going to be an outdoor commencement? Because I think it would be great to have Marine One airdrop a couple million condoms on the crowd as souvenirs, and to prove Newt is right on, yet again. Good old Newt, the gift that keeps on giving.

Has Bill Bennett weighted in yet? I'm sure he has something valuable to add.

Seriously? Newtie's gonna convert? Does he figure that will give him a clean slate on his past for 2012?

In any case, here's what I understand to be "Catholic values":

The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy are:
Feed the hungry tainted meats
Give drink to the thirsty by telling them to drink from the puddles
Welcome the stranger into your detention facilities
Clothe the naked because nakedness is a sin, and gets me all hot and bothered
Visit the sick to collect on their medical bills
Visit the prisoner to carry out his execution
Bury the dead. and use them to inspire fear and dread among people
Nary a word about foeti or Teh Gay.

no, see, you have it all wrong. missing words added in bold above: see? makes perfect sense now.

another day of blog posts rebutting phony outrage from Republicans. Steve, your site is getting beyond redundant. I suppose you think you are doing some kind of service rebutting this stuff but if I wanted to read right wing bullshit I'd just go to Drudge or Redstate. I used to come here to get a handle on serious issues. Maybe if you just posted one or two of these a day instead of a running scroll. YOu'll never beat back their stupidity so just ignore these freaks and have intelligent discourse. Getting down in the mud only makes you look small and petty, there's too much of a serious nature to discuss in the world right now.

Having attended a Catholic university, with the good Jesuit professors, the part that the abortion debate misses is that when they said "pro life" they meant no abortion, as well as no death penalty, no euthanasia, no war, etc. Several of the priests felt the university had lost the right to call itself Catholic once it had let the ROTC on campus. People who want to be "pro life" need go the whole way, and be anti death penatly and anti war as well. Otherwise they should be still, and silent.

::When any movement or organization decides to portray a newly elected president as a pariah based on general policy differences, that movement succeeds only in divorcing itself from the larger society.::

They are trying to run the Clinton playbook again.

So far, it doesn't appear to be working.

So far.

May they have the same luck with it that many of us did protesting Bill O'Reilly's speech before the Alexa Foundation. Where was their outrage then?

apparently one of the local Bishops (D'Arcy) has announced he will not attend in protest.

something tells me that he has no problem with Notre Dame accepting federal student aid and research grants, don't you think?

The Newtster just continues to amaze. He can't stick with a wife, keeps trying out the secretaries, now he's trying out new religions. He just doesn't seem to have any real convictions, can't seem to stay with anything...Oh, that's right, Conservative Republican, no integrity.

If I were Obama, I'd just read Matthew 25, 31-46, and sit down.

There's just nothing like watching a president getting impeached over a blowjob on the tv in your office with your secretary spread out buck naked on the desk, nothing like it in the world!

And you are wrong about my integrity, I continue to worship Tax Cuts every Sunday at the local Church of Tax Cut Jesus.

It's time to admit what nobody is willing to say. The Catholic Church is an authoritarian organization that hates democracy. The views of observant Catholics have no place in American discourse, and anyone who believes in American values should never, ever, vote for a Catholic.

re: Bloix.

Awww man! Now THAT'S some Grade A satire! Nice work!

Wait...you weren't actually serious were you? Aww dude, go back to the 1920s where that kind of thinking belongs.

The views of observant Catholics have no place in American discourse, and anyone who believes in American values should never, ever, vote for a Catholic.
Posted by: Bloix

Fortunately, bigots such as you will not win in the end.

i've made an animated short on the subject:

http://fromlaurelstreet.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/john-q-public-speaks/

I really hope the complaint is true. I do hope that Notre Dame is thumbing its nose at the arrogant, amoral fools who are running the Roman Catholic Church and prescribing stupidity for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I used to respect John Paul II, but his legacy is a reactionary collection of bishops who are completely out of touch with their priests and parishoners. Every single bishop, from the Pope on down, needs to resign and apologize.

Take two indulgences and call me back in the morning.

The real facts are that abortions go down and are much less an occurrence under democratic presidents than under republican presidents. "Free Choice" only means making abortions safe and a matter of choice...it is not encouraging abortions. There were just as many abortions before R v W as after but with more dire consequences.

When republicans controlled the House and Senate and the Presidency they did nothing to repeal RvW because they need it as an election tactic...as long as it's out there they can use it to win votes so they will never allow it to be repealed and most important of all...pro choice is the view of the majority of Americans which is how a democracy operates.

Shamey shamey Gingrich would kill anyone's baby to get elected president...and that's the other thing...most of us don't consider a handful of undeveloped cells...a baby.

Obama has done more to reduce abortions in this country than any other president by putting into the dem platform that they would remain a matter of free choice, safe and RARE by creating all the best conditions for reducing the occurrence. All republicans have done is loudly bitch and just like their stupid approach to drug use,sex and alcoholism they say...just don't do it.

He's the "Freedom President" The Pro-Choice president not the Abortion president. Was Bush the Death President rather than the War president to these goobers.

Gingrich is insulting and takes every occasion to demean a democrat.
He's the president of the US of A and represents the majority of Americans and is an excellent speaker. Notre Dame is excited and considers itself fortunate to get Obama as a speaker. Fuck off Ging

I'm curious about this conversion. It seems to me that in order to convince whomever makes the decision allowing you to convert to any religion, you have to show some evidence that you actually believe the tenets of the faith. I have yet to see any evidence of that on Newt's part. I have yet to see any evidence that he even believes in Christianity.

I think the statement regarding Newtie required another, salient fact. Try this: "Newt Gingrich the thrice-married[,serial draft-dodger, yet a] supporter of the war and the death penalty."

The right will always find some way to fan hate. The same people who are so critical of the Catholic Church's existance see this as an opportunity to use the Church. Notre Dame has a Catholic heritage. Notre Dame is not the Catholic Church. Notre Dame is a University where many views are welcomed and debated. The school is not filled with closed minded conservatives but rather open minded individuals. The students want President Obama to speak so let them enjoy the President. For the closed minded minority go crawl in a hole during the ceremony. Republicans are users and care only for themselves. And for the old Alumni's who do no appreciate the changes at the University, your time has come and gone. Leave your money at the door if that is all you wish to do or keep you money. When you join a community you take the good, the bad, and the ugly. You should be supporting your school or your mindless political ideology. For the Alumni that understands that an institution must be accepting of change while holding its core principals, I say thank you and keep you money flowing. To the young alumni I say stand up and let your voices be heard do not let the voice of the ignorant drown out the voice of acceptance. And to those who have no relationship to the school yet want to protest at Graduation I say you should find a cave and hide during graduation or turn off your TV, or read a book, or go to the woods, or go to sleep for you will not be missed.

A newt is not actually a kind of lizard. It's actually an amphibian. For more on the comparison of Newt Gingrich, please see the Austin Lounge Lizards:

http://www.lyricstime.com/austin-lounge-lizards-gingrich-the-newt-lyrics.html