WP: (Bush*) Openly Religious, to a Point

[kskiska]

Bush Leaves the Specifics of His Faith to Speculation

Thursday, September 16, 2004; Page A01

Before President Bush addressed a Knights of Columbus convention last month in Dallas, the audience of 2,500 conservative Catholics watched a documentary film about a woman who chose to die rather than end a pregnancy that threatened her life. Then the president gave a speech in which he called Pope John Paul II "a true hero of our time" and used the pope's phrase "culture of life" three times.

When it was over, many in the audience were convinced that the president shared their view that abortion is murder and should be banned. "The 'culture of life' is a very important code word that will resonate with Catholics," said Carl A. Anderson, head of the 1.6 million-member Knights of Columbus, the world's largest Roman Catholic men's society.

But Bush had not actually said that abortion is tantamount to murder. Nor, according to aides, has he ever said that all abortions should be illegal. When asked by reporters during the 2000 presidential campaign and again last fall whether abortion should be banned, Bush said the nation was not ready for that step, without indicating his position.

(snip)

Some political analysts think there is a shrewd calculation behind these ambiguities. By using such phrases as the "culture of life," Bush signals to evangelical Protestants and conservative Catholics that he is with them, while he avoids taking explicit stands that might alienate other voters or alarm foreign leaders. Bush and his chief speechwriter, Michael J. Gerson, are "very gifted at crafting references that religious insiders will understand and outsiders may not," said the Rev. Jim Wallis, editor of the evangelical journal Sojourners.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24634-2004Sep15.html

[whistle]

1. That is the best description of "pandering" I've seen....

...Of course Shrub paid or someone paid for him to have a young girl get an abortion of his illegitimate child. This story surfaced when Larry Flynt brought it up in 2000 before the election on an interview with Bob Novak on Crossfire:

<snip>
Flynt replied:

"When I said that we had proof, I am referring to knowing who the girl was, knowing who the doctor was that performed the abortion, evidence from girlfriends of hers at the time, who knew about the romance and the subsequent abortion. The young lady does not want to go public, and without her willingness, we don't feel that we're on solid enough legal ground to go with the story, because she would say it never happened... One of the things that interested us was that this abortion took place before Roe v. Wade in 1970, which made it a crime at the time. I'd just like the national media to ask him (Bush) if abortion is okay for him and his family, but not for the rest of America..."

<more>

<link> http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/elec22.htm

[Born Free]

9. the bush coward is NOT a Christian...

he does not follow the teachings of Christ but uses keywords and phrases to make people believe he is one of them. Everything the bush coward does is a lie, his entire life has been one fabricated lie, he is and always has been a liar and a coward hiding behind others. The man is a pathetic sole and if it were not for the power of the bush crime family he would be nothing more than a drunk at a homeless shelter, but the bush crime family can and has always saved his pathetic ass every time he fails. They have taken over our country using a fabricated myth, and now they want Arnold to be president, I wonder how low they can take America before people wake up.

[jdj]

2. If abortion is murder, then what does that make murder?

[TahitiNut]

3. A sacrament on the altar of war?

Smirky McAfterbirth is as two-faced as they get. He talks the "culture of life" and he walks the "fungus of death." He talks about "compassion" and he walks around torture and murder of the innocent. He talks about honor and dignity and he stoops to obscenities and corruption.

[Wapsie B]

4. Amazing that he would even use the Pope's name

after chimpy was blasted by his eminence over Iraq. Pro-fetus, pro-war, doesn't anyone there see the disconnect?

[Barkley]

5. Who Would Jesus Bomb?

Shock and Awe is tantamount to murder!

Bush claims that Jesus is his favorite philosopher but
Bush's actions are perfectly diametrical to Christianity.

Conservatives only see sex-based sins.

Stealing a la Halliburton is ok

Lying about WMD is ok

Lying about his National Guard Record is ok

Killing innocent Iraqi civilians a la "shock 'n awe" is ok

Having a felon (who exposed Ambassador Wilson's wife as a CIA agent)
work in the White House is ok

The only thing caused them to pause in the last four years was Abu Ghraib: because it about sex.

[whistle]

12. As the typical republican would say in response....

..."So, what's your point?" We have an attitude of avarice, greed and self-interest in this country that the Bushites are exploiting to the fullest and their plan is to install a theocratic-fascistic political structure in the United States before the year 2010. It appears that these right-wing neo-conservatives will stop at nothing to achieve that goal.

[saracat]

6. It is disgusting that we have a President that values women so little that

he is able to mske no complaints whatsoever after having watched a film apparently praising the heroics of a women who chose to die rather than end a life thretening pregnancy! He is affirming that the woman's life had no value in comparison to the child! That sick bastard. Even most Catholics don't believe that any longer, if they ever did. BTW, the Vatican has now given its imprimateur to American Catholics to vote for pro choice candidates "provided they agree with them on other issues". The Pope doesn't want the Bastard to win either!

[alphafemale]

7. She was an obedient, precious vessel

who understood her lot. :eyes:

:puke:

[alphafemale]

8. Honestly. Any decent man should have been livid. Shocked. Horrified.

Can you imagine Clinton's reaction to such a travesty?

He'd have been visibly shaken.

I don't think even 41 would have let such a vile, callous disregard of half of humanity pass without making a statement of opposition to that mindset.

Even....Reagan!!! fcol
Who would have, no doubt got caught up in the pathos of the individual story...
I think (Even He!) would have made some sort of statement to assert that womens lives should be valued.

[saracat]

10. Interesting that no one except us has taken real exception to that

particular passage! I thought it stuck out like a sore thumb to the point it was the only relevant thing in the article (for me).

[Julien Sorel]

11. Bush is weak! Bush is a pink tu tu Republican!

There's no difference between the Republicans and the Democrats! Bush needs to go on the attack over the abortion issue! If he takes a strong stance, women will vote for him, not because they agree with his position, but because they will admire his strength! Bush needs to go with his gut on this! Bush's handlers are strangling him! Where is a strong Republican, one who doesn't take these wishy washy positions?


And on, and on, and on. The double standard around here is amazing. The double standard in the media is almost as bad. If Kerry were tip toeing around the abortion issue, he'd be attacked for not taking a strong stance by a substantial portion of the media hacks. And then the echo chamber here would start right in, as they do on every other issue.

[trueblew]

13. Culture of Fife

Deputy Barney Fife would make a better President than this guy.