|
|
|
|
The Catholic Vote
Including Endorsements
The entirety of our website, Roman Catholics for Obama, is our comprehensive case for Senator Barack Obama as the best and right candidate for Catholic voters. Many of us have been interested in and impressed by others' cases for Senator Obama... and many of us have taken note of some high-profile endorsements of Obama by individual Catholics. However, the consensus was that we did want clearly to differentiate between what is "of" this site and what is not.
With that in mind -- note that while we agree with the conclusions reached by those who have endorsed Senator Obama, their precise views and arguments are not necessarily our precise views or arguments. For external content, we have decided to adhere to some strict standards and list only what is
1. of or relating to the central authority of the Church and its officials (neutral on the 2008 presidential campaign); OR
2. directly related to the central case of our site -- namely, that we, as Catholics, believe Catholics can and should vote for Barack Obama because his platform aligns well with Catholic Social Teaching and/or because Obama possesses unique qualities of a leader that make him well suited for the office -- each aspect of his candidacy being necessary, but not sufficient:
(a) news articles (not commentary) that examine Senator Obama's views, record or qualities relating to issues deemed relevant; or
(b) commentary whose central theme is the same as ours -- meaning that it is the perspective of a Catholic making the case for Barack Obama based on Catholic-oriented contemplation of the vote.
Convictions: Endorsing Obama
Douglas W. Kmiec, Pro-Life, Republican
http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/convictions/archive/2008/03/23/endorsing-obama.aspx
"As a Republican, I strongly wish to preserve traditional marriage not as a suspicion or denigration of my homosexual friends but as recognition of the significance of the procreative family as a building block of society. As a Republican and as a Catholic, I believe life begins at conception, and it is important for every life to be given sustenance and encouragement. As a Republican, I strongly believe that the Supreme Court of the United States must be fully dedicated to the rule of law and to the employ of a consistent method of interpretation that keeps the court within its limited judicial role. As a Republican, I believe problems are best resolved closest to their source and that we should never arrogate to a higher level of government that which can be more effectively and efficiently resolved below. As a Republican and a constitutional lawyer, I believe religious freedom does not mean religious separation or mindless exclusion from the public square. In various ways, Sen. Barack Obama and I may disagree on aspects of these important fundamentals, but I am convinced, based upon his public pronouncements and his personal writing, that on each of these questions he is not closed to understanding opposing points of view and, as best as it is humanly possible, he will respect and accommodate them."
Selected Catholic Endorsers of Senator Obama
- Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Pro-Life, Democrat (Article) (Transcript)
Casey: "I've been impressed by so much watching this campaign. I've been impressed by his compassion, his strength, his ideas.... He has appealed, as Abraham Lincoln asked us to do many years ago, to the better angels of our nature.... And I really believe that in the time of danger around the world and division here at home, Barack Obama can lead us, he can heal us and he can help us rebuild America."
- Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Pro-Life, Democrat (Article)
Kaine: "The values orientation that this man has counts for an awful lot and makes me very confident. I won't lose a second of sleep with Barack Obama as president of the United States." Kaine endorsed Obama in February 2007 and was the first governor outside of Obama's home state of Illinois to endorse Obama.
- Gov. Bill Richardson, Democrat (Article)
Richardson: "There is no doubt in my mind that Barack Obama has the judgment and courage we need in a commander in chief when our nation's security is on the line. He showed this judgment by opposing the Iraq war from the start, and he has shown it during this campaign by standing up for a new era in American leadership internationally." Richardson is a former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and has become a respected international negotiator.
- Sen. John Kerry, Democrat (Article)
Kerry: "I believe, more than anybody else, Barack Obama can help our country turn the page and get America moving by uniting and ending the division we have faced." Kerry was the 2004 Democratic nominee for President.
- Sen. Chris Dodd, Democrat (Article)
Dodd: "I'll admit I was skeptical like many others as to whether or not this new face in American politics could do all the things he desired to do," he said. "The man I'm standing next to can restore America's possibilities. In Barack Obama I'm standing next to the next president of the United States."
- Senator Ted, Rep. Patrick and Caroline Kennedy, Democrats (Article)
Sen. Kennedy: " "I am convinced we can reach our goals only if we are not petty when our cause is so great -- only if we find a way past the stale ideas and stalemate of our times -- only if we replace the politics of fear with the politics of hope -- and only if we have the courage to choose change. Barack Obama is the one person running for president who can bring us that change. Barack Obama is the one person running for president who can be that change."
- Former Rep. Tim Roemer of Indiana, Pro-Life, Democrat (Article)
President, Center for National Policy (a national security think-tank), member of the 9/11 Commission and leading pro-life voice.
- Douglas W. Kmiec, Pro-Life, Republican (Statement) (Article)
Constitutional Law Professor, Pepperdine University; former Dean, Law School, Catholic University of America
- Former Gov. Hugh Carey of New York, Democrat
- Former Gov. Richard Codey of New Jersey, Democrat
- Rep. Jerry Costello of Illinois, Pro-Life, Democrat
- Former Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota, Democrat
- Gov. John de Jongh of Vermont, Democrat
- Gov. Jim Doyle of Wisconsin, Democrat
- Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Democrat
- Former Gov. John Gilligan of Ohio, Democrat
- Gov. Christine Gregoire of Washington State, Democrat
- Sen. Pat Leahy of Vermont, Democrat
- Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Democrat (Article)
- Rep. Jim Oberstar of Minnesota, Pro-Life, Democrat (Article)
- Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, Democrat
Contact us. Register to vote.
This website is not affiliated with the campaign of Barack Obama or with the Roman Catholic Church.
|
|
