Reply #46: Bush won the Catholic vote [View All]

[ultraist]

Many bishops told voters to vote for a "prolife" candidate. They threatened to excommunicate Kerry and refuse him communion.

I don't know if the pope directly said, 'vote for Bush' but he is very vocal about prolife issues and stem cell research.
Not so. It pales in comparison to the Quakers and the Episcopalians on elevating women.

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/special...
PHILADELPHIA - Alongside President Bush's overwhelming support from his evangelical Christian base Tuesday came another dramatic election result: Bush reversed his 2000 showing and convincingly captured the Roman Catholic vote

Analysts were unsure of the influence of Catholic bishops who had warned that parishioners should vote in accordance with church teachings on abortion and other "life issues."

"Surveys have shown that Catholics generally don't walk (in) lockstep with church prelates," said G. Terry Madonna of Franklin and Marshall College, who is director of the Keystone Poll. "But the bishops probably had some salience, particularly with ethnic groups and so-called Reagan Democrats, who tend to be more pro-life and against the Hollywood elite."

White, the Catholic University professor, believes the bishops "helped Bush enormously. If Bush's strategy was to enlarge his base, you do that by finding like-minded people and like-minded Roman Catholics who find life issues and religiosity important
-----------------------------
I highly doubt these bishops were going against the pope when they told their congregation to vote for a pro life candidate.