Wow. Mike Potemra wades into the discussion over Cardinal Dolan’s invite to Obama.
He admonishes all the critics of the invite to chill because:
there is zero risk that it will be reduced, in its importance, to a single photo that helps Obama by showing him with Cardinal Dolan.
Dolan has a chance here to reach people, and I think he’s right to take it. Bill McGurn is correct that it’s a high-risk strategy. I personally would be more worried that Dolan would cross the line into being too tough on Obama, look partisan as a result, and have the event backfire, than that Dolan might just roll over for an Obama photo-op. But here’s the thing: I think Dolan has enough talent to be able to pull this off, to thread the needle between obsequiousness and impoliteness. (Even to phrase it this way is to underline how insultingly low an opinion of Dolan many of the critics seem to have.)
In short: a teaching moment at a tense time in our country’s history. Cardinal Dolan has grabbed the moment to put his church and its views center-stage. His flock should be proud of him, and wish him well as he gets up on the high-wire. For him not to do so, to not take that risk . . . now that would be going back to “business as usual.”
Zero risk? Really? And now we are back to the teachable moment trope.
Reminds me of the time the pundit class admonished the reactionary class how the Republican budget disaster was actually a victory because “we changed the conversation.” Yeah, we really taught them a lesson.
And if Obama bests Dolan and successfully uses this opportunity to further confuse and divide Catholics, well I suppose that will be a teachable moment too.
For all the “teachable moments” for the last 40 years, nobody seems to learn anything.
August 19, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Zero risk that it will be "reduced… to a single photo." Well DUH. That is entirely beside the point! It doesn't have to be reduced in importance to a single photo to do considerable damage. I trust Cardinal Dolan and hope he knows what he's doing, but that's just a silly statement.
August 19, 2012 at 7:09 pm
No Catholic should trust the NR. Years ago, they ridiculed "Humanae Vitae, now they are pooh-poohing the well founded fears of devout Catholics concerning this dinner invite. It just goes to show you, never trust a magazine that was founded by a CIA man and a member of Skull And Bones.
August 19, 2012 at 7:24 pm
I don't even get this whole photo-op flap. Isn't this also an opportunity for Romney to be photographed with the cardinal?And doesn't mean an endorsement of him? If so, the endorsements cancel each other out and we have nothing to worry aboutm Now can we give it a rest?
August 19, 2012 at 10:52 pm
No, we cannot give it a rest, Lori. The president will use the photo op with the cardinal to make voting for him seem legitimate by all the pro-Obama 'Catholics' who are just looking for a reason to justify voting for him once more. That is why this event must be cancelled or postponed until after the election at the very least.
August 20, 2012 at 9:11 am
No pro-Obama Catholic even needs a reason to justify voting for him. Cdl. Dolan's actions are not going to affect them,especially since Romney will be in the photo too.
August 20, 2012 at 5:43 pm
I pray that the late Venerable Archbishop of NY, Fulton Sheen will make an appearance that evening. It could be the miracle that will make him a saint. Also, I pray that when O opens his mouth, that the only thing that comes out is akin to the Tower of Babel. Lord, cloud his mind and give him laryngitis or smoker's cough, or performance anxiety. And send your Holy Spirit to guard you servant, Cdl. Dolan.