politics
Romney enlists Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan to deliver closing prayer
- Updated: August 25, 2012 - 6:57 PM
- 0
- comments
resize text 
- buy reprints
Some benedictions bestow a bigger blessing than others, and Mitt Romney hit the jackpot by signing up Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops, to deliver the closing prayer at the convention.
The move is perhaps the clearest sign of a more aggressive push by Republicans to win over Roman Catholic voters this election cycle. Four years ago, Barack Obama won the votes of a majority of Catholics, assisted in part by his Catholic running mate, Joe Biden.
But this time the Republicans sense an opportunity to cut into that advantage, at least with moderate and independent Catholics, because of two recent developments: Obama's endorsement of same-sex marriage and the standoff between the Obama administration and Catholic bishops over the requirement that Catholic hospitals and schools must provide coverage for birth control in their employee health insurance plans. The issue has become the centerpiece of a campaign by the bishops to defend what they consider a matter of religious liberty.
The Obama campaign is aggressively contending for Catholic voters too, and the rivalry has been sharpened this year because Catholics are in the vice presidential slot on both tickets: Biden and the GOP challenger, Rep. Paul D. Ryan.
NEW YORK TIMES
- 0
- comments
- resize text
- buy reprints
ADVERTISEMENT
- The man behind successful gay marriage drive: Richard Carlbom
- New Minnesota law is expected to quash scrap-metal crimes
- Political landscape changes with improving economy
- Charities say e-pulltab tax deadline is a headache
- Legislation to allow heavier loads on N. Minnesota roads
- Some unions now angry about health care overhaul
- Dayton signs care workers unionization bill
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
inside the StarTribune
-
425 Portland Av. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55488
(612) 673-4000
- Company
- Subscriber Services
- Website
- Buy Ads
- Store
- Connect with Us
© 2013 StarTribune. All rights reserved.
StarTribune.com is powered by Limelight Networks
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters