I see that Brian Burch has already started with the name calling. He is no better that the other right wing bigots that slam accusations because of narrow view points. I welcome the choices of Obama on his short list and think that Catholic Democrats that can win in Republican states is the very edge Obama needs.
If Obama picks Sebelius (as I think he might), he will pick up Catholic, women, and Liberal Catholics by the droves. More power to him.

I meant to add Moderate Republicans to that list of voter gains.
If McCain picks a Catholic running mate, as he might, it will make for a very interesting race.

I don’t get it. Fidelis would prefer Obama pick a non-Catholic? This is not a backlash, it is just folks who would never vote for Obama in the first place.

Exactly, PolitiFact. This is much ado about nothing. Kerry didn’t lose Catholics because of his paltry Catholic outreach. He lost them for the same reason he lost NASCAR dads or soccer Moms: an inability to connect with the heartland and perceived flip-flopping, whether true or not. This group can huff and puff, but it won’t amount to a hill of beans.

“‘The choice of a pro-abortion Catholic for vice president would deal a major blow to any efforts by the Obama campaign to reach out to Catholic voters,’ said Brian Burch, President of Fidelis.”
Then Brian Burch is ill-informed. Explanation shortly, but first a point of clarification for Mr. Burch’s benefit – there’s no such thing as “pro-abortion”. Name me a single person who has ever said, “I think abortion is a terific thing and every woman should have lots and lots of them.” Now, pro-choice, that’s another matter. It is dis-information like Burch’s that destroys his credibility.
And the reason behind it is the explanation of why Mr. Burch is ill-informed. The majority of Catholics actually support a women’s right to choose to have an abortion – 34% say it should be “generally available to those who want it” and a further 37% say it “should be available, but under stricter limits than it is now”. (source: CBS News poll, May, 2004) Only 28% of Catholics think abortion should not be permitted.
Reality check.

Bishop’s puzzlement on pro-choice Catholics is misplaced
Clergy matters
By MARY ANN SORRENTINO | January 2, 2008
“During a recent broadcast of WPRI/WNAC-TV’s Newsmakers, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of the Diocese of Providence indicated he could not explain why about 65 percent of his flock — in the most Catholic state in the union — is pro-choice on abortion rights.”
snip
“Since the 1980s, the National Opinion Research Center of Andrew Greeley, the priest, novelist, and researcher, has confirmed that more than 90 percent of Roman Catholics reject the church’s ban on birth control.”
I wonder just how out of touch Mr. Burch might be with Catholics’ views on other issues?

As far as how the voters would react, 10% of the US population is ex catholic. A sizable voting block. Approximately half of the active catholic population, perhaps more, are in conflict with the current position of the Catholic Church on a variety of issues. (not the least of which is being told who to vote for) This is around 10-15% of the US population. That is a 25% potential vote, elections have been swayed by far less.
Fidelis by the way does not in any way represent the views of the majority of the US Catholic population. What would one find if a thorough investigation of Fidelis was conducted? A conservative organization whose mailing lists are culled of non-conservatives, whose polls are weighted for and directed at conservatives? Would it ultimately be discovered that Fidelis is a Vatican puppet faithfully serving its master? Would it be discovered that they are heavily weighted to the conservative viewpoint in a blatant attempt to deceive the politicians into believing that their position is the popular one?
The race will be interesting, and no doubt filled with a great deal of hateful rhetoric from both sides. The vote will be interesting as well. McCain, because he is anti-abortion (on paper at least)is the Vatican choice. Obama has been labeled by the Vatican as pro-abortion and unfit to lead the US. Interesting that the abortion issue is the only thing that matters. Talk about being out of touch with reality!
The Vatican has issued instructions to Catholics to vote for McCain. According to the Vatican, for a catholic to vote for Obama is considered a major sin because the Vatican has labeled him pro-abortion. (per the doctrine of papal infallibility since they said it is so, it must be true) It will definitely be interesting to see how the vote unfolds.

DG, thats bullhonky…
Anyone here an actual practicing Catholic besides just speculating and reading off of stats?
Mr. Dan….who wrote the article…this….
But Kaine and Sebelius have already they could win in the culturally conservative states with sizable Catholic populations.
——
Well, it isnt your best moment… I dont see how Sebelius would help Obama win in Ohio, Pennslyvania and mmm Virginia? Kansas doenst have a big Catholic population, how could she help win that vote.
And the sentence doesnt make sense!

Robert, it is canon #1329 that was quoted as forbidding a catholic to vote for a pro-abortion candidate, which is how the church has labeled Obama.

“Anyone here an actual practicing Catholic besides just speculating and reading off of stats?”
Robert, it appears the majority of Catholics aren’t “practicing Catholics”. Just because you don’t like the statistics doesn’t invalidate them.