I’ve written about Anh (Joseph) Cao, the neophyte New Orleans Republican and former Jesuit seminarian who won a surprise victory over the once invincible but now disgraced (allegedly) Rep. Wiiliam Jefferson earlier this month in a storm-delayed Congressional election. Cao is an affecting mix of humility and politics, the latter informed but not dictated by his strong Catholic faith. Whether Cao will have a place or an influence on the future of the GOP, or a role in articulating a more coherent Catholic vision of politics, remains to be seen.
But Cao had some interesting comments this week in an interview with Dan Gilgoff, our former God-o-Meter maven who recently began a “God & County” blog at U.S. News & World Report. Cao speaks movingly and humanly about his past “crisis of faith” and his current commitment to “the core of my faith and the core of my political view, that politicians are put into office in order to serve.”
Obviously many people will want to focus on what this avowedly pro-life Catholic will do about abortion and homosexuality. Here’s what he says:
Q: How important were traditional family values issues, like abortion and marriage, in your race?
A: Very little. I was focusing on the need to rebuild the Second Congressional District so the issues of abortion and marriage were not the focus of my campaign at all.
Q: Are those values issue high priorities for your first term in Congress?
A: My main priority in the first couple of years is to focus on rebuilding the Second Congressional District in Louisiana. Three and half years after Katrina, there are areas that remain devastated. The healthcare system is in need of reform. The educational system is in need of reform. We need to develop economically, need to look at the levies and at coastal restoration. Those are the issues right now that concern the majority of my constituents, so that’s what I’ll be focusing on.
The next question, for us, is whether such statements will help or hurt his political career, in the GOP and with the Catholic Church.
posted December 17, 2008 at 10:24 am
Wow, yeah…a politician who actually sees the real issues and says she wants to focus on them instead of boilerplate party rhetoric. Those kind of things can’t possibly help a political career, can they?
Actually, if she wants to hold her position as US Representative for a long time, that outlook will probably help. She’ll enjoy great popularity with her constituents and can also blunt any Democratic attacks on her.
But, if she wants to deal with the surreal world of the Senate or Presidential politics, well, hopefully the nation will have matured by then. But I’m not holding my breath.
posted December 17, 2008 at 10:54 am
If I lived in his district, they would help his career with me.
posted December 17, 2008 at 11:05 am
A realist, to be sure, thank whatever heavens there be. As a Congressman really has no influence on abortion or any other issue that would ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court, his attitude is the sensible one.
posted December 17, 2008 at 11:09 am
Methodistsearching said, “Wow, yeah…a politician who actually sees the real issues
As a Catholic, the murder of innocent unborn children is a real issue. Don’t see how it couldn’t be..
As for the Congessman, his general stance will help him politically, because people like Methodistsearching find it inoffensive, and people like me find the rebuilding of that district an understandable priority.
Regarding his place in the GOP, his position can’t hurt him there.
And as to the Catholic Church, as long as he doesn’t blatantly misrepresent the teachings of the Church like Pelosi and Biden and others do, than it’s no problem. That’s what a lot of non-Catholics (and nominal Catholics) don’t get. The politicians get in trouble with the bishops when they declare they know Catholic doctrine better than the experts do and then go on Meet the Press and talk about it.
posted December 17, 2008 at 11:13 am
I do live in his district, and I’m THRILLED. I hope the Process of Politics will leave him alone and let him do his job! No community, especially this community of New Orleans, should be focusing on things of such a personal nature when there is so much economic and infrastructural need for CHANGE!
Preach it from the pulpit, but don’t use it as a measuring stick when it comes to mucking up the operations and growth of a community.
I’m hopeful. I would have been devastated if Dollar Bill Jefferson had managed to win that election.
posted December 19, 2008 at 12:40 pm
What’s the more important concern, human dignity or filthy lucre?
I just love how “progressive” is little more than a code for “borgeouis”.
posted December 19, 2008 at 10:26 pm
What’s the more important concern, human dignity or filthy lucre? I just love how “progressive” is little more than a code for “borgeouis”.
Odd, it seems to me that the conservatives are more interested in filthy lucre than in human dignity.
Whitewashed sepulchres who talk about life but keep the living in misery.