The Cardinal's Number
Not sure how much attention this is getting outside the New York area, but here it's big news that Cardinal Dolan has invited President Obama to the annual Al Smith dinner -- and the President apparently has accepted.
The result has been a furor. Although an invitation to the Al Smith dinner -- a non-partisan, non-political affair in which both presidential candidates have typically been invited to give short, self-deprecating speeches -- is not the same as an invitation to be a university's commencement speaker (much less be awarded an honorary degree), you can see the confusion. One member of the archdiocese's staff has defended his boss here, but, judging from the comments, he hasn't been persuasive. These comments are worth reading.
Now, the issue here is not the Cardinal's commitment to Catholic teaching, unborn life, or the fight against the contraceptive mandate. The Cardinal has been pretty tough. I am a huge fan of the Cardinal, yet the decision does raise questions about prudence. Not being privy to the reasoning that went into this, I'm willing to have my mind changed. Still, my gut feeling is that it was a very very unwise thing to have done.
The Cardinal's defender rightly notes that Jesus sat down with tax collectors, and that this is a civic, not a religious event. With regard to the first, Phil Lawler points out that no one is objecting to the Cardinal meeting with President Obama per se. The objection is that the context is essentially a photo op: We can guarantee that on the front page of the next day's New York Times we will have a photo of the Cardinal laughing it up with the Commander in Chief. No doubt that is why the President has agreed to come. If the Cardinal and the Pres can laugh it up, can this mandate really be the threat the Cardinal says it is? That too is a cause of understandable confusion.
As for the latter, it seems to me that the fact that this is a civic affair adds to the problem rather than mitigates it, because it makes the invitation optional. No doubt the Cardinal weighed these things -- the great political advantage President Obama will get from it in the midst of an election, the demoralization of many who support the Cardinal's fight against the mandate, the confusion it sends the faithful. Paris may be well worth a Mass, but it is hard to see how the Al Smith dinner is worth this. Indeed, the whole idea of Al Smith dinners, which allow our pols to get nice photos with the members of the hierarchy they are busy undermining, strikes me as something that itself ought to be re-examined in our present climate.
The Cardinal is no dummy, and he is a good and decent shepherd. I hope I have it all wrong. My sense, however, is that good, faithful people who are the Cardinal's true friends and allies are utterly utterly dispirited, and I see no good coming of it.
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Jun '12
Re: The Cardinal's Number
Love Cardinal Dolan, but Christ have mercy....
Mar '11
Re: The Cardinal's Number
The only way this works well is if the Cardinal studiously avoids being in any picture with the President.
Then the Cardinal must give a speech that fights against the President's policies. (Like Obama inviting Ryan to his speech then insulting Ryan.)
Dec '10
Re: The Cardinal's Number
I am sure it would be considered poor form if all the attendees at the dinner -- at least, all the clerics in attendance -- sat on their hands (or even turned their backs) during the President's presentation. Maybe the Cardinal wants a photo-op of him REFUSING to shake the President's hand.
Re: The Cardinal's Number
It seems to me no good choices here. You cannot disinvite a President of the United States, or cancel the dinner, after you have invited him. Nor can you insult him when he is your guest.
Jun '10
Re: The Cardinal's Number
"Disinvite Obama"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWetzuhtf_Y
Jan '11
Re: The Cardinal's Number
I'm not a politician, either a professional one like Obama nor an ecclesiastical one like a Catholic cardinal. So, much like Bill McGurn, I'm not sure what to make of it.
However, two thoughts come to mind.
Both the church and civil government are social institutions, and each ought to be respected in its own sphere. However, it's abundantly clear that Obama considers the church to be an inferior (if not subservient) institution. Obama has already shown that he doesn't respect the church. Any "civility" that he'll show at the Dinner is nothing but a fraud, a ruse that he only keeps up because he thinks it'll help him politically.
It's one thing to be forgiving. It's another to throw pearls before swine.
Re: The Cardinal's Number
So once again we have the hierarchy sleeping with the enemy. It is as if the current problems are a passing tiff and, once the Church has given up its hospitals to the state, they can kiss and make up.
Jul '10
Re: The Cardinal's Number
This is all the ammunition needed by the 30 million non-Church-going American 'Catholics' to repeat their voting for BO in 2012! Makes me ill.
Apr '11
Re: The Cardinal's Number
Katherine Jean Lopez has a somewhat different take in The Corner.
Jul '11
Re: The Cardinal's Number
This is an opportunity. Not just the photo op for Obama but something far grander for those who see an enemy of Catholicism, morals, and perhaps even God.
Jun '12
Re: The Cardinal's Number
From a Catholic friend (who's been invited but is being really stubborn about joining Ricochet):
Re: The Cardinal's Number
I am afraid I do not see the opportunity. No one objects to the Cardinal meeting face to face with the President to tell him what he thinks. The last time that happened, the Cardinal came out of the Oval to tell people he thinks we'd be fine viz the mandate. Plainly the President misled him. The point is that a face to face won't necessarily do the trick.Nor do I think the Cardinal can give a speech that takes the President on. This is not the forum for that. This is supposed to be apolitical and jocular. That latter strikes me as a problem. Is the President engaged in an attack on conscience, on religious freedom -- or not? If he is, it is a curious thing to have the two sides coming together to swap jokes. It certainly undermines the idea that it is a very serious fight.As for a speech, that will never overcome the image, again on the NYT, of the two laughing it up together. I'm sure David Axelrod would consider enduring even a speech, which will be forgotten, for that image, which people will remember. Again, I hope I am wrong.
Mar '11
Re: The Cardinal's Number
Yes, Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. But if we are making analogies to the NT, I think Obama is much closer to a pharisee than to St. Matthew.
Mar '11
Re: The Cardinal's Number
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWetzuhtf_Y · 2 hours ago
Thanks, Mel. I'll be sharing this on my Facebook page.
May '12
Re: The Cardinal's Number
I respect the etiquette sir, but what if the Cardinal canceled the dinner or disinvited the president. What could Obama do? Force Catholics to pay for contraception? fund planned parenthood? Oh wait, never mind.
Dec '10
Re: The Cardinal's Number
Just ban teleprompter use by all speakers at the event. Then you'll see how President Obama can manage to stomp on his own feet.
Dec '10
Re: The Cardinal's Number
I agree with Bill. The only person this will help is Obama.
I come up with two possibilities to explain Cardinal Dolan's thinking. Either the good Cardinal is naive about Obama -- he has no idea of who he's dealing with -- or he's suffering the vanity of the peacemakers (the work across the aisle types). "He'll succumb to my charms." Or both.
Jun '11
Re: The Cardinal's Number
If the Cardinal does not understand what is at stake at this moment in American history, then he will clap Obama on the back and smile for the camera.
If he does "get it," then he will use this as an opportunity to portray Obama as the lost soul he is.
What's it gonna be, Cardinal?
You just grabbed the ball.
Nov '10
Re: The Cardinal's Number
Aside from the defender's inappropriate comparison of the Cardinal to Jesus, why should it matter if the event is civic or religious?
As a Catholic, I'm commanded to LIVE my faith. That means my faith is not some raincoat I can put on and take off as the situation might call for.
Your post is the first I've seen of this news. I must admit ...it took my breath away. I feel quite demoralized. (no reflection on you, Bill. It's just hard fighting in the trenches every day when the commanders act so carelessly. ) Thank you for your continued effort in this fight.
Jul '11
Re: The Cardinal's Number
Well if the Cardinal has some of that fire and brimstone priest in him that can call hell fire from the heavens then Obama does not stand a chance. On the other hand if the Cardinal is of the touchy feely variety then the Church is toast.