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Why Biden’s Pitch to Catholics Will Fall Flat

Posted on Tuesday, June 4, 2024
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by Aaron Flanigan
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In recent presidential elections, few indicators have predicted the winner of the White House more accurately and consistently than the national Catholic vote. Less than six months out from Election Day, Joe Biden is once again poised to boast about his supposedly “devout” Catholic faith in an attempt to win support from swing state Catholic voters.

But for a growing number of reasons, Biden’s outreach to American Catholics is likely to miss the mark—and could instead only succeed in rallying Catholic support for former President Donald Trump.

Throughout his half-century-long political career, Biden has vigorously attempted to paint himself as upstanding practicing Catholic committed to the precepts of the faith. Over the course of his presidency, however, this narrative (never all that convincing to begin with) has completely crumbled, with Catholic bishops and other members of the Catholic hierarchy even publicly criticizing Biden for his adoption of policies and rhetoric that flagrantly contradict the Church’s core teachings and doctrines.

Perhaps most notably, Biden has embraced the Democrat Party’s radical position of abortion-on-demand, which the Catechism of the Catholic Church outlines as “gravely contrary to the moral law.” Biden has also openly supported far-left gender ideology, which the Vatican recently denounced in a wide-ranging document as amounting to “grave violations of human dignity.”

During his time as vice president in the Obama administration, Biden also backed attempts to force Catholic nuns to violate their consciences by mandating that the institutions they run provide birth control, and has since routinely demonstrated hostility towards religious freedom and traditional expressions of faith.

One of the organizations targeted by the left with backing from Biden and many Democrat attorneys general was the Little Sisters of the Poor. The individual who led that particular assault was none other than current Biden Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. As Ashley McGuire, a senior fellow for the Catholic Association, observed, Becerra “spent years tormenting the Little Sisters of the Poor in court, trying to force them to pay for things like abortion pills against their consciences.”

As president, Biden’s Department of Justice has also repeatedly targeted traditionally-minded Catholics (whom the FBI smeared as “possible domestic terrorists”) and persecuted pro-life activists.

In response to Biden’s hostility toward Catholic believers, Biden’s own archbishop Wilton Cardinal Gregory—the archbishop of Washington, D.C. who is often regarded for his leftist political slant—scolded him on national television as a “cafeteria Catholic,” or a Catholic who selectively picks which doctrines to adhere to while conveniently discarding those deemed personally unpalatable.

Just weeks later, Bishop Robert Gruss of Saginaw, Michigan lambasted Biden as a “stupid” Catholic “who is not living the life Jesus wants for him.”

“I don’t have any anger toward the president. I feel sorry for him. I’m not angry at him, he’s just stupid,” Gruss said, insisting Biden “doesn’t understand the Catholic faith.”

Even Pope Francis—whom the media has long misleadingly attempted to frame as a liberal Catholic hero—has increasingly challenged many of Biden’s positions. In a symposium earlier this year, for instance, the Pope condemned gender ideology as the “ugliest danger” of our time, lamenting attempts to extinguish all natural distinctions between men and women as being made in the image and likeness of God. In April, the Vatican released Dignitas Infinita, a document criticizing the practices of transgender surgery and surrogacy while condemning gender ideology as part of an “ideological colonization” that must be “rejected.”

“Only by acknowledging and accepting this difference in reciprocity [between men and women] can each person fully discover themselves, their dignity, and their identity,” the document states.

Furthermore, in 2022, the Pope derided Biden’s support for abortion as an “incoherence”—reinforcing the mounting conflict between Biden and the faith he professes to be the “bedrock foundation of [his] life.”

Church leaders have not been the only Catholics to express concern about Biden’s embrace of extreme left-wing social and cultural views. By every account, Catholic voters are also rejecting Biden’s espousal of far-left ideas at the expense of his devotion to upholding the teachings of the Church.

A recent Pew Research poll found that 55 percent of Catholics now support or are leaning toward Donald Trump in his looming November matchup against Biden. In 2020, by contrast, Trump led Biden by only a narrow 50 percent to 49 percent margin. Pew Research polling data also finds that Biden is leading with Hispanic Catholics by a mere two-point margin—a far cry from his 67 percent to 26 percent point advantage with the same demographic in 2020.

Moreover, an overwhelming majority of Americans reject Biden’s presentation of himself as a “devout” Catholic. According to Pew Research, only 13 percent of Americans believe Biden is “very religious,” while 44 percent say he is “not religious at all” or “not too religious.”

Also notable is the fact that Catholics make up a significant fraction of voters in the crucial Rust Belt swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Trump’s current lead with Catholic voters—which can still continue to grow—could very well be enough to put him over the edge in these three states and propel him to a second term in the White House this fall.

Historically, the national GOP apparatus has failed to invest the same time, resources, and energy into winning the Catholic vote as it does with other key voter blocs. But if the Republican Party were to start more aggressively campaigning on the issue of Democrats’ anti-Catholicism, the GOP could see Catholic voters joining them by even more massive margins.

If the party establishment directed any effort to earn the support of politically disaffected Catholics (particularly Hispanic Catholics in sunbelt purple states), Catholic voters could become a permanent Republican voting bloc that delivers substantial conservative victories for years to come.

Should the GOP opt to go down this path over the next six months, it could very well find itself with an unprecedented electoral majority—and at the forefront of the movement to restore Christian values and religious liberty in American life.

Aaron Flanigan is the pen name of a writer in Washington, D.C.

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Max
Max
4 months ago

Overall, no matter what he states, Pres. Biden is NO CHRISTIAN in any sense of the WORD. Our FATHER in HEAVEN reminds us through Daniel 2:20-22, that HE is in charge. HE continues to be patient with the nation, but he allows chastisement and judgement. It is up to the nation to repent and get back to the WORD of GOD. If the nation continues on the course it has taken, things will only get worse.

Pam
Pam
4 months ago

Numbers of those that identify as catholic in the U.S. range from 52 million (pew research) to 81.6 million (catholictimescolumbus.org) – will they vote for the ‘catholic president’ no matter what? The article gives a very fair overview of Biden’s religious practice.
As a protestant I feel that Trump is honest and transparent – at least not a hypocrite. He states he’s not a perfect man, but believes in God, is pro-life but acknowleges a compromise on abortion, and does not support men in girls’ locker rooms or sports, or grooming children. That is congruent with my values, too.

Misty
Misty
4 months ago

I am a practicing Catholic and have voted Republican for decades. Bidumb is the epitome of why the Catholic religion and practices are so criticized in America today. Say one thing but do another. I personally feel abortion, used as birth control, is wrong. I strongly condemn men (the anatomy they were born with), being allowed to compete in women’s sports and in women’s bathrooms and locker rooms. How any man who is a father to REAL girls and women could even think this is ok is sick. Bidumb is sick both mentally and physically. What is really appalling is how any priest or bishop can give this vegetable in chief Holy Communion really baffles me.

Jerry
Jerry
4 months ago

Biden appears to be Catholic in name only.

Robert Zuccaro
Robert Zuccaro
4 months ago

Don’t know why ANYONE would vote for Biden let alone Catholics since the only thing still affordable in America is an abortion.

John
John
4 months ago

Biden and the Socialist Democrats are demons and they want to destroy religion and America!

At a place where truth rules
At a place where truth rules
4 months ago

Look behind Biden, he is a paper mache used for hidden persons whose clandestine agenda is the cause of our misery and downfall. About to end if we all vote.

Drue
Drue
4 months ago

As a practicing Baptist, I admire the Catholics for seeing Biden for what he is: an ignorant, lying hypocrite. Enough said.

Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
4 months ago

Biden’s problem is… he’s a puppet for the wizard behind the curtain. He’s a documented liar and plagiarist. Robert Gates said it best… “I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades,”.

Norma
Norma
4 months ago

biden is no Catholic! Murdering the unborn is one of his mottos!

Thinking
Thinking
4 months ago

This article shows the dictatorship of Obiden. Dictating to the Sisters of the Poor what to do. This again is one of many mandates or orders that have gone out from the White House to have a say over those organizations that are different from their own. Do as we say or we shut you down, sue you or in total make your life miserable. The GOP should tell this what Obiden is doing quietly behind the scenes. The scam trial of Trump in New York was for all to see how the left with the dems treat those that they hate. In the dems world hatred is what they spread every day. Which we always knew they were doing now the independent and dem voter sees it every day. They are destroying all what is good in America and want to control and rule us with an iron fist. Or they will lock us up. And anything they have done wrong they stonewall and blame Trump. Mistakes are never admitted to. Not by Mayorkas, or Fauci or Garland and most of all by ole Joe, Obiden and the gang behind the scenes. They lie as easily as the devil they are. VOTE TRUMP.

Tory
Tory
4 months ago

Lets be clear, no Catholic or Christian sees Biden as religious. AND with the churches shut down during the covid scam, while he and Pfizer forced experimental jabs… believe a word this angry dictator says. He is only interested in power. He is going into Russia w Ukraine. He is a warmonger.
As he lawfares his powerful opponent.
Inflation is killing us. No, he is only a god to his power.

Bruce
Bruce
4 months ago

Now all we need are enough Republicans that are willing to fight ( I had best watch how I use that word, look where it got Trump) as strongly as the Dems do.

Jeri
Jeri
4 months ago

This Catholic does NOT hear one word that comes out of his mouth…

Robert Frost
Robert Frost
4 months ago

Read pp 2272 of Catechism of Catholic Church. It states any Catholic supporting a person having an abortion is automatically excommunicated from the Church. If President Biden isn’t supporting someone having an abortion, they need to change the Dictionary.

Bernard. Giroux
Bernard. Giroux
4 months ago

Any registered Democrat who processes to be Catholic should be excomminicated.

Bonnie
Bonnie
4 months ago

He made the sign of the cross at a pro-abortion rally in Florida, declared Easter Sunday, the most holy day for Christians, “transgender day of visibility” and his DOJ sends protesters who pray at abortion clinics to federal prisons. Declaring you are Catholic does not make you one.

Cappy
Cappy
4 months ago

Before she passed away, when “BITE ME” was Vice-President, my mother, not a practicing Catholic, but went through Catholic school in the late 50s, would call him a heathen for his stance on abortion, and putting HIS politics ahead of his own religion.

Commentary
Commentary
4 months ago

How religious could he be when he had an adulterous affair with Jill before they married, he’s all for abortion on demand and goes along with the attacks on Catholic nuns and Catholics who oppose abortion? I agree with his own archbishop: he is stupid.

Ken
Ken
4 months ago

This is an excellent comprehensive article on yet another hole on the bow of the Biden boat, a boat foundering on the sea of mediocrity because it is captained by a rudderless soul both spirituality and politically.

Bernard. Giroux
Bernard. Giroux
4 months ago

God save us from AI. The word was profess. And excommunicated.

Freespeech
Freespeech
4 months ago

Biden uses Catholicism as a front to garner votes. He is and has always been an anti-Catholic. He is a man that would do anything at any time to anybody to get what he wants. He is the antithesis to Catholicism and is closer to Satanism.

johnh
johnh
4 months ago

My opinion is that A TRUE CHRISTIAN WILL OBEY THE TEN COMMANDMENTS & PROMOTE THEM TO ALL OTHER AMERICANS.. Even if you are not a Chritian, do you think it is okay to steal, murder, etc. ???????? Bring back morality to USA before it is too late.

Jeanine
Jeanine
4 months ago

I am a very strong and firm Catholic. Being “Catholic” does not predispose one to receive my vote for any position (mayor, congressman, governor, president…). Unfortunately most politicians that claim to be Catholic are generally either “Christmas Catholics” or “Cafeteria Catholics”. If a contender is claiming to be Catholic the most important that I need to see is a Strong Adherence to God’s Law, a child of God with unwavering Christian Values.
If one is not Fully Committed to God, it is very difficult (especially in the political environs) to steadfastly adhere to all Christian values. Although we have had a sprinkling of said “Catholic” politicians, as of yet none have held strong in the Faith, strong in Christ.

James
James
4 months ago

Joe Biden has excommunicated himself, with his abortion beliefs and the officiating in the marring of same sex couples.

Robin Walter Boyd
Robin Walter Boyd
4 months ago

I’m not a fan of the RCC due to many theological, social and political reasons, but there is no way the RCC can justify allowing Joe Biden to claim to be Catholic with the things he supports and promotes.

Joe Roberts
Joe Roberts
4 months ago

It seems like the author of this article is trying to characterize “The Catholic Vote” as a block. However, the reality is that half of the Catholics either think the same way Biden does, that is, pick and choose what they want to believe or reject or are “twicers”; that is attend services twice a year at Easter and Christmas. They claim to be Catholics but in reality don’t know much about what the Faith actually teaches and they don’t care to learn.

Bruce
Bruce
4 months ago

It’s bigger than just Catholics. Biden has alienated practicing members of organized religions excluding Islam.

Neil Gipson
Neil Gipson
4 months ago

Buyden$ is a truly demonic POS, but there are many really stupid catholics!

Raymond
Raymond
4 months ago

How can anybody believe anything Joe Biden or any Democrat says?

Brenda G
Brenda G
4 months ago

Yes, as with most things- Biden always managed to look a fool.I don’t have a problem with him being the fool all by himself. I just don’t appreciate him forcing or taking away my choices while adding his liberal decisions.

American
American
4 months ago

Biden is senile to begin with so his rhetoric has no value. He is and has been for many , many years an Obama Puppet. He is not now a Catholic and it is very doubtful he ever was. They vilify Trump for exactly the same sins he and his family have been guilty of as well as a number of past Presidents and their families. Catholics who believe in God and their faith have no reason to pay any attention to this pathetic old man’s babbling.

Gloria
Gloria
4 months ago

He’s already supported -even pushed– everything that is anti-Catholic. No matter how much he caresses his “beads”, he ain’t Catholic by any means. Even if “Pope” Francis gives him Holy Communion! Biden has already ex-comunicated himself from Cathollicism. Maranatha.

Joe
Joe
4 months ago

Biden: “Trust me, I’m such a good Catholic that I crapped my pants in front of the pope. It’s no joke.”

Sean Rickman
Sean Rickman
4 months ago

There is absolutely nothing that I believe what this sorry lying entity says,nothing.I don’t know about how this liar relates to CATHOLICS,but I do know that this entity lies everytime”IT”opens”ITS”mouth.This entity is trying to blame REPUBLICANS for the border thing when he and only he and his democ rat cult were the ones that caused this in the first place.I can’t even tolerate myself watching !!! anymore.

William
William
4 months ago

So a practicing Catholic has an adulterous affair with a divorced woman and then married this divorced woman is still considering himself a good Catholic? I don’t think so!!

Donald King
Donald King
4 months ago

Biden is totally political. If he’s speaking before a Catholic group he’ll swear to be Catholic. If he’s speaking before a protestant group he’ll swear that, no matter what they’ve been told, He’s protestant. If he’s speaking before any Muslim group, he’ll whisper to them that he’s actually been Muslim all along. If he happens to be standing before the Devil, he’ll say “Hello Boss”.

Tplorable
Tplorable
3 months ago

I am by far the most practicing Catholic. However, Biden is not a Catholic in any way shape or form. Him and Pelosi act like they are Catholics just to make their Catholic voters think they are. What kind of Catholics would be so pro-abortion? I mean that is just ridiculous. They are true phonies!

EMG
EMG
3 months ago

The only reason Biden hasn’t been excommunicated from the church is that he is President of the United States and no official in the Catholic hierarchy has the gall to do it!

Robert
Robert
3 months ago

Phony as a 3 dollar bill!

Jim Rymer
Jim Rymer
4 months ago

He’s about as Catholic as I’m Muslim. And thank God I’m not the latter.

George Ruben Rivera Jr
George Ruben Rivera Jr
4 months ago

A RINO is a Republican in Name Only (claims to be a Republican but votes Democrat), a JINO is a Jew in Name Only (hasn’t seen the inside of a Temple in years or not at all), so Biden must be a CINO, Catholic in Name Only. Please see JINO for further context.

Cath
Cath
3 months ago

This article says it like it IS! Biden is NOT a Catholic in ANY way – except in HIS MIND ONLY!

Murray
Murray
3 months ago

Good, thoughtful post

Gloria
Gloria
3 months ago

He’s about as Catholic as Stalin and Hitler! But he’s such a narcissistic and psychopath, he most likely thinks he’s the next thing to godliness.

Pappy
Pappy
3 months ago

If the Catholic voters would have voted as the polls you write about show now, He would have won the last election. Your thoughts are good thoughts. How well they are communicated or counter-communicated and received is another story. God bless our Catholic brothers and sisters. May they vote their hearts.

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