McCain campaign courts critical Catholic vote

[Terri]

By ERIC GORSKI
Associated Press
September 5, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Shortly after a priest's opening prayer and a screening of a short film on John McCain's faith, Sen. Sam Brownback stepped to the microphone and didn't waste words.

"Just to get to the whole meat of the matter, the Catholic vote is a swing vote," the Kansas lawmaker and Catholic convert said at a Catholic reception during this week's Republican National Convention.

"It is a critical vote in swing states," he said. "It is a vote we can win -- but only if we work to win it."

Catholics are shaping up to be the battleground religious vote of 2008. Recent polls show McCain and Democrat Barack Obama neck and neck among white Catholics -- a better indicator of swing voters because Hispanic Catholics lean Democratic. With an estimated 47 million U.S. Catholic voters, the stakes are huge

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[denisethemenace]

I don't understand former Ambassador Jim Nicholson's cry for "more" and "greater clarity" from the U.S. bishops. They have already stated that abortion is the number-one issue for Catholics and has top priority. I don't see how they can be any more clear without running afoul of the I.R.S.

However, since I am not clergy, I can give the clearest of all interpretations on what the bisops have said: A vote for Barak Obama BREAKS any relationship with the Catholic Church and is a one-way ticket to Hell!

Is that clear enough, Mr. Nicholson?