Catholic group branches off to support Obama
Daniel Burke/Religion News Service
Issue date: 11/2/08 Section: Divine Intervention
When Carl Anderson publicly rebuked Senator Joe Biden last month for opposing the Catholic Church's stance on abortion, Anderson said he was speaking "on behalf of the 1.28 million" Knights of Columbus in the U.S.
Everyone, that is, except for Knights like Rick Gebhard of Manistee, Mich. Gebhard, a 36-year-old public school teacher, said he founded Knights for Obama early this month to counter Anderson's "tacit endorsement" of Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain.
Gebhard said he's been told he will likely be booted from the Catholic fraternal organization. The group's rules forbid members from invoking the Knights of Columbus name to endorse political candidates, said Knights of Columbus spokesman Patrick Korten.
Gebhard, a member of the Boston-based group Catholic Democrats, counts himself part of a resurgent Catholic Left that's finding its voice during the 2008 presidential campaign. After struggling to be heard four years ago, when conservatives dominated the "values" debate and a majority of Catholics voted for President George W. Bush, progressives have said they have returned to the political arena this year with more supporters, deeper pockets and sharper ideas.
"We've been playing catch-up," said Chris Korzen, executive director of Catholics United, a progressive online community that has grown from two volunteers with $1,000 and dorm-room headquarters in 2004 to now include 30,000 members and a $200,000 budget. "And I think we've done it, to a great extent."
Hoping to reach Catholics who are upset with the Bush administration, groups like Catholics United are posting billboards in swing states, papering Catholic households with mailers and flooding the airwaves with progressive messages on everything from abortion to home foreclosures.
Lay Catholics, like Gebhard, are resisting church pressure to make abortion the primary issue that should drive Catholics' votes, and also pushing back when high-profile Catholics like Anderson single out Democrats like Sen. Biden for public criticism.
Everyone, that is, except for Knights like Rick Gebhard of Manistee, Mich. Gebhard, a 36-year-old public school teacher, said he founded Knights for Obama early this month to counter Anderson's "tacit endorsement" of Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain.
Gebhard said he's been told he will likely be booted from the Catholic fraternal organization. The group's rules forbid members from invoking the Knights of Columbus name to endorse political candidates, said Knights of Columbus spokesman Patrick Korten.
Gebhard, a member of the Boston-based group Catholic Democrats, counts himself part of a resurgent Catholic Left that's finding its voice during the 2008 presidential campaign. After struggling to be heard four years ago, when conservatives dominated the "values" debate and a majority of Catholics voted for President George W. Bush, progressives have said they have returned to the political arena this year with more supporters, deeper pockets and sharper ideas.
"We've been playing catch-up," said Chris Korzen, executive director of Catholics United, a progressive online community that has grown from two volunteers with $1,000 and dorm-room headquarters in 2004 to now include 30,000 members and a $200,000 budget. "And I think we've done it, to a great extent."
Hoping to reach Catholics who are upset with the Bush administration, groups like Catholics United are posting billboards in swing states, papering Catholic households with mailers and flooding the airwaves with progressive messages on everything from abortion to home foreclosures.
Lay Catholics, like Gebhard, are resisting church pressure to make abortion the primary issue that should drive Catholics' votes, and also pushing back when high-profile Catholics like Anderson single out Democrats like Sen. Biden for public criticism.
Be the first to comment on this story