On Ash Wednesday, is VP Joe Biden even Catholic?

From today's Baltimore Republican Examiner.  Written by Sean O'Donnell.

Today as President Obama gave a speech on the Stimulus Recovery Bill, many people may have noticed Vice President Biden in the background with something on his forehead.

Just what was on Biden’s forehead? It was ash in the sign of the cross from a mixture of burned palms and sacred oils because today is Ash Wednesday – the Catholic Church’s observation of the first day of Lent.

But just how Catholic is America’s first Catholic Vice President? Let’s take a look at some of Biden’s political positions and compare them with the teachings of the Church.

On abortion: Biden believes the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion-on-demand (Roe v. Wade) should remain intact. He also has received a 100% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America, pledged to appoint pro-choice Supreme Court nominees, and voted no on making it a crime to harm an unborn fetus during another crime. In short, he is a pro-choice politician that strongly supports abortion rights.

However, the Catholic Church is opposed to abortion in any circumstance. The Church is pro-life.

On embryonic stem cell research and human cloning:  Biden has voted to expand funding for embryonic stem cell research and has voted no on banning human cloning.

However, the Catholic Church is opposed to embryonic stem cell research and human cloning.

On same-sex marriage: Biden has voted no on a constitutional ban of same-sex marriage.

However, the Catholic Church supports the definition of marriage as only between one man and one woman.

On school prayer: Biden voted no on requiring public schools to allow voluntary prayer.

However, the Catholic Church supports voluntary prayer in public schools.

On the death penalty: Biden authored the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 which greatly expanded the federal death penalty.

However, the Catholic Church is against the death penalty.

On the Iraq War: Biden voted for the Iraq War resolution.

However, the Catholic Church is opposed to the current war in Iraq.

(Additionally, Biden also voted against confirming fellow Catholic Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito, yet voted for confirming Catholic Justice Sonia Sotomayor.)

My question to Vice President Biden is – Why do you claim to be Catholic when your political positions and votes go against numerous teachings of the church? That’s like a Nazi saying he likes Jewish people and enjoys Jewish culture or it’s like a Socialist supporting free markets and private property rights.

If a politician is going to parade his Catholic beliefs about – especially on Ash Wednesday – at least defend the teachings of the Church. Otherwise pick a new religion.

Biden Reveals Location of Secret VP Bunker

Vice President Joe Biden, well-known for his verbal gaffes, may have finally outdone himself, divulging potentially classified information meant to save the life of a sitting vice president.

According to a report, while recently attending the Gridiron Club dinner in Washington, an annual event where powerful politicians and media elite get a chance to cozy up to one another, Biden told his dinnermates about the existence of a secret bunker under the old U.S. Naval Observatory, which is now the home of the vice president.

The bunker is believed to be the secure, undisclosed location former Vice President Dick Cheney remained under protection in secret after the 9/11 attacks.

Eleanor Clift, Newsweek magazine's Washington contributing editor, said Biden revealed the location while filling in for President Obama at the dinner, who, along with Grover Cleveland, is the only president to skip the gathering.

According to the report, Biden "said a young naval officer giving him a tour of the residence showed him the hideaway, which is behind a massive steel door secured by an elaborate lock with a narrow connecting hallway lined with shelves filled with communications equipment."

Clift continued: "The officer explained that when Cheney was in lock down, this was where his most trusted aides were stationed, an image that Biden conveyed in a way that suggested we shouldn't be surprised that the policies that emerged were off the wall."

In December 2002, neighbors complained of loud construction work being done at the Naval Observatory, which has been used as a residence by vice presidents since 1974.

The upset neighbors were sent a letter by the observatory's superintendent, calling the work "sensitive in nature" and "classified" and that it was urgent it be completed "on a highly accelerated schedule."

Residents said they believed workers were digging deep into the ground, which would support Biden's report of a secret bunker, but officials never confirmed the purpose of the work performed.

The revelation is the latest from Biden, who has a long history of political blunders.

Most recently, he said in a televised interview that if a family member asked him about traveling he'd advise staying away from public transportation or confined spaces to avoid swine flu -- a remark described as "borderline fearmongering" by an airline spokesman.

The Morning After

After a rocky 10 days for the McCain-Palin ticket, the GOP nominees took a step up last night during the Vice Presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis.

VP Nominee Sarah Palin showed America that she is articulate and intelligent, especially when she is not set up by the Katie Courics of the world. Looking at the debate as an impartial observer, I would give Palin the victory for form and Biden the victory for substance.

Palin deserves even that much more credit considering who she is up on the podium defending -- John McCain. That is not an easy thing to do considering his track record.

With just over a month to go until Election Day, I do fear for America that Obama will win by 4-6 points in the popular vote, based on a snapshot of today's environment. McCain had a good shot coming out of Minneapolis, but the economic situation, coupled with his poorly run campaign, brought him back down to pre-convention levels in the polls. He has been ineffective in getting his message out, whereas the Obama team, with a lot of money behind it, has done the job targeting independents in the key states.

To their credit, the Dems are speaking with one voice. All of the usual characters (Obama, Clintons, Pelosi, Reid, et al) blame Bush and the Republicans and no one else for the economic mess. Who does McCain blame during an interview on "60 Minutes"? Bush, the Republians and, oh by the way, the Democrats. This is not a way to win an election.

A few final comment on last night's debate:

(1) Global Warming -- Is Joe Biden actually being serious when he says that global warming / climate change is completely "man made"? Perhaps someone in the area of earth sciences can educate Sen. Biden on the two principal reasons why climate change is occurring -- (a) time and (b) the sun.

(2) The Obama Tax Plan -- So if ALL of us (95 percent of America) are not going to pay a penny more in taxes for all of Obama's spending plans, then who will? Oh, that's right, the big Corporations (how many times did Biden mention Exxon/Mobil during the debate?). Great, so let's tax the big Corporations. Gee, I wonder if those higher taxes will get passed down to the customer? Can anyone say higher gas prices??? Higher costs for Dell computers??? Higher costs for Apple I-Pods??? Actually, Apple will probably be spared since it is a Lib company...

Democratic "Insider" Poll Gives Nod to Palin

In this week's National Journal, which hit the streets this morning, its "Congressional Insiders Poll" asked, "Which vice presidential nominee boosts his or her ticket's chances more?"

The results were:

Democrats (33 votes)
Biden -- 33 percent
Palin -- 45 percent
No Difference -- 21 percent

Republicans (39 votes)
Biden -- 0 percent
Palin -- 100 percent
No Difference -- 0 percent

My favorite comment from a Dem: "The ultimate swing voters in this race -- white women -- have moved from narrowly Obama to comfortably McCain. If that trend line somehow holds, Obama would have to post the best Democratic numbers with white men since 1976. As for Biden, the least consequential vice presidential pick in the modern era was Jack Kemp in 1996. Biden is on pace to match him."

Sen. Obama Topped as the Most Vitriolic, Narcissistic, and Egotistic Member of the Democratic Presidential Ticket

R.C. could not be happier with Sen. Obama's pick for VP in Sen. Joe Biden. He leads the R.C. list as the most vitriolic, narcissistic, and egotistic member of the U.S. Senate. If there were ever a candidate who could have a Jack Nicholson-A Few Good Men trial scene during a debate, it would have to be Joe Biden. Not sure what The Messiah sees in Sen. Biden, but he always knows what's best for all of us.

Take a look at the NY Times article below from 20+ years ago about an incident in which Sen. Biden verbally attacked someone at a campaign event in New Hampshire and went off about his genius IQ and how much smarter he was than the gentlemen named "Frank". Biden also filled his rant with lies (once they were checked out).

The R.C.'s favorite Biden "moment" was when he tried attacking Justices Alito and Roberts during their Senate confirmation hearings, like he did to Judge Bork and Justice Thomas, but was slammed by both of them making him look like a fool (not hard...).


September 22, 1987

Biden Admits Errors and Criticizes Latest Report

By E. J. DIONNE JR., SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK TIMES

LEAD: Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. issued a formal statement today acknowledging that he had misstated several facts about his past last April in a campaign appearance in New Hampshire.

Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. issued a formal statement today acknowledging that he had misstated several facts about his past last April in a campaign appearance in New Hampshire.

But the Delaware Democrat insisted today, as he had Sunday night in an interview with The New York Times, that some of the disputed statements were true and that his misstatements were the product of a faulty memory and the fact that he lost his temper.

Mr. Biden, whose Presidential campaign has been shaken by news reports about his unattributed use of speeches from other politicians and a plagiarism incident while he was in law school, said in The Times interview that he was ''frustrated'' and ''angry as hell'' over the reports.

Mr. Biden was going through his political agony even as he presided over hearings tonight on the confirmation of Judge Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court. Exhausted top aides found their attention constantly torn between the crucial hearings and their principal's political future.

Intends to Stay in Race

Late tonight, for example, Mr. Biden called a meeting of his senior staff to discuss the effects of the recent developments on his campaign. But senior aides said they did not know if it would even take place as the Bork hearings dragged into the night. Although a high-level aide denied that Mr. Biden was contemplating withdrawing from the race, several Washington politicians here said they believed he was considering this possibility.

On Sunday night, Mr. Biden said emphatically that he intended to remain a candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination. ''I think if I can get by the next week, I can pull out of this if I can just get my story across,'' he said.

Most of Mr. Biden's statement was in response to a report in this week's issue of Newsweek magazine on a tape recording made by the C-SPAN network of an appearance by Mr. Biden at a home in Claremont, N.H., on April 3. It was a typical coffee-klatch style appearance before a small group. The network regularly records and broadcasts such events as part of its coverage of the Presidential campaign.

The tape, which was made available by C-SPAN in response to a reporter's request, showed a testy exchange in response to a question about his law school record from a man identified only as ''Frank.'' Mr. Biden looked at his questioner and said: ''I think I have a much higher I.Q. than you do.''

He then went on to say that he ''went to law school on a full academic scholarship - the only one in my class to have a full academic scholarship,'' Mr. Biden said. He also said that he ''ended up in the top half'' of his class and won a prize in an international moot court competition. In college, Mr. Biden said in the appearance, he was ''the outstanding student in the political science department'' and ''graduated with three degrees from college.''

Comments on Assertions

In his statement today, Mr. Biden, who attended the Syracuse College of Law and graduated 76th in a class of 85, acknowledged: ''I did not graduate in the top half of my class at law school and my recollection of this was inacurate.''

As for receiving three degrees, Mr. Biden said: ''I graduated from the University of Delaware with a double major in history and political science. My reference to degrees at the Claremont event was intended to refer to these majors - I said 'three' and should have said 'two.' '' Mr. Biden received a single B.A. in history and political science.

''With regard to my being the outstanding student in the political science department,'' the statement went on. ''My name was put up for that award by David Ingersoll, who is still at the University of Delaware.''

In the Sunday interview, Mr. Biden said of his claim that he went to school on full academic scholarship: ''My recollection is - and I'd have to confirm this - but I don't recall paying any money to go to law school.'' Newsweek said Mr. Biden had gone to Syracuse ''on half scholarship based on financial need.''

Says He Also Received Grant

In his statement today, Mr. Biden did not directly dispute this, but said he received a scholarship from the Syracuse University College of Law ''based in part on academics'' as well as a grant from the Higher Education Scholarship Fund of the state of Delaware. He said the law school ''arranged for my first year's room and board by placing me as an assitant resident adviser in the undergraduate school.''

As for the moot court competition, Mr. Biden said he had won such a competition, with a partner, in Kingston, Ontario, on Dec. 12, 1967.

Mr. Biden acknowledged that in the testy exchange in New Hampshire, he had lost his temper. ''I exaggerate when I'm angry,'' Mr. Biden said, ''but I've never gone around telling people things that aren't true about me.'' Mr. Biden's questioner had made the query in a mild tone, but provoked an explosive response from Mr. Biden.

'Legitimate Questions of Press'

As for the continued, minute probing of his past, Mr. Biden told The Times: ''I guess every single word I've ever said is going to be dissected now.''

In his statement today Mr. Biden acknowledged that inevitability, saying:

''However trivial, I certainly believe these are legitimate questions of press inquiry. And I will be as responsive to these and other inquiries as I possibly can.''

Mr. Biden's campaign staff met this weekend in Wilmington, Del., in an effort to come up with a strategy in face of the building controversy. A senior adviser to the Biden campaign dismissed speculatrion that he would withdraw from the contest. ''Of course he's going to stay in,'' the adviser said, dismissing the recent reports on Mr. Biden as ''random press frenzy.''

The adviser said the latest troubles might ''free'' Mr. Biden to ''get into being himself'' and to campaign as an aggressive ''populist, anti-Establishment'' candidate and a defender of the interests of the American middle class.