Second Thoughts

A slight mix-up?

A conservative Catholic magazine and think tank that advertised a "White House briefing" in exchange for a hefty contribution was forced to cancel the event yesterday after the White House suddenly backed out of the deal.
    Crisis magazine and its affiliated think tank, the Morley Institute for Church and Culture, had advertised Monday's seventh annual 36-hole Lazarus Golf Tournament benefit at the Bull Run Country Club in Haymarket, Va., as including a White House briefing the next day.
A letter announcing the event, signed by Morley Institute director Deal Hudson, told golfers that they could bring guests to the White House. Officials slated to be at the event in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building included Jim Towey of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
    The tab for the golf tournament was $2,000 for one person, $3,500 for a twosome or $6,000 for a foursome. A priest could be sponsored for $1,500.
    After being questioned by The Washington Times yesterday afternoon about the briefing, White House officials quickly canceled the event.

Dom has more

Comments

[James Freeman]

I don't know whether to punch a hole in the wall or vomit. If Catholics took Catholicism as seriously as Muslims do Islam, there would be hell to pay for this sort of hucksteristic idolatry.

It's gotten to the point where the political and religious whores are pimping one another out. Thank God for a free press.

[Mark Shea]

While tacky (primarily because of who is organizing it and his irritating tendency to act more like Big Time Political Operator than as a saint), I don't quite see why a Catholic Republican can't fundraise if he likes. I can't make out how it constitutes being an idolator. I can't even make out how it constitutes being a huckster. I thought hucksters promise to sell you something and then cheat you. Looks to me like (till the White House bailed) Hudson planned to sell something and deliver it.

Note that I don't dispute the charge of general whoredom for the GOP. I've long had the sense the Hudson would be well-served if he stopped viewing the Faith as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Republican Party and started humbly considering the possibility that it constitutes a challenge to conservative ideology too. But if I were to drum out of the Church every Catholic who has difficulty refraining from adding "Thus saith the Lord" to his favorite political agendas, I might wind up utterly depopulating the Church.

[Mark Shea]

Ah! I read too fast. "White House Briefing". I missed that. Yeah, that was stupid and bad. Dom Bettinelli's right: looks like a stab at reviving his standing as a Player in White House circles.

Sheesh!

[carol mckinley]

Overwrought Reporting

Duin is taking another pot shot at White House outreach to Roman Catholics. Her initial article on Deal was filled with deliberate misrepresntations.

This time, she's hijacked one of the many daily briefings that go on every day, to various groups, and misrepresented the material facts to put the kibosh on Catholic outreach from the White House.

I got an invitation to the Catholic briefing, as many people did. It came as an invitation to a Catholic briefing. There was no mention of Crisis, the Morley Institute, a fundraiser, or a golf tournament for that matter. It simply came as an invitation to a Catholic briefing. The invitation to the golf tournament probably mentioned the Catholic briefing figuring that many people who were going to be in town for an event of theirs would want the heads-up. Catholics, Catholic event at White House.

Duin's preposterous comparison to selling the Lincoln Bedroom overnight is a sign of overwrought reporting.

What she doesn't realize is, she's broadcasting the fact that many people in the grassroots, at the White House and Catholic leadership circles still seek advice and friendship from Deal. They've not impacted his relationships. His counsel is still wiser than the pack who lags behind.

Those of us who planned to attend the Catholic briefing (who had no knowledge nor interest in playing golf and whose pocketbooks don't hold a lot of cash reserves) won't be going to this event, courtesy of Julia - but the bigger story is the defeat between the lines.

[Joe Anderson]

Maybe Duin has uncovered a much more sinister plot.

Maybe there should be an investigation into the Catholic Prayer Breakfast.

Didn't the President himself attend that gathering of Catholics?

She could be onto something.

[Tom Modl]

Lazarus Golf Tournament?

[John J. Simmins]

Lazarus Golf Tournament? Yeah, you hit into the sand trap and Deal comes along and says "COME OUT" and the dang ball pops right onto the green. Darnedest thing I ever saw.

[Cheeky Lawyer]

Why doesn't Deal Hudson go and do something anonymous and quiet for the Lord? He is absolutely clueless it seems to me.

[Rich Leonardi]

I'm with Cheeky. The Brits have the right protocol for this sort of thing. After a scandal, do the decent thing and resign and lay low for a while.

BTW, I signed up for Crisis magazine's e-letter a few years ago. They evidently share their list with Hudson because I now receive his unsolicited musings.

[Greg Popcak]

As I understand it, Deal really has nothing to do with organizing the National Catholic Prayer breakfast. I suspect he was there (I didn't go this year so I don't know) But the breakfast itself is organized by the Ave Maria PAC.

[Bealtway]

If you think Deal Hudson is a friend of the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast you could not be more mistaken.

[Joe]

My point was, if the President himself attended the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast for Catholics - to raise money for the group of people running it (whoever they are), an investigation should take place.

That's curious, because I thought the Ave Maria PAC had its name stripped by Fr. Fessio because of some "issues" with the people organizing it. Isn't that defunct?

The plot gets thicker.

[Joe]

Duin's story line - The White House meets with Catholics where money is being raised certainly applies much more to that group.

[Cheryl Kyller]

I was invited to the White House Briefing also. There was nothing on the invitation mentioning any of what Duin espouses.

I have non-refundable round trip ticket and a hotel booked that I've lost my deposit for.

Who is behind Druin's article?

[Beltway]

Joe, You write;

"My point was, if the President himself attended the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast for Catholics - to raise money for the group of people running it (whoever they are), an investigation should take place."

The breakfast is not a money maker. Revenue from tickets, tables, and sponsorships went to cover costs and I believe anything extra goes to an order of nuns.

"That's curious, because I thought the Ave Maria PAC had its name stripped by Fr. Fessio because of some "issues" with the people organizing it. Isn't that defunct?"

The Ave Maria List is indeed defunct and had nothing to do with the breakfast except that the former head of the PAC was the president of the breakfast. But it wasn't as though money from the breakfast went to the PAC or that the PAC every provided money for the breakfast.

[Joe]

Beltway,

I guess then there was nothing sinister after all. Just Catholics meeting with the President or the President's staff.

It's too bad Ms. Kyller and others were deprived of their opportunity.

The whole thing is silly.

[Brigid]

Yup -- leave it to Dale Hudson to get involved yet again and mess up true American Catholicism to the clueless Bush crowd. It's a good thing the they cancelled this event. How embarrassing for us Catholics that would have been...

Cheeky, Dale is just as clueless as the Bush crowd is about Catholicism. Proof? Why, look at the IVF post above from Amy!

On second thought, maybe they shouldn't have cancelled. The two "clueless" elements deserve each other.

"Clue" to everyone: The Republicans only cares about us Catholics in an election year! They want that "pro-life vote," but not your pro-life agenda.

Hello? Are any of you understanding this time around?

[Rich Leonardi]

Brigid,

Most of us view politics as a form of damage control and don't expect any politician to march lockstep with a pro-life agenda. But we do draw the line somewhere above infanticide, a nasty little practice supported by Bush's '04 opponent.

[sj]

Uh,when did Kerry support infanticide?

[Rich Leonardi]

When he took checks from late-term abortionists.

[David]

Lazarus Golf Tournament? Yeah, you hit into the sand trap and Deal comes along and says "COME OUT" and the dang ball pops right onto the green. Darnedest thing I ever saw.

Made me SNORT.

Thanks, John!

[carol mckinley]

"Made me SNORT"

yeah, I grinned to.

What fool would believe that God would use a sinner or a leper or a dead man to pop out of a hole and keep on defending the teachings of the Church in some kind of apostolic succession when the vigilantes are at your heels.