It's baaaaack,
The old nativist question as to whether Catholics can and will exercise intellectual independence if elected to high office is once again being bruited about. Thomas C. Reeves, over at HNN, makes the case that they are free to do and in fact do so regularly. Jonathan Dresner, in a comment, is not so sure. [here]
The fact that this question is still a matter of discussion tells us a lot, and it is not very complimentary, about the liberal/left wing perspective on American society. Nobody raises the question of whether Teddy Kennedy or Nancy Pelosi or John Kerry is capable of exercising independence of thought. Only conservatives are queried.
Still it is worth noting, if Rudy Giuliani wins the Presidency, the President, the Speaker of the House, and five of nine Supreme Court justices will be Catholics. We may be witnessing what future historians term the "Catholic Moment" in American political culture.
