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Much like Barack Obama, Cardinal Joseph Tobin---Catholic Archbishop of Newark---is using the foreign press this week to slam the President of the United States.
On the 4th of July, Tobin told a French Catholic newspaper---La Croix---that President Trump "has caused an exaggerated patriotism in the US," and he said, "I think President Trump appeals to the dark side of Americans."
Does he really believe the nearly 63 million Americans who voted for Trump are coming from the "dark side?"
For those who read French, this is a link to the French newspaper article.
I found the Cardinal's comments rather curious.
Is he unaware that Catholics voted for Trump in November's election in substantial numbers more than for Hillary Clinton?
In fact, Pew Research reported that 52% of Catholics voted for Trump, while only 45% voted for Hillary. They also found that this represented a rather significant shift away from the Democratic Party of 5% since 2012.
You may recall that several of Tobin's colleagues in Catholic leadership actually called on Catholics to not vote Democrat because their platform was unacceptable---particularly in regard to abortion and marriage.
In a stinging column in the Catholic paper "The Leaven" last fall, Kansas City Archbishop Joseph Naumann said it was "painful" to listen to Hillary's VP choice Sen. Tim Kaine repeat the "same tired and contorted" reasoning to profess personal opposition to abortion while justifying his commitment to "keep it legal."
Kaine's "tired and contorted" reasoning was an echo of Joe Biden's "tired and contorted" reasoning a few years earlier.
"I'm a devout Catholic, but I don't believe what my church believes"---how does that work?
Naumann said at the time, "Unfortunately, the vice-presidential debate revealed that the Catholic running for the second highest office in our land is an orthodox member of his Party, fully embracing the Party's platform, but a cafeteria Catholic, picking and choosing the teachings of the Catholic Church that are politically convenient."
This, of course, could also be said of a great many Democrat Catholics in Congress. Not all, but too many.
And in fairness, some Republicans have a similar "tired and contorted" reasoning concerning both abortion and same-sex "marriage."
Naumann had much more to say, but also noted that Kaine goes beyond mere acquiescence regarding abortion, and "appears eager to champion not only maintaining the status quo, but actually expanding abortion rights."
And the Kansas City Archbishop berated Sen. Kaine for supporting efforts to "coerce the Little Sisters of the Poor and other faith based ministries to violate their conscience---and to force small business owners "out of business with crippling fines if they decline to participate in same-sex marriage ceremonies."
Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver wrote similar articles saying, "Catholics in good conscience cannot support candidates who will advance abortion."
So clearly Cardinal Tobin is not on the same page as a number of his colleagues.
Is it personal toward Trump?
Apparently not.
Tobin also has a history of conflict with Mike Pence as well.
As Archbishop of Indianapolis, Tobin openly defied then-Governor Pence concerning the reception of Syrian refugees into the state.
You can read the story, but the essence of it is that Gov. Pence was opposed to more Syrian refugees being allowed into the state until they could be properly vetted, but Tobin brought them in anyway through Catholic charities.
So the "dark side " of Americans, to which President Trump is appealing, is related to our reluctance to allow unvetted refugees from terrorist sponsoring countries into our country until they are properly vetted.
And about the "exaggerated patriotism."
This phrase found it's way into literature, for the most part, in relation to music writer, arranger and part time philosopher Percy Grainger who became famous for his lighter music, not necessarily his more serious scores.
In fact his detractors often referred to him as the man who wrote "little ditties" for the common people.
Writer Cyril Scott, in recalling his first meeting with Percy Grainger at Hoch Music Conservatory in Frankfurt, Germany in 1895, referred to him as expressing "exaggerated patriotism." That label would follow Grainger the rest of his life. It was not intended to be a compliment.
It was intended to reduce him to a "common man."
Cardinal Tobin is attempting to attach that same "dark side" label to Trump, and those who support him for some of the same reasons---so-called "exaggerated patriotism" or for believing in American exceptionalism.
Is he somehow trying to link Trump to Hitler and those who voted for President Trump to the misled, uninformed masses of Germany?
David Frum, a former writer for President George W. Bush, wrote a stinging article for the far Left "Atlantic" about how such a thing as Trump being elected could ever happen in America.
His article, published on July 3 and titled, "The Souring of American Exceptionalism," says "Trump arose because of the disregard of the American political and economic elite."
Frum asks, "Why was the United States vulnerable to such a person when other democracies have done so much better?"
The article echo's Cardinal Tobin's sentiments.
A put down on the common man---and his vote.
Simplicity is often clarity.
Todd Starnes with Fox News published the following:
The Real Reason America is Exceptional
As the first rays of morning light wash over the eastern seaboard -- a flag is unfurled with broad stripes and bright stars.
A soldier stands guard over sleeping heroes - known only to their Maker.
A resting place for the Common Man.
A farmer in the heartland gathers his crop as golden wheat shimmers in the breeze. A rancher gallops along the Texas Hill Country -- herding his cattle to the stockyards. A river boat captain pilots his boat down the muddy waters of the Mississippi.
A job for the Common Man
In a Tennessee church house a candle flickers -- a preacher prays on bended knee -- asking God to bless our land -- to shed his grace on thee.
A prayer for the Common Man.
When the floodwaters rise and the storm clouds billow -- we stand ready to help -- feeding the hungry -- mending the wounded -- rebuilding homes and lives.
Goodwill for the Common Man.
And in some distant land a soldier stands guard defending our nation -- tending Lady Liberty's flame. They are young men and young women from our big cities and small towns -- willing to sacrifice their lives so that we can be free.
A protector for the Common Man.
We are the sons and daughters of the Common Man.
We are noble people forged by freedom’s fire.
We are an uncommon nation established by common men.
We are proud Americans and this is our fanfare
Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Prayerful. Be Bold.