Fox's Heather Nauert was once told, by the late Fox host Tony Snow, that "God made you beautiful" so it was up to her to "make yourself smart." She took his advice and got herself a graduate degree in journalism from Columbia University and now she's part of Roger Ailes stable of blonde, conservative, devout Catholic hosts. Fresh from her Roman holiday, during which she witnessed Cardinal Dolan's red hatting, she was on last week's Fox & Friends where she spread the anti-HHS birth control gospel of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops of which Dolan is the head. It isn't surprising given that Fox & Friends seems to be Dolan's personal vehicle, via NY Catholic Archdiocese employee, Knight of Malta, and Fox host, Peter Johnson Jr., for disseminating the meme that the HHS mandate is all about "religious freedom." Also not surprising is that their coverage omits any counterpoint which might include mention that the head of the Catholic Hospital Association, a nun, approves of the Obama policy and that a number of Catholic universities now cover birth control in their health policies. Last week, Nauert covered all the requisite talking points which were validated by Gretchen Carlson - blonde, GOP agitprop stereo at its finest!
Catholic Eric Bolling, who is so devout that he does a full day fast on Tuesdays and lights candles at St. Patrick's Cathedral, every day, for his fellow members of "The Five," reported that the bishops hope to reengage the White House over "the controversial" birth control mandate. Nauert reported that the bishops were going to Washington to discuss how to deal with the White House in regard to the mandate. She added that the bishops are saying "heck no" to the "compromise" offered by the White House because those institutions that self-insure will still be forced to pay for birth control. She noted that the administration and the bishops can't come to an agreement. She mentioned that the bishops could file a law suit. (She didn't mention that California Catholic Charities lost a similar lawsuit.)
After saying that "a lot of people are wondering what Congress is going to do," she cited how, after the Blunt Amendment, Congress "doesn't have the appetitive for bringing this up again." (She didn't mention that the bishops supported the amendment which would have allowed ALL employers to deny birth control coverage on religious grounds.) She claimed that the bishops are "doing a pretty good job talking about it" as it's "consistently being talked about in Masses." She made the propaganda point that "this isn't just a Catholic issue" as there are evangelicals saying "that this is a religious liberty" issue, yadda yadda. (She didn't mention that the Clergy Coalition for Choice supports the mandate, as do mainstream Protestants and Jews. She didn't mention that the head of the Catholic Hospitals Association, a nun, also approves).
As if on cue, secondary blonde and good Christian Gretchen Carlson, validated the agitprop with "That's exactly what it is, it is a religious freedom issue." She added that some argue that "Obama won the argument because he turned it into a women's issue." (Birth control access isn't a women's issue? Who knew!) Nauert said "a lot of people say it's their personal liberty issue" and "the administration shouldn't tell churches how they should handle it." (Actually, "churches" are exempt). Nauert did admit that some Catholic employers agree with this. (And they're going straight to hell!) She asserted that the Obama administration hasn't tried to accommodate Catholics. She repeated "truthfully they haven't." She said that the Catholics don't believe in "covering these things." (She didn't say that some, like DePaul, already do!)
Not only do the bishops have a pretty handmaiden to carry their message - but a smart one, too! Hopefully, she'll get a super plenary indulgence for her efforts on their behalf.
