Despite the diversity of American Christian churches, Fox "News" seems to ignore all but the Catholic Church which represents a quarter of all Christian groups. But wouldn't ya think that at Christmas, Fox would make an attempt at bringing in the sheaves of other churches. Now I don't mean anything like those gay, women clergy loving librul Protestant churches - but how bout some down home, bible thumping evangelicals or Southern Baptists whose views are constantly channeled by Fox and who, most likely, make up a good chunk of the Fox audience. Naw, not at Fox where the Catholic Church is the one, "true," God connection. NY Catholic's archbishop already provided a Christmas message on Fox & Friends. Yesterday, their supply side Jesus man, Fr. Jonathan Morris, made three appearances on Fox. And to put the icing on the cake or the cross at the top of the Fox steeple, official Fox "news" person, Chris Wallace, interviewed WashingtonDC's Cardinal Wuerl who provided more Catholic perspective and told us that Newt Gingrich is forgiven his past trespasses. Interesting...

Wuerl spoke briefly about how the US is "blest" but that material good are "not at the heart of life." No mention was made of those who don't have the material goods; but this is Fox "News" so who cares about income inequality, unemployment, and all those things that Herman Cain said are "your own damned fault."  After Wuerl talked about the church's "new evangelization" project which, he claimed, is bringing young adults into the fold, he attested to the Pope's vigor. So far, not much but at 4 minutes in, Wallace got into politics and that's where it got interesting.

 Wallace asked Wuerl about Rick Perry's claim that President Obama is waging a war on religion vis-a-vis his administration's refusal to renew a federal grant given to the USCCB to help victims of sex trafficking because of the bishop's refusal to provide contraceptive and abortion assistance to those victims. Wuerl then articulated the same talking points that Fox's Catholic Maltese knight, Peter Johnson Jr. did when he defended the bishop's position on employer contraception coverage mandates which the bishops oppose with regard to Catholic schools and hospitals. Wuerl emphasized the requisite freedom of religion canard and how "nobody should be penalized because of their faith position." Unfortunately, Wallace didn't ask why non-Catholic women should be penalized because they work for a Catholic institution!

 Wuerl, who baptized Newt Gingrich into the Catholic Church said that there should be no religious litmus test for candidates but that voters should ask if the candidates share their values which is code talk, from the very careful Cardinal, for how Catholics shouldn't vote for Obama because he's not pro-life. When asked by Wallace about judging candidates past behavior, Wuerl talked about how his church is a forgiving church. He closed with his official Christmas message about "peace, love, and joy" which is what Fox News is all about, right? Wallace effused about what a joy it was to speak with the Cardinal and wished him a Merry Christmas.

Fox "News" knows that it has the fundie votes in the GOP bag. Is all this Catholic kow-towing an effort to include Catholic votes in Santa's big Fox sack?

http://video.foxnews.com/v/1346725571001/