Trump/Pence Down Rigged Rabbit Hole Trump’S ‘I’Ll Keep You in Suspense’ Contradicts Pence on Accepting What They Call a ‘Rigged Election’ by BRIAN A
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V22, N10 Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016 Trump/Pence down rigged rabbit hole Trump’s ‘I’ll keep you in suspense’ contradicts Pence on accepting what they call a ‘rigged election’ By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – For more than an hour last night, Donald Trump had his steadi- est, most coherent debate against Hillary Clinton. Then mod- erator Chris Wallace of Fox News twice asked him if he was prepared to accept the verdict of the voters. the nation’s most prestigious institution: Elections and the “I will look at it at the peaceful transfer of power. time,” Trump responded. “It is so It was a direct contradiction just minutes before bad. The media is so bad, the piling on is so bad.” the debate from Gov. Mike Pence, who told NBC News Pressed by Wallace again, Trump said, “I will tell “Well, I think Donald Trump’s gonna be elected president you at the time. I will keep you in suspense.” of the United States and I know he’ll absolutely accept the Thus, Trump did what no other major party presi- outcome of this election.” dential nominee has ever done, set in motion the prospect Continued on page 3 of political chaos and destabilization that could undermine Trump and Catholics By MAUREEN HAYDEN CNHI Statehouse Bureau INDIANAPOLIS – Conservative Catholic radio host Gail Buckley, known as the “Bible Lady” to her national audience, has never really trusted Donald Trump. She “Because the state police had worries that if he is elected his volatile temper and access to the mentioned this in their original nuclear code “could get us all blown up.” report, we just felt like we need- The recently released ed to let the voters know to contents of a 2005 audio tape, capturing him lewdly bragging continue to check their voter of sexually assaulting women, registration information.” horrified her more. It left the reli- ably Republican-voting Buckley in - Sec. of State Connie Lawson what she called a “huge struggle” over how to justify her vote. in HPI Interview, page 5 But as an ardent oppo- Page 2 nent of abortion, she’s resolved now. single soul who’s voting for Trump.” It’s Trump. But the souls seem split. “I could never vote for Hill- Asked by reporters this month ary Clinton or an administration that how he would advise the American promotes abortion,” she said. “I’m faithful on choosing between Clin- concerned about voting for Trump. But ton and Trump, Pope Francis said he there’s just no other choice for me.” would never interfere in an election Catholic voters nationwide campaign. “I’ll just say this,” he said. are facing a similar dilemma. Church “Study the proposals well, pray, and teachings are firm that choose in conscience.” Howey Politics Indiana there is no other issue Most surveys show WWHowey Media, LLC 405 more important than Clinton leading among Massachusetts Ave., Suite respect for human life, Catholic voters, a swing 300 Indianapolis, IN 46204 which church catechism bloc that gave President says begins at concep- Barack Obama just over www.howeypolitics.com tion. 50 percent of its vote over Trump, dam- abortion-opponent Mitt Brian A. Howey, Publisher aged by controversy and Romney in 2012. Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington battling the expanding A Public Religion Jack E. Howey, Editor divisions within his own Research Institute poll party, needs to keep released Oct. 11 shows Mary Lou Howey, Editor Catholic voters like Buck- white evangelical Christians Maureen Hayden, Statehouse ley as he slips further – crucial to Trump – stick- Mark Curry, photography behind his Democratic opponent. ing with the GOP candidate, with 65 The current Real Clear Politics percent in his camp. average of polls puts Clinton ahead But the same poll showed Subscriptions by almost 6 points. No past presiden- Catholics now favor Clinton over HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 tial candidate this far behind in the Trump, 55 percent to 34 percent. HPI Weekly, $350 campaign has managed to make up a He fares worst with Latino Catholics, Ray Volpe, Account Manager deficit that large in the national polls. which experts attribute to Trump’s 317.602.3620 earlier comments accusing Mexico of exporting rapists and drug dealers into email: [email protected] The Catholic vote Catholic voters, who make up the United States. Contact HPI 20 percent of the American electorate, “I’m not sure the Catholic [email protected] are no monolith. vote is so unique from the American Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 Sister Maureen Fiedler, a vote anymore,” said University of Notre Dame political scientist Geof- Washington: 202.256.5822 Catholic nun who hosts public radio’s Interfaith Voices, is a self-described frey Layman. “Catholics have come to Business Office: 317.602.3620 “progressive Catholic,” who has long represent a microcosm of America to worked on issues including social jus- some extent, increasingly racially and © 2016, Howey Politics tice, racism and gender equality. She ethnically diverse.” Indiana. All rights reserved. says the impact of Trump’s stinging Catholic leaders are calling on the faithful still firm, despite the revul- Photocopying, Internet forward- rhetoric on immigrants and Muslims, coupled with attacks on Clinton, wom- sion they may have for Trump. ing, faxing or reproducing in en and political opponents, is toxic. Marjorie Dannenfelser, head any form, whole or part, is a It negates the newly found of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, violation of federal law without commitment of Trump, made after he argues there’s too much at stake permission from the publisher. entered the race, to oppose abortion for Catholics to walk away from the by pledging to put “pro-life” justices Republican nominee. In an interview on the U.S. Supreme Court and to with NPR after the Trump videotape protect the Hyde Amendment, which was released, she cited the appoint- bars certain federal funds from paying ments that will be made by the next for abortion. president to the nation’s highest court: “Catholics, especially the “You look at a Supreme Court that will nuns I know, are royally turned off by last for generations and be changed Trump’s behavior and find it extremely one way or the other,” she said. offensive,” she said. “I don’t know a Page 3 The Trump effect bishops have been more outspoken, urging their flocks to Trump may have done more to drive Catholics toe the line on abortion, elevating it to the most prominent away than Clinton has done to win them over. of the church’s core teachings on life. In February, he picked a fight with Pope Francis Some too have been openly critical of Clinton’s after the Pope criticized Trump’s pledge to build a mas- running mate, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Roman Catholic who sive border wall. Trump blasted the leader of 1.2 billion worked as a missionary in Honduras. He’s personally op- Catholics around the world as “disgraceful” and a “political posed to abortion but maintains it should remain legal. pawn” of Mexico. That’s not enough for some Catholics. The Catholic Massimo Faggioli, a Catholic theologian at Vil- Association, an organization of conservative lay Catholics lanova University, said Clinton-supporting Catholics took opposed to abortion, calls Kaine “completely out of step” comfort in the Pope’s words and in his further calls to with the church. elevate other church teachings – on mercy, the environ- Some church leaders were also infuriated by ment, and the dignity of life, among others – into the revelations in the latest batch of documents published by public discourse of politicians. Wikileaks this week that appear to show two Clinton aides, It makes it easier then, for them to disregard the one of them Catholic, mocking conservative Catholics and push from Catholic bishops to put abortion as the sole evangelicals. qualifying factor in the presidential vote. Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput, in a letter “The bishops, they overestimate the importance of to his diocese members in August called it “blasphemous” what they say,” Faggioli said. “Catholics listen to them, but to assume God backs any political party. it’s no longer a Church where voters think they must vote Yet, in language mirrored by other church leaders, the way bishops tell them to or face going to hell.” he wrote the “right to life undergirds all other rights” and Officially, the Catholic Church doesn’t endorse can’t be set aside in favor of other rights “without prosti- candidates or tell members how to vote. tuting the whole idea of human dignity.” But the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops does For Catholics like Gail Buckley, the radio host, urge church members to follow its 2007 guide, “Forming that means sticking to the decision she’s made to support Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.” The document urges Trump. But it will come with no joy. Catholics to vote, and to do so with an informed con- “I wish I had another choice,” she said. “But I science guided by Scripture and church teachings. don’t. v And as the election draws near, individual Catholic what is going on? So naive!” Rigged election, from page 1 So Pence is transfixed on “national media” bias as The most persistent message from Trump and the source of the rigging, while Trump is suggesting that Pence over the past week is that we are on a precipice of election officials in key states are in the process of pulling a “rigged election.” off the kind of voter fraud that allowed John F. Kennedy The two seemed to contradict each other over the to win Texas and Illinois in 1960 and actually steal an weekend.