Ambassador Douglas Kmiec—the Catholic law professor who parlayed his campaign book in support of Obama into an ambassadorship to Malta—has signed a statement of “Christian Leaders” in support of the abortion provisions in the Senate’s health-care bill.
Of this, Ed Whelan writes, “One very experienced former U.S. ambassador tells me that he ‘doesn’t know of any political or career ambassador who has ever signed a statement like Kmiec’s.’”
Even shipping the man off to Malta won’t keep him quiet. And why is it that Kmiec—so widely self-proclaimed as “pro-life”—always somehow has his pro-life declarations break in the opposite direction of the majority of other pro-lifers? It’s like the old line about French waiters: Sure, they make a lot of errors in the arithmetic of the bills they put on the table, but the errors always run in their favor.
December 23rd, 2009 | 12:37 pm
[...] Joseph Bottum (First Things): Undiplomatic Kmiec [...]
December 23rd, 2009 | 2:24 pm
We might now be better off referring to Ambassador Kmiec as a lapsed or apostate Catholic…now closer to fellow apostate Donna Quinn, OP than to Benedict XVI. It’s always kinder in the long run to tell the truth.
December 23rd, 2009 | 4:06 pm
John, I’ll be with you when the Bishop of Malta is. Until then, it’s too easy for us to be depicted as sourpussed sectarians.
December 23rd, 2009 | 5:59 pm
We might now be better off referring to Ambassador Kmiec as a lapsed or apostate Catholic…now closer to fellow apostate Donna Quinn, OP than to Benedict XVI. It’s always kinder in the long run to tell the truth.
I think a better comparison would be Judas Iscariot. Or perhaps not, because Judas at least had the humanity to regret his actions in short order.
Let me put it briefly and bluntly: The Senate abortion provisions are going to make abortions easier and more convenient to get, and will increase the number of babies aborted. Kmiec isn’t stupid. He knows the legislation will get more babies aborted. He doesn’t care. He has forfeited his soul for 30 silver coins. I don’t need the Bishop of Malta to tell me what’s right in front of my eyes.
December 23rd, 2009 | 9:35 pm
Kmeic isn’t stupid. He’s corrupt to the core. And he took great pleasure in all of the hoopla surrounding him and his support of Obama during the election cycle. May Malta be his Elba.
It couldn’t happen to a smaller man.
December 26th, 2009 | 3:03 pm
Malta. Some reward! For abandoning one’s principles and putting oneself, at least de facto, out of the religious community of which he claims to be a part.
December 26th, 2009 | 11:02 pm
It reminds me of when Sir Thomas Moore in the movie said “Oh, Richard….It does not profit a man to gain the whole world in exchange for his soul….but for Wales?
Links
Blogs
Find Us
Contact