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\f0\fs26 \cf2 (Image source: {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.trbimg.com/img-5037e23c/turbine/la-pn-cardinal-dolan-gop-convention-20120824-001/600"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 LA TIMES}}) \fs24 \uc0\u8232 \u8232
\b\fs26 BY VERONICA POLIVANAYA \b0\fs24 \uc0\u8232 \u8232
\fs26 The GOP is ramping up the fight to win over Catholic voters. The Republican Party
scored Cardinal Timothy Dolan to deliver the closing prayer at next week\'92s Republican
National Convention in Tampa, Florida. Here\'92s CNN\'92S Erin Burnett.
\fs24 \uc0\u8232 \u8232 \b\fs26 ERIN BURNETT: \'93We\'92re talking
about someone who has become a household name in this country\'97Cardinal Timothy Dolan\'97the
Roman Catholic archbishop of New York.\'94 \b0\fs24 \uc0\u8232 \u8232
\fs26 Dolan accepted, saying he would only be giving a prayer, not an endorsement. {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK
"http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/23/news/la-romney-gop-dolan-20120823"}}{\fldrslt \cf3 \ul \ulc3 But as a blogger in the LA
Times points out}}, it\'92s highly unusual for America\'92s highest-profile Catholic
official to fly in and deliver the benediction. \fs24 \uc0\u8232 \u8232
\b\fs26 MICHAEL MCGOUGH: \'93It would have been easy for Dolan to have said no thanks...Convention
protocol calls for the local bishop to deliver such a prayer. That would mean the prayer
would be offered by Bishop Robert N. Lynch of the St. Petersburg diocese. But who\'92s
ever heard of him?\'94 \b0\fs24 \uc0\u8232 \u8232
\fs26 According to CNN, the Republican convention\'92s organizers \'93insisted\'94 on Dolan\'92s
participation. Not so coincidentally, {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://youtube.com/watch?v=SjLyAY17SFw"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 Mitt Romney first announced Dolan\'92s selection on EWTN}}, a conservative
Catholic TV network. \fs24 \uc0\u8232 \u8232
\b\fs26 MITT ROMNEY: \'93Well, first of all, I\'92ll continue to meet with Cardinal Dolan,
who, by the way, is going to offer the benediction on the last evening of the Republican convention
after my accepted speech.\'94 \b0\fs24 \uc0\u8232 \u8232
\fs26 A strong push by the Republicans to woo {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Dolan-Catholics-GOP-election/2012/08/25/id/449772"}}{\fldrslt
\b \cf3 \ul \ulc3 the vote they lost last time around}}
\b . \fs24 \'a0
\b0\fs26 According to the New York Post, Dolan tipped off Democrats a few weeks ago about
his participation in the Republican National Convention. Dolan extended the same offer
to the Democrats, but the president hasn\'92t contacted him since. The Post cited a senior
Obama campaign official, who said a different \'93high-ranking\'94 Catholic would deliver
the benediction. {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.patheos.com/blogs/publiccatholic/2012/08/democrats-to-dolan-no-equal-time-praying-at-our-convention/#comment-2897"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 A writer for Patheos analyzes the statement. }}
\fs24 \ \uc0\u8232
\b\fs26 REBECCA HAMILTON: \'93Cardinal Dolan appears to be bending over backwards to be
even-handed and non-partisan. But the President, or at least his staff, appears to be determined
to make it clear that they are at war with the Church.\'94
\b0\fs24 \uc0\u8232 \u8232 \fs26 Referring to earlier controvery over
the administration's mandate that initially required employers to cover birth control.
In a later compromise though, that became a mandate for insurance companies rather than
employers. {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.ncregister.com/blog/pat-archbold/the-unwelcome-cardinal-dolan"}}{\fldrslt \cf3 \ul \ulc3 A blogger with the National
Catholic Register says}} Obama declined Dolan\'92s offer to play it safe.
\fs24 \uc0\u8232 \u8232 \b\fs26 BLOGGER PAT ARCHBOLD: \'93One could
easily picture Dolan making reference in his benediction to using politics to protect the
most vulnerable among us including the unborn...And if they tried to control Cardinal Dolan\'92s
remarks, that would be the story. They cannot have that be the story.\'94
\b0\fs24 \uc0\u8232 \u8232 \fs26 But how much effect can the Catholics
have on the election? Although the religious group doesn\'92t vote as a bloc, it makes
up nearly a quarter of the electorate. {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/25/us/politics/cardinal-dolans-convention-role-shows-gops-push-for-catholic-vote.html"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 \ul \ulc3 The NY Times quotes the founder of the Public Religion Research Institute}}
in Washington, who says Catholics might be the best bellwether of whether Obama or Romney
will win this November. \fs24 \uc0\u8232 \u8232
\b\fs26 Robert P. Jones: \'93Since 1972, the candidate who has won the Catholic vote has
won the popular vote as well\'85It\'92s the quintessential religious swing group.\'94
\b0\fs24 \uc0\u8232 \u8232 {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://nationaljournal.com/whitehouse/catholic-backlash-against-obama-grows-20120201"}}{\fldrslt
\fs26 \cf3 \ul \ulc3 As the National Journal points out,}}
\fs26 only one candidate has won the presidency despite losing the Catholic vote\'97George
Bush in 2000. According to Pew, Obama won the Catholic vote by 9 percentage points four
years ago. {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.pewforum.org/Politics-and-Elections/Catholics-Share-Bishops-Concerns-about-Religious-Liberty.aspx"}}{\fldrslt \cf3 \ul \ulc3 But according to a July survey
by the Pew Research Center}}, 51 percent of registered Catholic voters support Obama,
while 42 percent support Romney. \fs24 \
\fs26 Transcript by Newsy. \fs24 \
}