Today on Kresta - November 8, 2010

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Nov. 8

GUEST HOST: PAUL KENGOR

4:00 – Is the Catholic Identity of Orthodox Colleges Under Threat?
In its latest threat to the religious liberty and independence of Catholic colleges and universities, the Obama administration has issued new regulations that open the door to possible state intrusion into curriculum, student policies and hiring decisions. The regulations issued Friday effectively force many states to increase oversight of postsecondary education through state chartering or licensing, which is a necessary condition for colleges to participate in federal student aid programs. Most Catholic colleges accept low-cost federal student loans and grants. “Already the Obama administration has seized direct ownership of student loans, and now a college’s eligibility for student loans is subject to the political whims of its state legislators and regulators. Many states have demonstrated callous disregard for the religious identity of Catholic colleges, from mandating contraceptive coverage in student and employee health plans to requiring employee benefits for same-sex couples,” warned Patrick Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society. He joins us.

4:20 – Keith Olbermann, Political Contributions, and Journalistic Ethics – It May Be More Complicated Than You Think
MSNBC says Keith Olbermann will be back on the air Tuesday, ending his suspension for violating NBC's rules against making political donations after only two shows off the air. The left-leaning cable network's most popular personality acknowledged donating $2,400 apiece to the campaigns of three Democrats. Olbermann's bosses didn't know about them until being informed by a reporter. The incident raised questions about how long-standing rules designed to preserve the appearance of objectivity for news organizations fit at a time that cable news networks, most prominently Fox News Channel and MSNBC, have increased their popularity through prime-time programs that dispense with any notion of impartiality. We talk to Warren Cole Smith, Associate publisher of WORLD Magazine and former professor of journalism and journalistic ethics.

4:40 – Pope Benedict, the bishops, and the “clash of civilizations”
Pope Benedict XVI delivered an important meditation at the beginning of the October Synod of Bishops for the Middle East. The meditation addressed the “false divinities” that govern modern times. Though the Holy Father did not speak explicitly in the meditation about the media-labeled “clash of civilizations” between Islam and the West, a topic central to many of the Synod’s discussions, his remarks apply to that struggle and offer the only real solution to it. The world suffers under two destructive idols, he suggested in the meditation, one from the East that assumes the form of false religion, one from the West that takes the form of no religion. Both idols must fall under the advance of true religion, which alone comes from the Son of God, he said. We talk with George Neumayr, editor of Catholic World Report.

5:00 – The End and the Beginning: Pope John Paul II -- The Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy
“As March gave way to April in the spring of 2005 and the world kept vigil outside the apostolic palace in Rome, the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, then drawing to a poignant end, was already being described as one of the most consequential in two millennia of Christian history.” With these words, world-renowned author and NBC Vatican analyst George Weigel begins his long-awaited sequel to the international bestseller Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II. More than ten years in the making, The End and the Beginning: Pope John Paul II—The Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy tells the dramatic story of the Pope’s battle with communism in light of new and recently disclosed information and brings to a close Weigel’s landmark portrait of a man who not only left an indelible mark on the Catholic Church, but also changed the course of world history. George is here.

5:20 – SBA List: “Votes Have Consequences” Campaign a Success
An historic election day has left us with a most promising pro-life majority in the House of Representatives. The bellwether health care bill separated the sheep from the goats and gave the best legislative indication of real pro-life heroes — and those who gave lip service but betrayed their constituents. They can’t say the Susan B. Anthony List didn’t warn them; votes have consequences. Fifteen out of twenty self-described pro-life Democrats were defeated last Tuesday sending a clear message that Americans don’t want their hard-earned tax dollars funding abortions through surreptitious legislation like Obamacare. Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of the Susan B. Anthony List is here.