Today on Kresta in the Afternoon - February 20, 2012

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Feb. 20

4:00 – Fighting the HHS Mandate and the Primaries Come to MI
As the Michigan primary comes quickly, many are saying that this may be a decisive stand for both Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney. Deal Hudson and Matt Smith of Catholic Advocate analyze the state of the race and also discuss the impact of the HHS Mandate.

4:20 – Stealing Lincoln's Body
On this President’s Day, we look at a story about President Lincoln that many do not know. On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of Chicago attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of Abraham Lincoln and hold it for ransom. The custodian of the tomb was so shaken by the incident that he willingly dedicated the rest of his life to protecting the president's corpse. Thomas J. Craughwell returns to this bizarre, and largely forgotten, event with the first book to place the grave robbery in historical context.

5:00 – Vatican Consistory: 22 New Cardinals
After elevating 22 new members to the College of Cardinals, Pope Benedict XVI told the new cardinals that to be a leader in the Church means to “preside in love.” The Holy Father conferred red hats on the 22 new cardinals at a consistory on Saturday, February 18. On Sunday the new cardinals joined him to concelebrate Mass, and on Monday he held private audiences with them and their families. Joan Lewis has attended the ceremonies and reports from Rome.

5:20 - Indivisible: Restoring Faith, Family, and Freedom Before It's Too Late
Many books have been written on conservative politics. Many more have been written calling Christians to holiness and spiritual revival. Few, however, have managed to combine a clear explanation of the conservative political perspective with its corresponding personal and spiritual virtue. Jay Richards tackles tough, controversial political issues facing conservative Christians today, including abortion, stem cell research, education, economics, health care, the environment, judicial activism, marriage, and others. Written to appeal to a broad spectrum of believers, he not only argues political questions from a Scriptural standpoint, it also provides simple arguments that Christians can use to support their beliefs in public settings.