Live by Punditry, Die by Punditry

Chris Matthews goes after a bishop who intervenes in politics: what sir, should be the penalty according to you for abortion? If you condemn politicians for making incorrect laws, who laws would you make? How should women who have abortions be penalized? Matthews says bishop Tobin does not answer despite being asked three times, because he know that Americans do not think of abortion as a criminal act and would not take one minute of that girl being in prison.

Bishop Tobin has been in the news over barring Congressman Patrick Kennedy from the rites of communion, over the Kennedy's advocacy of abortion rights. Matthews began his interview with Tobin by quoting JFK. Matthews clearly has a different idea of JFK's views than the Catholic hierarchy today. Some might say Matthews badgered him; well, he was pretty well reasoned, it went for more than nine minutes. Furthermore, the priest apparently is a big political junky: if he should know that he involves himself in politics nowadays, the Hardball treatment awaits him.