Notre Dame Scandal Claims First Victim

It looks as though the controversy over honoring President Obama at Notre Dame has claimed its first victim in the person of Senator Robert Casey Jr., D-PA. The Senator was scheduled to be the commencement speaker at St. Vincent College, a Catholic college in Latrobe, PA. Sen. Casey has since quietly canceled his engagement.

Neither Casey's office, nor the president of the college, H. James Towey, are providing any public reason for the cancellation. The college president is cited "as having “no reason” that Sen. Casey is unable to give the address" and that the "college has “no comment” on the situation". Senator Casey's office did not return calls for comment from Philadelphia based newspaper, The Bulletin.

“Given the strong comments from Bishop Martino and the high profile controversy over Notre Dame’s decision to honor President Obama, it is probably a blessing to St. Vincent College that Sen. Casey is not available to speak,” said Patrick J. Reilly, President of The Cardinal Newman Society."

Casey, Jr. has been under intense scrutiny from Bishop Martino of Scranton, PA who published a letter formally warning Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) that his vote against the reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy (prohibiting use of U.S. aid dollars to fund abortions abroad) and support for "family planning", i.e., artificial contraception, has placed him in danger of "persist[ing] formally in cooperating with evil [abortion]".

Bob Casey's father, former Senator Bob Casey, Sr. (D-PA) was a liberal Democrat on most issues except for abortion which he opposed. As a result of his vocal criticism of his own party on the issue Casey, Sr. was ostracized by his party during the presidential election of Bill Clinton. A few years later, Bob Casey, Sr. fell ill and died. His son, Bob Casey, Jr., later defeated incumbent pro-life Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) to assume his father's seat on a supposedly pro-life platform. To date, Casey, Jr.'s record on abortion has been mixed, prompting some to claim that his pro-life credentials consisted largely of his father's reputation.

This is one of those "open secrets" in the political life of Bob Casey, Jr. He appears to be too afraid of a public blood-letting to show his face at a Catholic college now that the Notre Dame controversy is in full swing. This probably saves the reputation of St. Vincent College as well, not having to undergo censure for the same public mistakes as the Fighting Irish.