Networks Launch Catholic Attack

The Catholicism of Judge John Roberts concerned ABC's Barbara Walters and CNN's Miles O'Brien. On Wednesday's Good Morning America, Walters asked a friend of Roberts whether Roberts being a Roman Catholic "might affect him as a Supreme Court Justice?" Over on CNN's American Morning, O'Brien pointed out that Roberts is "a Roman Catholic who adheres to the tenets of that faith," and so asked former Senator Fred Thompson: "Do you suspect that he will advocate, when the opportunity comes up, reversing some of the key aspects of Roe vs. Wade, which provide abortion rights in this country?"

After asking Fred Thompson about the nominee's views on abortion, O'Brien countered Thompson's assurance Roberts will follow the law: "But we all bring our world view to any decision, and our philosophy-" T

hompson, via satellite from Washington, DC: "No question about it. The question is, can you set those aside and-"

O'Brien, in CNN's street-side Manhattan studio: "Well, it's difficult. But that's difficult, we're all human beings."
Thompson: "Of course it's difficult."
O'Brien: "He's, by all accounts, a Roman Catholic who adheres to the tenets of that faith. Do you suspect that he will advocate, when the opportunity comes up, reversing some of the key aspects of Roe vs. Wade, which provide abortion rights in this country?"
Thompson reminded O'Brien of how we've had counsel for the ACLU get confirmed to Supreme Court based on the assumption they would be objective.

On Wednesday's World News Tonight, ABC's Kate Snow remarked that "it's hard to know where he'll come down on abortion cases as a justice, though he is a practicing Catholic."

From Highlands, North Carolina, Dean Colson, best man at Roberts' wedding, came aboard to discuss his friend. Amongst the questions from substitute co-host Barbara Walters: "John Roberts is a Roman Catholic. How important to him is his religion? Do you think it might affect him as a Supreme Court Justice?" Colson assured Walters that Roberts will have no trouble separating his personal views from what is in law books.