BishopAccountability.org
	'Pimp' Retraction Not Good Enough Foster's Daily Democrat April 5, 2011 http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110405/GJOPINION_01/704059950 There is strong sentiment within the Catholic community that Bishop John McCormack was intimately involved in protecting pedophile priests while he was working for Cardinal Bernard Law in Boston. Concern over that issue continues to rankle Catholics, particularly as related to his appointment as bishop for the Diocese of Manchester. However, that in no way justifies House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt calling Bishop McCormack "a pedophile pimp." Republican Bettencourt offered the comment after the bishop decried social service cuts included in the budget adopted by the New Hampshire House on Thursday. Since then the condemnations of Bettencourt have amounted to their own tsunami, and rightfully so. Among those reacting to Bettencourt was Gov. John Lynch who called on the GOP majority leader for a retraction — something Bettencourt had refused to do until Monday when he told reporters he would apologize once he had a chance to meet with the bishop. "These comments have no place in the public discourse, and the people of New Hampshire have a right to expect a higher level of civility and judgment from their elected officials," Lynch said Saturday. "I would urge the majority leader to retract his comments." In the eyes of Foster's Daily Democrat, the governor was being kind. Given his initial refusal to retract his comments — and now only appears to be willing to apologize under public pressure — Bettencourt should step down from representing his party as majority leader. Foster's also supports a call made Monday by Catholic League President Bill Donohue that Bettencourt be censured by the Legislature. "This kind of incivility has no legitimate role to play in public life. It is not just Catholics who feel bruised, it's Americans of every faith and political persuasion. Moreover, the insult extends way beyond the borders of New Hampshire," wrote Donohue, who heads what is billed at the nation's largest Catholic civil rights organization. There is a fine but distinct line to be walked when the interests of politics and religion collide. Bishop McCormack was well within his rights to call on the Legislature to assist those Granite Staters in need by not cutting social service funding. For his part Bettencourt was on firm ground challenging the bishop for perhaps mixing church and state. But there was no need and no place for the pedophile comment. Beyond Bettencourt's invective, Foster's is disturbed at House Speaker William O'Brien, who all but defended the House majority leader. O'Brien told the Union Leader newspaper he shares Bettencourt's feelings, but would have phrased them more gracefully. O'Brien is flat out wrong. The state budget is no place to reignite a debate over pedophile priests. Some may excuse O'Brien and Bettencourt because — by traditional political standards — they are newbies to legislative leadership position. They have not notched their decade or two or three of service before rising to their positions of power and influence. Foster's refuses to step into that sympathy trap. This newspaper, its readers and many others have repeatedly criticized the GOP leadership for concentrating on social issues instead of spending all their time on jobs and the economy. This cacophony of criticism has been deafening. Unfortunately, the House leadership has been wearing earplugs. If there was an elder statesman of the Republican Party still involved, such as former state Chairman John Sununu, Foster's would suggest a trip to the political woodshed. After which O'Brien should sincerely announce that he now gets it and that Bettencourt has been sent back to the rank and file of the Republican majority in the House. At this point, it will take no less to begin restoring the GOP's seriously damaged credibility among voters.
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