‘Casey Democrats’ and the fall election

Today’s Washington Post Sunday opinion section has an interesting look at “Casey Democrats,” often blue-collar, often Catholic, Democrats named for the late Pennsylvania former Gov. Robert P. Casey Sr., who made national headlines when he was denied a speaking role at the 1992 Democratic National Convention because he was pro-life. The article’s author is Mark [...]

A German shepherd for Italy

GENOA, Italy — When Pope Benedict XVI was elected, many Italians figured the German pope might pay less attention to them than his predecessor.
Pope John Paul II, a Pole, made it a point to reach out pastorally to Italians in Rome and beyond, crisscrossing the country on more than 120 visits. But John Paul was [...]