Michael Sean Winters

Michael Sean Winters is the author of Left At the Altar: How Democrats Lost The Catholics And How Catholics Can Save The Democrats (Basic Books, 2008). His biography of the Rev. Jerry Falwell, God's Right Hand: How Jerry Falwell Made God a Republican and Baptized the American Right was published by Harper One in January 2012 to critical acclaim. 

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U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., center, arrives with fellow Republican senators prior to the Senate receiving the House impeachment managers Jan. 16, and the procedural start of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump at the U.

Down-ballot races are just as important for common good as presidential race

Distinctly Catholic: The common good, which the pope reminds us is the moral objective of political life, requires more than just a new president. Let's consider some non-presidential contests.

A road in Lehman Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania (Wikimedia Commons/Jakec)

Links for 10/13/20

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Cementing a Supreme Court pro-business majority; the stakes of state legislatures; Trump's COVID-19 treatment; an eye on the church's far-right bleachers.

Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, meets with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, on Capitol Hill in Washington Sept. 29. (CNS/Susan Walsh, Pool via Reuters)

Barrett's theology may be out of bounds, but not her judicial philosophy

Distinctly Catholic: The Supreme Court nominee will try to convince us that she is open-minded, when the only reason her supporters are so excited is that they know her mind is made up and it is reliably conservative.

Links for 10/9/20

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Lincoln Project's musical take; Catholic social doctrine is what the country needs; 30 years of religious liberty claims; reclaiming populism.

Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence face off at the Oct. 7 vice presidential debate. (NCR screenshot)

Pence played to GOP base; Harris went for the center in VP debate

Distinctly Catholic: Wednesday night's vice presidential debate between Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence won't change much about the 2020 race.

President Donald Trump poses atop the Truman Balcony of the White House in Washington Oct. 5. (CNS/Reuters/Erin Scott)

Pro-life? Why the Trump campaign is collapsing

Distinctly Catholic: As I have been arguing, the only lies the president tells that really matter are the lies that affect people's lives. Now, we need to amend that to include lies that affect people's deaths.

Following President Donald Trump's announcement he tested positive for the coronavirus disease, workers in Sanford, Florida, pull down signage at Orlando Sanford International Airport where the president was to have a rally Oct. 2. (CNS/Reuters/Phelan Ebe

Links for 10/6/20

Political news and commentary roundup: Judge Amy Coney Barrett; Trump's last rally before coronavirus diagnosis; Secret Service agents at unnecessary risk; the Catholic right; "Teflon" Tucker Carlson;  Latinos of Amish country; correction to Reuters on "Fratelli Tutti."

Pope Francis waves from his car after celebrating Mass and signing his new encyclical, "Fratelli Tutti, on Fraternity and Social Friendship" at the Basilica of St. Francis Oct. 3 in Assisi, Italy. (CNS/Paul Haring)

'Fratelli Tutti' challenges our country and our church

Distinctly Catholic: The moral and anthropological lessons the Holy Father draws in this reflection could scarcely be more relevant to the unique circumstances of the Catholic Church in the United States.

Supporters of President Donald Trump hold signs and wear face masks during a campaign rally at Duluth International Airport in Duluth, Minnesota, Sept. 30. (CNS/Reuters/Leah Millis)

It's time to bury the idea that demography is destiny, once and for all

Distinctly Catholic: If one of the only things Democrats have to say to white working-class voters is that they suffer from white privilege, no one should be surprised if Pennsylvania and Wisconsin stay in the red column this year.

Links for 10/1/20

A round-up of political news and commentary: The best post-debate commentary? Americans wrote the book on confronting a pandemic, and then ignored it; Analyzing Coney Barrett's record

President Donald Trump, former Vice President Joe Biden and moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News are depicted during the Sept. 29 presidential debate. (NCR screenshot/C-SPAN)

Biden breaks through in 'mud wrestling' debate with Trump

Distinctly Catholic: Debate No. 1 goes to former Vice President Joe Biden, as even moderator Chris Wallace was exasperated by President Donald Trump's constant interruptions.

Federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett of the 7th Circuit speaks after being introduced by President Donald Trump at the White House Sept. 26 as the nominee to fill the U.S. Supreme Court seat left vacant by the Sept. 18 death of Associate Justice Ruth Bader Gin

Links for 9/29/20

A round-up of political news and commentary (and sometimes music): All about Judge Amy Coney Barrett; what the Democrats should not do; two bishops join up to write about systemic racism; Mayflower II; feast of the archangels

President Donald Trump arrives at the White House Rose Garden with federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett Sept. 26 to nominate her to fill the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy. (CNS/Reuters/Carlos Barria)

Don't you wish Trump had picked a Methodist for the Supreme Court?

Distinctly Catholic: Amy Coney Barrett is a kind of cafeteria Catholic that continues to damage the U.S. church, content to let it become an upper-middle-class club for people with conservative sexual ethics.

Participants recite the Lord's Prayer during Mass at the Labor Day Encuentro gathering at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, New York, Sept. 3, 2018. (CNS/Long Island Catholic/Gregory A. Shemitz)

Why aren't pollsters asking how religion affects Latinos' voting?

Distinctly Catholic: Analyses of U.S. "Latino electorates" take into consideration varied nations of origin, the age of voters, issues of concern beyond immigration and race — but religious identification gets ignored.

Links for 9/24/20

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: KGB-quality disinformation; National Catholic Register buries the lede; culture warrior Cordileone; pitfalls of "naked ballots"; GOP somersaults.

The American flag flies at half staff outside of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington Sept. 18 following the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. (CNS/Reuters/Al Drago)

How will Ginsburg's death affect the election?

Distinctly Catholic: The short answer is that the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg helps President Donald Trump in the election. But it is not clear if that help will be significant or not.

Links for 9/22/20

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Webinar today on Republican efforts to motivate Catholics; Biden is underperforming Clinton among Latino voters; Democrats for Life and common sense.

Drone footage shows the plaza of San Francisco's Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption with five Masses being celebrated simultaneously Aug. 15. (CNS/Archdiocese of San Francisco/Dennis Callahan)

What does it say about Catholics that Trump thinks they're key to winning?

Distinctly Catholic: Why is it that poll after poll demonstrates that Catholics and other Christians who attend church more frequently are more likely to be conservative and Republican?

President Donald Trump is seen at a campaign rally in Reno, Nevada, Sept. 12. (CNS/Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)

Trump thinks his road to victory passes through the Catholic Church

Distinctly Catholic: CatholicVote.org is willing to spend $9.7 million to test the proposition that Catholic voters are Trump's best chance at a second term. But the president may be in for a surprise.

Links for 9/17/20

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Chastising news coverage of President Trump; Barr and Trump — who is using who?; Complaint alleges high amount of detainee hysterectomies.

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