Corrected Nov. 17:
The Catholic bishops’ surprise election yesterday of New York’s Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan as their president is more bad news for Obama in 2012. Dolan is a conservative who [cut: opposes communion for politicians who support abortion rights and] said Notre Dame made a mistake choosing Obama for its graduation speaker. Democrats are already losing Catholics, according to Pew:
Among all Catholic voters, 54% voted for Republican congressional candidates in 2010, up 12 points compared with 2008. Among white Catholics, nearly six-in-ten (59%) voted Republican in 2010, compared with 39% who voted Democratic. By comparison, 52% of white Catholics voted for Republican congressional candidates in 2008, and 49% voted Republican in 2006.
Correction: Dolan has said that while some fellow bishops support such a ban, he does not.