Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 11/12/09
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Tonight new details on the suspected Fort Hood gunman. New suggestions his problems were overlooked and he was promoted due to political correctness. We're keeping them honest. Plus, new data on the number of swine flu deaths. Plus, Anderson and Erica chat with Oscar the Grouch.
Want to know what else we're covering? Read EVENING BUZZ
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I cannot believe that this man is comparing David Letterman with a priest ! He seems not to understand that the relationship between a cleric/parishioner is a fiduciary one and he calls himself the president of the Catholic league. This story is sickening and a sad one for the catholic community as a whole. The hypocrisy of the catholic church just leaves me speechless.
Palin is one of the few people, that I might consider trading places with. She lives her life with adventure, daring, and is a guileless reformer.
Oh Balloon Boy's family!
Anderson, what is that song of his?
Puhleeeese......Sarah Palin is all about the drama!
Oh my poor Levi!
Good for Nathan speaking out. I do hope he lets go of the pain now. His father isn't worth it!
I have no idea Sarah Palin was interviewing with Oprah last night, No comment.
Anderson with Oscar.....I'm looking forward to this.
In NY child support is 17% of the parent's income. I suspect that $11,000 /year is way more than that. Priests don't get paid much.
@ Erica,
If I had lived in a garbage can for 40yrs, well....
I'm sure he's a nice as can be! 😛
As a practical matter, celibacy doesn't make sense (preventing someone from loving someone else).
I think that sex scandals are becoming so common they are about to loose their scandalousness. It's sad.
Lets get it straight, the priest should have been dismissed, but this was a consensual relationship, and despite what the lady says, there was no victim here,,,the Church paid as reported an avg of 11k per year, I was ordered to pay only 400 per month, which is less than half of that, so the church fulfilled it's obligation. As someone who is battling cancer myself, I can relate with the terrible situation, but the lady has no one but herself to blame, once again we are looking for a scapegoat when personal responsiblity is what is lacking.
Anderson & Erica interview Oscar the Grouch? Ahhhhh, I'm going back to my childhood again......:)
Priest should allow to marry then we want have those problems
Hey Anderson, you should did into the fact that the wife of this mother has also been married three times since she had the son. I smell a slight gold-digger. 🙂
@ Jo Ann,
Their record is all TOO long, and plays a really BAD song!
Shameful 🙁
That was an excellent report by Gary! He is, and has always been my favorite journalist on CNN!!
A great night of discussion on some very tough topics.
We'll lighten things up a bit with Oscar just ahead... spoiler alert:
he was pretty nice, as grouches go 🙂
Priests are given unusual access to personal and intimate relationships with people as counselors confidants- and making those relationships sexual is a violation of that ethical trust.
Unbelievable.
No one is to blame for the "sordid affair";
Anderson is right, the point is that the priest should have taken care of his son.
@ Anderson
Excellent topic and great discussion. It's a pity that it's over!
@ Gergen: Health insurance policies have riders for maternity. Maybe some women just don't want to pay for these extra riders when they are beyond childbearing years. Just a thought.
Hello David Gergen,
I think people have rights to abortion, but I opposed abortion when teenagers had babies and not know how to care babies, too hard for teenagers, How about teenagers have no healthcare or insurance. Also I agree with your comment, I feel that teenagers or older moms will like rights abortion as health care as well.
Hi everyone.
William Donohue makes me so angry. Blame somebody else. The Catholic Church should have put the priest out of the church.
Churches have gone too far, they need to pay taxes.
The Psalmist says to be still and know that God is God. I hope Nathan can hear God in this.... How sad!
There is free will ... if a priest wants to relate to a woman, he should leave the Church. Make the choice of priestly life and the live in family. The rules are to be followed!
Cover-up an error is the worst that could have happened! Very sad!
@David Gergen, Abortion is Legal in this country. Therefore, Why should it be a "denied" procedure that affects women only?(i'm not partiicularly fond of penile implants, but i don't expect them to be denied procedure).
I could see Ins. Co.s charging quite a bit for a "rider" on their policy.
@Isabel, yes the feelings must be very intense for those professions, overwhelming and deeply felt. You are right there should be care and attention.
I agree the Church made a bad decision. I don't understand the agreement, but I think Pat should've taken Father Henry to court for child support.
No this isn't that strange a case, is it? Seems like there are many priests who violate their celibacy vows who leave or have to leave the priesthood. Maybe he wanted to continue to be priest, but he had to continue being a supportive father. At least there was some financial support. But the agreement was a problem. Should've been dealt with in open court.
While there are school teachers who are guilty of conduct similar to that of the priest, I have never heard of a school district paying off the families of the children these teachers have abused. You can't say the same for the church...
That is right Anderson, the Catholic church does have a record of hiding these adulterer and pedophile priests by moving them around from parish to parish!
I think Mr. Donahoe's position is that many organizations are conflicted about how to handle internal sexual scandals. Why wouldn't Pat have utilized the Shriner's hospitals that is completely FREE to the families?
There is a victim here, the child! Also this woman was suffering mental problems and it is a sacred trust that the priest violated. Church officials should have kicked this man out , period. Do not compare David Letterman to this priest. This man defended the church on this is sickening especially .
@ David Gergen,
Glad to see you on the Blog tonight with us! 🙂
How can anyone compare the Catholic Church and a Priest to CBS and David Letterman and be serious about it?
@Henya, It's ironic that men (who head religious organizations and dominate our legislatures) are the ones making decisions about a woman's issue, don't you think?
How can Mr. Donohue ignore the clear power imbalance?
I can't believe he is even trying to make the case that the Catholic Church is a victim. please
Being the last couple that Father Henry was able to marry before he was suspended, I would just like to say that he is a great man and also my wife and myself are proud to say that he married us.
What is Barbara talking about?
She should have known better!!!
Here yet AGAIN, another person making excuses for someone else's bad behavior!
Thanks for the thoughtful responses on abortion coverage and health care tonight. Wish all conversations on tv about this issue were as good.
Priests do have a higher level of ethical responsibility.
Nathan is lucky compared to so many children I know whose fathers have abandon them entirely. $11,000/yr. sound reasonable and comparable to what friends of mine are getting.
That's so silly thought priest had big secret never tell anyone about son. Not right!
I think Nathan is really hurting emotionally. I guess this story is a good example of how followers can't rely on their religion to be respectful, ethical and, at bare minimum, do what's right.
@Denise i agree with you .They should excumincate the priest as well as congressman who vote pro-choice .
Wow, this is a new one for me. A deadbeat father that's a father. I feel sorry for the son. The mother and father are not innocent.
@David Gergen,
Is this re. all Abortions? ..even if a women becomes pregnant due to rape, incest, etc?
If so, I think that there may be women taking drastic actions to terminate the pregnancy....even committing suicide.
Abortion should not be a form of birth control, however, I don't believe that most women feel that it is.
Gary Tuchman:
Thank you for exposing the hypocrisy in this story. Your report was quite revealing.
How could the priest stay in the church And continue his affair?Why was he not expelled from the church?
Once again the Catholic church demonstrates a complete lack of moral/ethical understanding and behavior in this case. How does this church expect people to respect its doctrine and want to stay or join?
And then Two affairs...
My thoughts & prayers are for the young man & his mother.
Did this woman ever think to get a job and support herself?