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1. Dean to Pat Robertson's show: Democrats oppose gay marriage
Howard Dean clumsily attempted to woo religious conservatives during his 2004 presidential campaign, then vowed to reach evangelical voters when he became chairman of the Democratic Party. Now he's going so far as to appear on Pat Robertson's 700 Club television program to assure viewers that Democrats "have an enormous amount in common with the Christian community, and particularly with the evangelical Christian community."

"One of the biggest things that Democrats worry about is the materialism of our country, what's on television that our kids are seeing, and the lack of spirituality. And that's something we have in common," Dean told the show's David Brody. When asked about his party's positions on abortion and same-sex marriage, his comments put him at odds with some party activists. "Let's discuss abortion first," he said. "I think what we have in common with the evangelical community is that we ought to have a lot fewer abortions than we do. … The difference is that we don't think making criminals out of doctors and women is a good idea."

But it's Dean's comments on same-sex marriage that have him in trouble. "The Democratic Party platform from 2004 says that marriage is between a man and a woman. That's what it says. I think where we may take exception with some religious leaders is that we believe in inclusion, that everybody deserves to live with dignity and respect, and that equal rights under the law are important."

Gay media outlets, such as 365Gay.com and the Washington Blade were quick to point out that the platform doesn't actually say that marriage is between a man and a woman. Instead, it says

We support full inclusion of gay and lesbian families in the life of our nation and seek equal responsibilities, benefits, and protections for these families. In our country, marriage has been defined at the state level for 200 years, and we believe it should continue to be defined there. We repudiate President Bush's divisive effort to politicize the Constitution by pursuing a 'Federal Marriage Amendment.' Our goal is to bring Americans together, not drive them apart.

The news outlets noted that Dean has repeatedly mischaracterized the platform, and that activist groups like the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force have become increasingly frustrated with "Dean's record on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues."

Today, Dean acknowledged that he "misstated the Democratic Party's platform. … The Democratic Party remains committed to equal protection under the law for all Americans. How we achieve that goal continues to be the subject of a contentious debate, but our Party continues to oppose constitutional amendments that seek to short circuit the debate on how to achieve equality for all Americans."

365Gay.com ends its story this way: "Not only has the 'misspeak' forced Dean to acknowledge it has hurt the party with gays, he now has to face conservative Christians who have begun portraying his original remarks to be a callous attempt to get their votes by misleading them."

2. Jury finds priest guilty of 1980 nun murder
The 1980 Holy Saturday murder of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl was particular grisly and full of religious symbolism: She was stabbed 31 times through an altar cloth, with several of the wounds clearly meant to form the sign of the cross. Her dress was pulled up over her chest, and her undergarments pulled to her ankles. Then her killer anointed her forehead with the sign of the cross, using her own blood. Today, a jury found that Gerald Robinson, the priest who presided at her funeral Mass, was the murderer. His lawyers say they'll appeal the verdict. Meanwhile, the Toledo Blade says it's unclear what the Roman Catholic Church will do about his ordination:

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May (Web-only) 2006, Vol. 50