U.S.C.C.B.'s New Spokesperson, a Thankless Task?

Kevin ClarkeApril 30, 2013

I am going to have to nominate Kim Daniels for 2013 “thankless task” award finalist. As the new spokesperson for, not the U.S. bishops’ conference, nor for Cardinal Timothy Dolan in his capacity as archbishop of New York, but for the office of the president of the U.S.C.C.B., i.e., until this coming November, Dolan, and then presumably whoever follows him. Her appointment was sure to draw scrutiny. Daniels has formerly served as the political advisor to then-Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin and for nine years worked as a contract employee at the Thomas More Center, a group recently accused of anti Islamic sentiment. The group had even garnered a rebuke from the Beckett Fund.

David Gibson at Religion News Service and Grant Gallicho at dotCommonweal tag team on Daniel’s past.

Kevin Clarke

@ClarkeAtAmerica clarke@americamedia.org

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DAVID GIBSON

11 years 7 months ago

Thanks for the shout-out, Kevin, but a small correction: we are "Religion News Service." Whether we are "religious" is a matter of much debate no doubt.

Tim Reidy

11 years 7 months ago

Fixed.

ed gleason

11 years 7 months ago

Bobby Kennedy worked for Joe McCarthy and lived it down. Good luck with Daniels shaking away from Palin. Resume is a resume. .

Vince Killoran

11 years 7 months ago

She is identified on CatholicCulture.org as "a prominent conservative Catholic activist." Bobby K. was just trying to get his foot in the door (with his old man's help of course). The USCCB should have picked Stephen Colbert instead.

Joshua DeCuir

11 years 7 months ago

It saddens me to see Catholics - left and right - increasingly mirroring the worst aspects of so much of our "gotcha" political environment.

Vince Killoran

11 years 7 months ago

I just don't understand why the USCCB would hire her for this job. She's a political operative. That's how the conservative Catholic media understands her as well. You have to conclude that the choice was political.

Joshua DeCuir

11 years 7 months ago

"You have to conclude that the choice was political." As is the opposition to her it seems to me.

Vince Killoran

11 years 7 months ago

Why is it "political" to point out that an appointment of a conservative political adviser/activist to a spokesman position is political? What would you write if someone served as a political adviser to VP Joe Biden and then was employed by, say, Call to Action, and then was appointed by the USCCB?

Joshua DeCuir

11 years 6 months ago

"What would you write if someone served as a political adviser to VP Joe Biden and then was employed by, say, Call to Action, and then was appointed by the USCCB?" That they're probably very good at their job. I have a close friend who worked in Democratic politicians in various capacities, and is now a lobbyist for our Bishop's conference. I have no doubt that he is probably a Democrat, and that I probably disagree with him on more than a few issues. But there is no question that he is very good at what he does and ought to be doing it. Working for people I politically disagree with seems an awfully thin ground on which to object to them getting a job. Moreover, lawyers get paid to take positions for their clients that they themselves may not agree with. But the real question is what YOU would say about it.

Vince Killoran

11 years 6 months ago

Who is this USCCB lobbyist who worked in various Democratic Party positions? I noticed a news item from 2011 that the USCCB's lobbying expenses exceeded $26 million. My resolve not to give a cent to various appeals from my local bishop or any bishops' group is firm. As for your "the real question is what YOU would say about it": I would grouse about it since the USCCB should steer clear of appointing spokespersons who have served in sharply partisan positions. Given how they have hitched their star to the GOP I guess that doesn't seem likely. BTW, I don't know that this person was "very good at her job." I mean, c'mon, an adviser to Sarah Palin during her VP run?!

MICHAEL GRIFFIN

11 years 6 months ago

A political operative for a political operative!

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