Thanks for Admitting It, Dr. Dean

I was flipping channels this afternoon and came across Howard Dean on CSPAN at some Democrat function or other. I haven't been able to find a clip or a transcript of it online, but it was a tape-delay of something from this morning. This is my best recollection of the question and answer, but when or if I find the clip or transcript, I'll put it down verbatim.

Dean was asked about how the Catholic Church had acted during the last election, essentially telling practicing Catholics that it would be a sin to vote for (pro-abortion) Kerry. He was asked what, if anything, could the Democrats do to overcome this opposition.

Dean's response was quite illuminating. First, he said that he thought the Catholic Church was somewhat divided, because he himself had received encouragement and endorsement from a group of nuns. However, he believed that the Democrat Party could reach out to Americans of all faiths, especially Catholics, because (as nearly as I can remember the exact wording):

We have a common social agenda. After all, it is said that a camel can pass through the eye of a needle easier than a rich man can enter the kingdom of Heaven.

Like I've said for a while - Leftism is a religion. Instead of supplication to the authority of the Church, you're supposed to supplicate yourself to the authority of the Party. And from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs. Let no one rise above anyone else. Equality of misery, not opportunity.

There's a campaign slogan for the next go-around.

UPDATE 2/14: Here's the full quote from the Palm Beach Post:

"We have to remind Catholic Americans that the social mission of the Democratic Party is almost exactly the social mission of the Catholic Church," Dean said. "The idea that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to get into the kingdom of heaven is not a plank of the GOP platform. So it seems to me that we have a right to have a claim on Catholic votes based on Catholic teachings."

Essentially what Dean said was "The DNC is just like the Catholic Church (except for that pesky abortion thing) - we believe rich people are sinners."

Or at least rich people who don't belong to our Church.

That would explain their tax policies. And their entitlement policies as well.