CATHOLIC VOTERS Analysis and views

Quotes from voters, strategists, analysts on the Catholic vote:
"You've got a number who are really pro-life and conservative and a number who think that's their business, not the church's. For those people, jobs, education and national security are the issues that will swing their votes." - Charles Franklin, political science professor at the University of Wisconsin.
"It's not that he's Catholic, it's that he's a Democrat and not Bush." -- Kerry supporter Robert Feldkircher of Parma, Ohio.
"I think it would be helpful for most voters to know he's Catholic, simply because voters find it reassuring that a candidate for president is a person of faith, regardless of their particular faith or denomination." -- Tom Kiley, a pollster for Kerry's campaign.
"It's a matter of talking about the issues that matter to all Americans -- being able to provide a better education, being able to improve access to health care, giving families more freedom to choose how they spend and pay for education and taking care of their family needs." -- Jafar Karim, director of coalitions for the Bush campaign.
"He's a regular churchgoer and his daily activities are being closely watched at this point in the campaign. That will get noticed." -- Mark Mellman, pollster for Kerry, suggesting that voters will probably see the candidate going to church before Election Day.
"They've been trying to peel Catholics from Democrats with the conservative values argument, but it hasn't worked." -- Michigan pollster Ed Sarpolus, on the state GOP's effort to woo Catholics.
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