One of the two women who got John Edwards into hot water by making vulgar anti-Christian comments has struck again. Yesterday, Amanda Marcotte reviewed a movie, “Children of Men,” on the blogsite Pandagon.

“The Christian version of the virgin birth is generally interpreted as super-patriarchal,” she said, “where god is viewed as so powerful he can impregnate without befouling himself by touching a woman, and women are nothing but vessels.”

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, commented as follows:

“On February 8, John Edwards addressed the writings of Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan saying ‘that kind of intolerant language will not be permitted from anyone on my campaign, whether it’s intended as satire, humor or anything else.’ [Click here to see what he was referring to.] On February 11, Marcotte struck again.

“Anyone who actually believes that the birth of Jesus by the Virgin Mary is ‘generally interpreted’ as being a sexist exercise obviously lives in an anti-Christian ghetto. The 85 percent of Americans who are Christian do not believe this, and most of the other 15 percent do not either. Only those who think ill of Christianity could write such insulting commentary.

“John Edwards had better fire Marcotte and McEwan immediately. As I said last week on TV, these two foul-mouthed bigots are loose cannons with no particular loyalty to Edwards. I was just proven right.”

In the February 19 edition of Newsweek, it says the following about presidential hopeful John Edwards: “Then, last week, he refused to fire two campaign employees who’d criticized Roman Catholic and religious conservatives on their personal blogs, despite pressure from conservative leaders.”

Replying is Catholic League president Bill Donohue:

“Newsweek’s Jonathan Darman was disingenuous when he said that two employees for Edwards came under fire because they ‘criticized Roman Catholic and religious conservatives on their personal blogs.’ It is not criticism of Catholicism when someone makes a comment about the Virgin Mary being injected with semen by the Lord. Nor is it criticism when religious conservatives are called motherf—ers. It is hate speech. And these are only two of their incredibly vulgar assaults. To read what they actually said, in uncensored form, click here.

“Newsweek reeks of a double standard. In its December 11, 2006 edition, it said that Michael Richards had gotten himself in trouble for his ‘racist rant,’ and in the same article it recalled Mel Gibson’s ‘anti-Semitic remarks.’ On February 5, 2007, it said that Isaiah Washington got himself into hot water for making a ‘homophobic comment.’ In other words, when someone makes a racist, anti-Semitic or anti-gay remark, Newsweek labels it as such. But when obscene comments are made about the Mother of God or religious conservatives, it counts as mere criticism.

“As I said last week, we will use the John Edwards matter as a springboard to a national discussion on the duplicity that colors the entire conversation about bigotry in America. Newsweek has now made its own contribution to this issue.”

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, issued the following statement today about John Edwards’ decision to retain two staff members who have a history of making obscene attacks on Christians:

“Over the next week, we will contact hundreds of organizations throughout the nation informing them of the kind of people that John Edwards is proud to have on his payroll. We will give them the exact comments made by Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan—nothing will be censored. They will read for themselves the most hate-filled, blasphemous and obscene remarks—all of which were brought to the attention of Edwards—that have ever been written by any employee of a presidential candidate. The purpose of this communication is to ignite a national discussion on the incredible double standard that exists regarding bigotry in American life.

“We have a core list of approximately 150 Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu organizations that we have previously allied with on several issues. We are now in the process of expanding this list by adding at least another 600 organizations, many of which are non-sectarian; we feel certain that they will be as outraged as we are about this mind-boggling development. In fact we know so: We have already received support from such groups as The Blue Dog Democrats, Family Research Council, Fidelis, the National Democratic Ethnic Leadership Council, as well as from individuals like Howard Teich, former official with the American Jewish Congress. This is just the beginning.

“We either have one shoe that fits all when it comes to fighting bigotry, or we have a phony, politically correct approach to the subject. That is the ultimate issue, not John Edwards.

“Contacting our allies is only one part of our strategy. As I said yesterday, I have developed a game plan that will keep this issue afloat for the remainder of the year.”

Presidential hopeful John Edwards issued a statement today explaining why he is not firing Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan for making obscene and anti-Catholic remarks.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue responds as follows:

“John Edwards has apparently decided that there is more to be gained by aligning himself with the cultural left than by standing on principle and firing the Catholic bashers on his payroll. Had anyone on his staff used the ‘N-word,’ he or she would have been fired immediately. But his goal is to loot the pockets of the Soros/Hollywood gang, and they—like him—aren’t offended by anti-Catholicism. Indeed, they thrive on it.

“When Mel Gibson got drunk and made anti-Semitic remarks, he paid a price for doing so. When Michael Richards got angry and made racist remarks, he paid a price for doing so. When Isaiah Washington got ticked off and made anti-gay remarks, he paid a price for doing so. But John Edwards thinks the same rules don’t apply to him, which is why he has chosen to embrace foul-mouthed anti-Catholic bigots on his payroll.

“Edwards said today that ‘We’re beginning a great debate about the future of our country, and we can’t let it be hijacked.’ I have news for him—the Catholic League—not Edwards—will decide what the debate will be about, and it won’t be about the nation. It will be about the glaring double standard that colors the entire conversation about bigotry.

“We will launch a nationwide public relations blitz that will be conducted on the pages of the New York Times, as well as in Catholic newspapers and periodicals. It will be on-going, breaking like a wave, starting next week and continuing through 2007. It will be an education campaign, informing the public of what he did today. We will also reach out to our allies in the Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist communities. They worked with us before on many issues, and are sure to do so again. What Edwards did today will not be forgotten.”

On “The View” today, panelist Joy Behar said that people should “follow their heart” in dealing with sexuality. She then offered, “That is why a lot of the priesthood is so screwed up right now.” Rosie O’Donnell followed with “Celibacy is not part of the human condition. It is not normal, right, everyone is a sexual being.”

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented as follows:

“In today’s New York Daily News, there is an article about the sex lives of seven New York-area women. Sarah DiMuro, a 30-year-old blond, must be happy to know that according to the great sage, Rosie O’Donnell, she is an abnormal human being. DiMuro is a virgin.

“Ever since O’Donnell joined ‘The View’ in September, the show has gotten out of control. On four occasions between September and the end of December, she has lashed out at the Catholic Church. Ditto for Joy Behar. Their relentless and profoundly ignorant attacks on the Catholic Church and its teachings would never be tolerated by the show’s co-owner, Barbara Walters, if it were Judaism or Islam that was under attack. But when it comes to Catholicism, she gives these two ‘raised’ Catholics all the time they want to vent their adolescent anger.

“What happened today was a set-up that was cleared by Walters. How do I know? Because the topic of discussion wasn’t gays or the Catholic Church—it was Ted Haggard, the disgraced evangelical leader who claims he is now a heterosexual again. This has nothing to do with Catholicism, but it has everything to do with the anti-Catholic agenda of O’Donnell, Behar and Walters. Walters just sat there today, never once expressing disagreement with anything her panelists had to say about Catholicism.

“Barbara Walters was once known as a pioneer in the broadcasting industry. She is now known as playing house mom to bigots.”

Contact co-producer Bill Geddie at bill.geddie@abc.com

Catholic League president Bill Donohue is demanding that presidential hopeful John Edwards fire two recently hired anti-Catholics who have joined his team: Amanda Marcotte as Blogmaster and Melissa McEwan as the Netroots Coordinator. Here’s why:

“Writing on the Pandagon blogsite, December 26, 2006, Amanda Marcotte wrote that ‘the Catholic church is not about to let something like compassion for girls get in the way of using the state as an instrument to force women to bear more tithing Catholics.’ On October 9, 2006, she said that ‘the Pope’s gotta tell women who give birth to stillborns that their babies are cast into Satan’s maw.’ On the same day she wrote that ‘it’s going to be bad PR for the church, so you can sort of see why the Pope is dragging ass.’ And on June 14, 2006, she offered the following Q&A: ‘What if Mary had taken Plan B after the Lord filled her with his hot, white, sticky Holy Spirit,’ to which she replied, ‘You’d have to justify your misogyny with another ancient mythology.’

“On November 21, 2006, Melissa McEwan said on AlterNet that ‘some of Christianity’s most prominent leaders—including the Pope—regularly speak out against gay tolerance.’ On November 1, 2006, on her blogspot Shakespeare’s Sister, she referred to President Bush’s ‘wingnut Christofascist base’ when lashing out against religious conservatives. On February 21, 2006, she attacked religious conservatives again, this time saying, ‘What don’t you lousy motherf—ers understand about keeping your noses out of our britches, our beds, and our families?’ Currently, the very first entry under ‘Greatest Hits’ on her website [where she brags about being appointed to Edwards’ campaign] is titled, ‘On C—s’. In her article she boasts that she is the ‘Queen C— of F–k Mountain.’

“John Edwards is a decent man who has had his campaign tarnished by two anti-Catholic vulgar trash-talking bigots. He has no choice but to fire them immediately.”

Earlier today we issued a news release regarding two anti-Catholic billboards, sponsored by the Eternal Gospel Church, and displayed by CBS Outdoor, that appear along I-65 in Jeffersonville, Indiana. We asked CBS Outdoor if we could pay for a billboard that read, “CBS Sponsors Anti-Catholicism,” but were denied.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue explains what has happened since:

“Kevin Carnes, general manager of CBS Outdoor, Louisville, called to apologize for what happened and pledged that the billboards will be removed tomorrow. He also said that CBS Outdoor will not post such offensive signs again.

“CBS Outdoor made the right decision today to remove the bigoted statements attacking the pope and the Catholic Church as the Antichrist.”

CBS Outdoor, a division of the CBS Corporation, recently posted anti-Catholic billboards paid for by the Eternal Gospel Church, a breakaway sect of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, along Interstate 65 in Jeffersonville, Indiana; the town is located on the Indiana-Kentucky border across the river from Louisville. Here is what they say:

SATURDAY the TRUE Lord’s Day

Sunday will be enforced as

THE MARK OF THE BEAST!

Anti-Christ Revealed – Free Book 1-866-POPE-MMM

SATURDAY the True Lord’s Day

Changed by Antichrist    Dan. 7:25

Free Book 1-866-POPE-MMM

[Note: MMM is 666 on the telephone, a.k.a “The Mark of the Beast.” Click here for pictures.]

Catholic League president Bill Donohue explained his response today:

“Yesterday, Catholic League director of communications Kiera McCaffrey spoke to Jake Logsdon, a representative at CBS Outdoor’s Louisville office, about placing a billboard along I-65 in Jeffersonville, Indiana. He said he would take some pictures of the available billboards and send them to her to make a selection. The cost was $4,000 for one month, or $6,000 for two months. He said a graphic designer would work the ad up for us. Kiera said we wanted the billboard to say: ‘CBS Sponsors Anti-Catholicism.’ He questioned why, and when told about the Eternal Gospel Church’s ad, said he’d get back to us. Today we were denied. He said he talked to a higher up and was told that CBS cannot approve of anything that is defamatory of CBS.

“CBS has previously denied some PETA signs they found objectionable, and it won’t allow us to tell the truth about CBS.  But it has no problem promoting anti-Catholicism.”  

Contact CBS Outdoor CEO Wally Kelly, wally.kelly@cbsoutdoor.com

UPDATE: CBS PULLS ANTI-CATHOLIC BILLBOARDS  

Catholic League president Bill Donohue applauded New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer’s education budget today:

“In 2002, then-New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer released a ‘Report on Non-Public Education’ that explored many ways in which public aid to parochial schools could be achieved without violating the First Amendment. Last year, Spitzer endorsed the concept of tuition tax credits, and now as New York State Governor he is making good on his commitment. His budget proposal calls for a $1,000 tax break for families who elect to send their children to parochial schools. This is good news for Catholics and good news for everyone who is truly interested in academic excellence.

“Already the public school industry is opposing this inclusive approach to education. It prefers the politics of exclusion and is decidedly anti-choice: the public school teachers unions, always threatened by competition, would like to deny any tax relief for parents—many of them poor—who prefer a Catholic school to a public one. In many cases, this is tantamount to condemning the poor to access services no rich person would ever choose.

“It is no secret that Catholic schools in the inner city have proven to be one of the most important causative agents allowing for upward mobility. That those who claim an allegiance to the poor would balk at Governor Spitzer’s proposal shows how hypocritical they are.

“The Catholic League applauds Governor Spitzer’s education budget and urges the legislature to expand the tax break afforded parochial school families.”