A Catholic in the White House? Religion, Politics, and John F. Kennedy's Presidential Campaign (review)

The author, Thomas J. Carty, assistant professor of history at Springfield College, has provided a timely study of the question of religion and U.S. presidential politics. Focusing on the 1960 campaign and the variety of responses to John Kennedy's brand of Catholicism, Carty provides scholarly context for understanding many of the cultural, political, and religious issues of the period, including historical U.S. anti-Catholicism and the impact of the Cold War on the same. In addition, and just as significantly, his work points to the questions and prejudices that remain in the current American context, despite the widespread popular perception that Kennedy's election finally resolved the "Catholic issue."

Systematically presented in seven chapters and an epilogue, the book is based on Professor Carty's doctoral dissertation, presented at the University of Connecticut, and as such, it suggests the still-growing interest in "Catholic studies" within the secular academy. The strength of the work lies in its detailed research and exploration of the political history involved rather than in a deeper analysis of the theological questions. But much of that work was laid out by Donald Pelotte in his study of John Courtney Murray and his theological project (New York: Paulist Press, 1975), to which Carty duly refers in his notes. The first chapter offers a broad summary of the history of the "Catholic issue" in U.S. politics up to the period of Al Smith's 1928 presidential campaign and might prove especially useful to undergraduates and others who are beginning their study of the topic.

In the second chapter Carty focuses on the political careers of the nationally-known Catholics Al Smith, Jim Farley, Joseph Kennedy, and Joseph McCarthy as a prelude for understanding the religious issues of the 1960 campaign. The next three chapters are effective in their analysis of the major differing perspectives and opinions with regard to Kennedy's religion and candidacy. Conservative Protestant opposition, including that of Billy Graham, Norman Vincent Peale, Martin Luther King, Sr., and Harry S. Truman is studied first, allowing Carty to show the sometimes surprisingly rapid, though not universal, evolution of thought and public position within these circles. This is followed by a focus on the changing perspectives of American liberals, many of whom originally opposed the possibility of a Catholic candidate but came to endorse Kennedy, and how the Kennedy campaign used those endorsements. Here Carty is at his best, using extensive archival research to support his narrative and to describe new political coalitions. There are several surprises, including the irony of Nixon's consistent refusal to use the "religious issue" or to tolerate any hint of anti-Catholicism from within his campaign, while Kennedy's supporters simultaneously decried any reference to religion during the campaign while also appealing to it among specific groups, and at the same time suggesting that the Republicans were bigots.

The book includes twelve pages of bibliography, thus providing scholars and interested readers alike with nearly all relevant published materials, including doctoral dissertations, to date. The index and a section of helpful illustrations and photos are also to be commended. As each chapter might well stand on its own there is occasional tedious repetition and some overlap, especially in the introduction of persons. The editor might have served the author better in this and in the occasional misspellings that are encountered. There are also some unfortunate errors of fact, including the identification of "New York Auxiliary Bishop Francis Spellman" and F.D.R. as "assistant secretary of war in World War I" (both on page 39).

The epilogue provides insightful commentary on the questions raised by Catholic candidacy and issues in presidential elections since 1960 (though, curiously, omitting any reference to the 2000 campaign), thus inviting further study and commentary. This book is highly recommended for scholars and students of presidential politics and of the influence of...