Washington Post political writer Melinda Henneberger shockingly
stated, Wednesday, that "maybe the Founders were wrong" to guarantee
religious liberty. Henneberger appeared on Hardball to discuss the Obama administration's decision to force the Catholic Church to provide birth control in health care.
Discussing the battle between the left and those who see it as a threat to the First Amendment, she declared, " Maybe
the Founders were wrong to guarantee free exercise of religion in the
First Amendment but that is what they did and I don't think we have to
choose here. " Henneberger's awkward comment came as she attempted to defend the Catholic Church. [MP3 audio here.]
Host Chris Matthews speculated about the Catholic Church capitulating:
"Can you imagine them saying we give up? We're going to provide full
insurance coverage with no co-pay for everything now defined by the FDA
as birth control...They're going to go for this?"
Henneberger shot back, "That will never happen."
She added, "...What [the Obama administration is] doing is guaranteeing
people, you know, these Catholic outfits and others can't serve the
populations that they were called to serve. But, it does not have to
come to that."
Henneberger's larger point was defensive of the Catholic Church and of
religious liberty. However, her comment on the First Amendment was
poorly phrased.
A transcript of the February 8 segment, which aired at 5:20pm EST, follows:
CHRIS
MATTHEWS: There you have the ideological argument from the left, I
suppose, the progressives in this country. You heard it well-spoken
there, I believe, Melinda, they see it as an argument over whether
you're allowed to have birth control or getting covered as part of the
insurance or not. The Catholic Church and those who are looking at the
interests of the, well, the First Amendment if you will, as they see it
look at it differently. Explain this distinction and how you look at the
interests involved, the conflicts, the rights involved here.