At a time of growing partisan polarization in the United States, what are the moral responsibilities of partisan leaders? How can leaders and advocates reconcile the demands of party loyalty with the requirements of conscience? How does partisanship advance the common good or undermine it? How can faith and moral principles shape political choices, especially when the demands of party and conviction conflict?
John Carr, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, moderated the event, which included the following participants:Kathy Dahlkemper is the Erie County Executive in Pennsylvania, a board member for Democrats for Life of America, and a former Congresswoman for Pennsylvania's Third District.
Walter Jones is the Congressman for North Carolina's Third District.
Marcy Kaptur is the Congresswoman for Ohio's Ninth District.
Michael D. McCurry is a partner/principle at Public Strategies Washington, Inc, a professor of public theology at Wesley Theological Seminary, and the former Press Secretary to President Bill Clinton.
Bishop Robert McElroy is the auxiliary bishop for the archdiocese of San Francisco.
Mark McKinnon is a senior advisor at Hill Knowlton Strategies, a co-founder of No Labels non-profit, and a former principle media advisor for multiple presidential campaigns.
Michael Steele is a MSNBC political analyst, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, and founder of The Steele Group.
John Carr is the director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University. He is also the Washington correspondent for America Magazine, he joined the Georgetown faculty in 2013.
