Madonna Barracuda

Jim Geraghty of the National Review finds it “very strange” that Catholic voters are flocking to the McCain-Palin ticket ever since Palin was chosen VP candidate. After all, Palin isn’t Catholic. Biden is.

I have noted before one reason why Catholics are less inclined to warm to Obama: his speaking cadences are those of a Protestant preacher. Nothing wrong with that, to a Catholic ear, but it is bound to resonate more strongly with Protestants.

This does not, however, explain the present phenomenon. This has something to do with Palin, not Obama—because it happened once Palin was added to the ticket.

Or rather, it has something to do with women—because before Obama took the nomination, Catholic Democrats also strongly favoured Hillary Clinton. Who is also not Catholic.

The key, I think, has to be that Catholics are more inclined to vote for female candidates than are Protestants.

And this makes perfect sense. Women hold a much more honoured place in the Catholic than in the Protestant world view. For Catholics, The ultimate image of the feminine is Mary. For Protestants, it is Eve.

Accordingly, Catholic countries have had no problem, historically, with women taking positions of authority outside the family—as nuns. Protestant nations until recently allowed no such outlet.

Any woman probably has an advantage with Catholic voters. But, with five children, including a babe in arms, Sarah Palin in particular plays a very good Madonna. Why wouldn’t Catholics warm to her?

A tip to the McCain campaign: make sure her campaign wardrobe favours blue.