In the Spectator, Patrick O’Hannigan, The Paragraph Farmer, writes a piece about Roberts’ JFK Moment and Rob Vischer’s questions about it at Mirror of Justice.

Got it?

The moment:

Rob Vischer at Mirror of Justice uses a remark by Supreme Court nominee and practicing Catholic John Roberts to pose a not-entirely-rhetorical question. The remark that made Vischer’s antenna vibrate came in response to this September 13 query from Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania:

"When you talk about your personal views and, as they may relate to your own faith, would you say that your views are the same as those expressed by John Kennedy when he was a candidate, when he spoke to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association in September of 1960, quote, I do not speak for my church on public matters and the church does not speak for me, close quote?"

The transcript of the hearings records Mr. Roberts’ answer to that question as "I agree with that, Senator. Yes."

For the discussion, follow the links, and don’t forget Professor Bainbridge’s contribution at MOJ:

Of course, as those who followed my extended debate with David Giacalone know, as do those who have followed the many fine discussions here at MOJ of the obligations of Catholic judges, there are important distinctions between the duties of Catholic judges and politicians. Yet, I must confess to being disappointed in SCOTUS CJ nominee John Roberts’s casual endorsement of JFK’s Houston position. I find it difficult (to say the least) to reconcile what JFK said with what the Church taught in the Doctrinal Note, especially with the following excerpt from the Note: