you just can't please these people

The Virginia Governor's race is not only hot, it's surreal. The Republican candidate is attacking the Catholic Democratic candidate for listening to his religion's proscriptions on the Death Penalty. In response, the Democrat is busy convincing people that, don't worry, he'll ignore the Vatican on the death penalty...

What is amazing about this is that after years of reconstructing the political order such that proclaiming loyalty to biblical or canonical law is a prerequisite for seeking public office, conservatives are now attacking a Catholic for being faithful. You don't need to be Antonio Gramsci to see that this dynamic gives the lie to conservative "christian" rhetoric. You have to be a good Christian in their eyes, so long as doesn't interfere with being a good Conservative.