Source: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62924-2003Apr30.html

On April 30, 2003 The Washington Post reported that "in an attempt to reassure those Americans who thought a Catholic president would take orders from the Vatican or somehow impose Catholic doctrine on a majority Protestant nation, Kennedy not only said he believed that 'the separation of church and state is absolute' but added something else as well: 'I believe in a president whose religious views are his own private affair.' For this, Sen. Rick Santorum has rhetorically excommunicated him... Kennedy's position did 'much harm in America,' Santorum told the National Catholic Reporter last year. 'All of us have heard people say, 'I privately am against abortion, homosexual marriage, stem cell research, cloning. But who am I to decide that it's not right for someone else?' It sounds good. But it is the corruption of freedom of conscience.' In contrast, Santorum named George W. Bush -- a Methodist -- as a president with the right approach. He dubbed him 'the first Catholic president of the United States.'"