Double Domer Donnelly: Devoted DemoCath and Decian Doormat

Writing at The Wall Street Journal, Bill McGurn asks Joe Donnelly, Democrat nominee for U.S. Senator from Indiana, "Hoosier daddy?"

It's a simple question: Does the Indiana Democrat running for the U.S. Senate support Notre Dame's lawsuit against the Obama administration's contraceptive mandate?

After all, the Democrat in question, Joe Donnelly, is a double Domer, boasting both undergraduate and law degrees from Notre Dame. He represents South Bend in Congress. Last week his Republican opponent, Richard Mourdock, used a visit to that city to declare his own support for the university's effort.

"It's ironic that a graduate of Ball State should be here defending Notre Dame when a Notre Dame graduate, my opponent Joe Donnelly, refuses to do so," said Mr. Mourdock. In response, Mr. Donnelly told the South Bend Tribune that he supports a solution and continues to "monitor the process."

When asked by this reporter for a follow-up, his spokesman emailed a statement in which Mr. Donnelly repeated his call for a solution that would exempt religious organizations, and he said that his alma mater has the "right" to go to court.

It's an indirect statement, and beyond its complaints that Mr. Mourdock is "picking a partisan fight," it goes to considerable lengths to avoid saying simply: I support Notre Dame in its suit and hope the school prevails.

Mr. Donnelly has President Obama to thank for this predicament. The Indiana congressman was among the pro-life Democrats who folded on the health-care bill after a last-minute phone call from a former Notre Dame president, the Rev. Ted Hesburgh—a call made at the urging of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The contraceptive mandate has now put Mr. Donnelly in another squeeze. He claims he wants a solution that would protect religious groups. But he rejects a legislative solution and declines to say outright that he wishes Notre Dame victory in its suit...

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