When JFK was elected in 1960, there was still a great deal of anti-Catholicism throughout the country.
These days, that is virtually a thing of the past. Catholics are nearly completely integrated with the White Protestant majority and are solidly represented throughout politics, the business world and the professional classes.
So it seems odd that 48 years after JFK was elected we still have not had another Catholic president.
Of course, John Kerry came close in 2004, but even so, he was only the second Catholic major-party nominee.
Why so few?
My theory is that since 1964, Southerners and Westerners have dominated presidential nominations, and Catholics are concentrated in the Midwest and the Northeast.
something to think about I don't think America has ever had an Italian catholic president,
of course the Irish catholics are always good at politics for reasons I don't totally understand, but mostly I think it goes back to the old days of the democratic party before the New Deal back in the era when political machines dominated, the Irish like many immigrant groups found exceptacne into mainstream American society difficult you had an angry nativist population who did not trust catholic Immigrants saw them as invaders hell bent on destroying this country, (sounds familiar)
but they took advantage of there right to vote which they did not have back in the old country
so they voted for candidates that would give them jobs ,fire fighters, Cops and jobs in city Government they democratic party was very good to Immigrants in this country for along time
and it wasn't until the sixty's/seventy's that catholics became divided politically.
