Q&A Thomas Melady, former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican

Please note: Catholic Digest will not endorse any candidate or party. Our purpose is to help Catholics engage in the election process in such a way that our faith makes a difference. To read the Editor's Statement, click HERE. A closer look at Thomas Melady Favorite food: fish and vegetables Favorite place to travel: “My four years in Rome were really great. We go back there a lot. There’s so much to see in Italy.” Favorite president: “I served under President [George H.W.] Bush, and I think he was a great man. I also served under president Reagan. The two presidents who gave me appointments were great people. I’ve learned to admire two other presidents, in terms of their foreign policy: Franklin Delano Roosevelt and President Eisenhower. Last book that you read: The Statesman by Dennis Ross. He was in the Clinton administration and he handled the Middle East. I’m teaching the art of diplomacy, and the two books I want my students to read are Kissinger’s Diplomacy and Dennis Roth’s book The Statesman. Favorite music: “I love Beethoven’s moonlight sonata.” Best advice: “I’ve been helped by several people in my life. When I was a student in graduate school, I was told, ‘Focus,’ and secondly I was told to remember the importance of people and staff.”

Thomas Melady thinks America could use a dose of “mature optimism,” and he believes Mitt Romney is the presidential candidate who can provide it. Melady, a Catholic and a former U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican (1989-1993) recently endorsed the former Massachusetts governor’s bid for the 2008 presidency. Throughout his career in diplomacy, higher education, and public affairs, Melady has served as ambassador to Burundi, to Uganda, and as Senior Adviser to the U.S. Delegation to the United Nations, as well as Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education for Post-Secondary Education under President Reagan. He has also served as Executive Vice President of St. Joseph's University, and as President of Sacred Heart University. Now a professor and Senior Diplomat in Residence at The Institute of World Politics, Melady recently spoke with Catholic Digest about family values, the role of faith in politics, and some of the biggest challenges facing America today.

CD: In the press release issued by Romney’s campaign, it states that you’ve chosen to endorse his presidential candidacy because of his support for family values. Could you define what you mean by the phrase “family values”?

MELADY: The things [that families] hold in common — being concerned about stability at home. But this is one factor. The reason I was attracted to Mitt Romney as governor [of Massachusetts] was that he managed — after a lot of discussion and negotiation — to come up with a health insurance program [for the state]. It’s really unfortunate — we’ve done a lot of great things, and we still have almost 50 million people who don’t have health insurance. I relate that to family values — concern about the family and the members of the family.

Also, he set an attractive example. I have met his wife Ann and several of his sons, and I think he’s the personification of family values, and a certain amount of optimism. I think his is a mature optimism, a general hope. We seem to be going through a period of — I don’t want to say despair, that might be too severe — but a period where optimism isn’t quite there. My grandfather came over from Ireland to Norwich, Connecticut. He was a great optimist, and he said, ‘One day you can live in the house on the hill,’ and even though my father and mother were working class people who worked in the mills of Norwich, I could have that aspiration going into college. And I see that optimism [in Romney]. I think we need a return to mature optimism, respect for the family. When I wrote my memoirs and I had to think of a title, I chose Faith, Family, and Friends.

CD: And it seems you feel that these are values shared by Romney?

MELADY: Yes. I’ve had people ask me, “Well, do you know what church [Romney] belongs to?” and I said, “Well, I do, but to me the important thing is his faith.” I’m quite convinced of that, the enthusiasm. I’ve only known him for about a year and a half, but those who have known him for years say that [enthusiasm] was characteristic when he was a missionary in Europe, and when he took over the tough assignment of managing the Olympics [in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2002]. Now I’m not an expert in the Olympics, but I recall from what I read that they were pretty messed up financially. He stepped in at a difficult time and people from all sides of the political divide say he did a great job.

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CD: So when you talk about Romney’s faith do you mean his faith as a Mormon or his sort of faith in humanity?

MELADY: Well I think in a broader sense. As I look at some of the things that I’m active in in Washington — the National Conference of Christians and Jews, as well as a dialogue project with Muslims and Hindus — I can see the factor of faith and a commitment to basic values. And of course one of the basic values is the family.

CD: And what do you see as Governor Romney’s role in supporting those family values?

MELADY: If he emerges as a candidate and wins, he’ll have a very major role to play. The right candidate can set the standards for us when it comes to the family, and then broad community issues. It begins with the family and then it’s the community and responsibility in the community. I see a tremendous talent and enthusiasm and energy that also is matched by other members of [Romney’s] family. We elect a president, we don’t elect the family, but it can be important.

CD: What other aspects of Governor Romney’s platform do you feel are supportive of the family, besides health insurance?

MELADY: I felt very at home with what I read [in Romney’s mailings] with regard to facilitating for adoptions. I’ve helped people adopt and the laws vary, and some states are probably better on the issue than others. But I also think related to the family, of course, is providing job opportunities. His own sons have an enthusiasm for getting out there and working, and I think that contributes to the whole atmosphere of it.

CD: Romney has been somewhat hesitant to speak about his own personal faith and family life to the media, especially on the topic of the Mormon church. Do you think it’s necessary for him to open up about this topic, if he’s looking to gain the nomination from his party?

MELADY: I haven’t discussed this with him; it’s a quasi-personal matter. I know he’s been asked something about whether his church presents a problem. I think some people will say you don’t have any privacy left when you become a candidate for president, and that may be true, and I have a feeling that [Romney] is going to speak on [his faith]. I have a very good friend who’s a democrat who played a major role in organizing the speech of then Senator [John F.] Kennedy to the Southern Baptist leaders down in Texas.

CD: Right, in 1960.

MELADY: Yes, and that was a particular set of circumstances, but underlying it was doubt and suspicions that people had about his religion, and whether he’d be taking orders from a foreign power. And whoever wrote the speech focused right on the answer to that question, and obviously it was quite successful.

CD: Do you think that Americans hold a similar skepticism of Romney’s beliefs?

MELADY: I only can speak for the Catholic community, and I’ve talked to people on this issue. I’d assume there certainly are some individuals who don’t like him for some reason or another, but in the Catholic community that [skepticism] may not be the case. I think [Romney] is going to speak on [his faith], but it’s a different kind of thing so it’s got to be well-researched. I’ve had one or two conversations with him, but not on that issue.

[Kennedy’s 1960 speech] was written after some real research, knowing just what the ministers are concerned about. I reread the speech and a key sentence was, “I am not the Catholic candidate for President [but the candidate] who happens also to be a Catholic.” There were probably about two or three key paragraphs in the speech that resulted from good research about what the concerns were. In this case here, I can’t say I’m an expert. There are some concerns being reported in certain Christian circles, not Catholic, but after research I think he can answer them. I think we all recognize that when someone has a faith and a commitment, it represents the best in our values.

CD: You mention concerns that other Christians might have about Romney’s Mormon faith, do you know what those specific concerns are?

MELADY: Their question is: “Is the Mormon faith, within the broad scope, a Christian religion?” My degrees were in political science and economics, not in the Bible or theology, but I would say a broader term I would use would be they are believers.

CD: As a political scientist, what role do you believe an individual’s faith life should play in politics, if any?

MELADY: I would say that [Americans] probably have a right to know about [a candidate’s] fundamental values and what you believe in, and there should be full disclosure, but I think it’s early in the campaign. Some are concerned whether or not the Mormon faith fits into the Christian framework, and I’d say it certainly fits into the framework of believing people, and they produce very solid citizens with strong family values.

CD: And do you think those are values that easily transfer into Romney’s campaign and into politics in general?

MELADY: I think everything will. I think there are questions that American people want to know for any candidate: What are their beliefs, and how does that fit in to the broad scope of American pluralism? I think that [Romney’s] does.

CD: Do you worry that a candidate’s religious beliefs could get in the way of actions he or she may have to take as president or as candidate for president?

MELADY: I’m not an expert in [Romney’s] particular faith, but I can’t see anything in it that would interfere with the ability at all.

CD: One thing Romney has spoken about is his support for pro-life activities. However, a U.S. News and World Reports article stated that he also admitted to being “effectively pro-choice” as little as two years ago. Because of this, some might question the sincerity of his support for pro-life beliefs, just prior to his run for president. Does this raise concerns for you?

MELADY: I accept his word on what he believes in. I’ve never run for office, but I’ve been active in presidential campaigns and foreign policy, and we all believe in evolving positions — an even stronger word would be conversion, but the question is what the man believes in now, and I have no question about his current position.

CD: Romney also supports the death penalty, which the Catholic Church states is virtually unacceptable within the United States. Do you think that, as Catholics who hope to respect the dignity of all human life, we can consider him or anyone who shows an inconsistency in that sense, to be truly pro-life?

MELADY: I just read the statement of the [United States Conference of Catholic] Bishops, [“On Faithful Citizenship”], and I think it’s quite a clear statement, in the broad scope of things and pluralistic America, in the basic amendment of the Church to life, whether its before conception or at natural death, or with regards to the death penalty. When I was ambassador to the Vatican, [John Paul II] came out several times with that, and I think I’m accurate in saying he felt that in modern life, with the ability to build safe prisons, you didn’t have to execute [a dangerous criminal] to protect society. What you have said is that [Romney] says we should continue it?

CD: Yes, he’s in favor of it.

MELADY: I’m sure he qualifies it under provisional law and various circumstances. I suppose in then end, for all people, not just Catholics, there are some cases where you have a very clear and strong candidate, but maybe for others there will be a variety of factors that you’ll consider. But I’m committed to the Catholic teachings, Are there any other candidates that are totally opposed?

CD: To be honest, I’d have to check that out myself. [Editor’s note: Representative Ron Paul (R) is currently the only candidate who is both anti-abortion and opposed to the death penalty under any circumstance.] It is hard to find one, I think, which brings up the question of if, for example, Clinton and Giuliani are nominated, and both presidential candidates are pro-choice. How do you think this might change the elections, in general, and the decisions of pro-life Catholics?

MELADY: Well, I certainly am pro-life. Having read the document of the bishops twice, I think it will be a matter of studying the full document and then coming to a judgment, and by that time we’ll have one candidate from the Republican party and one from the Democratic party, and then it will be a matter of who is closer to this position.

CD: It seems that the bishops’ document has placed abortion at the forefront of Catholic political concerns, and it stated that it is acceptable for a Catholic voter to refrain from voting at all if neither candidate demonstrates support for pro-life issues. Do you think this is a legitimate choice in our democratic society?

MELADY: Well, certainly the bishops have an obligation to speak, and they’re speaking in a democratic society and in very clear terms. I, as a Catholic, made a decision to align myself to Mitt Romney before the bishop’s statement came out, but I had no doubt that he’d fit into the broad scope. Now with regard to the abortion issue, I don’t know if it’s any stronger than it was four years ago. Actually, I think that this is the third time that that’s been an issue of some importance in the document. For those who want it to be “you must be this” or “must be that” that’s not the vocabulary of that statement.

CD: So you would say that the bishops are still advocating for the primacy of conscience in voting?

MELADY: Well I think that conscience plays a major role, and again I’m not a theologian, but I think conscience is an important part of the statement. I had to reflect on [the statement] and to think about it, and that’s why it came out just about a full year before our elections.

CD: Now once a voter has thought about it and reflected on the issues, if one were to decide that neither candidate fits their beliefs, do you think it’s a legitimate choice to refrain from voting, or do you think that we have a duty as American citizens in a democracy to choose to actively vote in an election?

MELADY: I think if some people decided not to go for A or for B that we would respect them for that. But I think, as you said, [we have] a responsibility to citizenship, and I would wish they would. We live in a pluralistic society, and maybe we won’t find a candidate that meets all our needs one-hundred percent, but meets them more than the other candidate. Or it could be that neither of them please us, and therefore we don’t vote. I think for someone who’s thought about it carefully, and really doesn’t feel like they can vote, I think we can respect that person.

CD: What role if any has your own faith life played in your work as diplomat and educator and ambassador?

MELADY: I’ve always been Catholic, and while serving as ambassador my third post was to the Vatican, but I was also in Burundi, and I saw the challenges of developing societies. It was a great experience to say, “What can we do to end the triple curse of poverty, illiteracy, and disease?” I had the advantage of studying [my faith] during my first degree at Duquesne in Pittsburgh, and during my masters and Ph.D. studies at the Catholic University of America, and working at Catholic universities. It’s played a role.

CD: Drawing from your background in education, do you seen governor Romney as being able to take America’s educational system in the right direction?

MELADY: [Romney] himself was a very good student and that seems to run in his family. And he knows about the whole change that’s taking place. Thomas L. Friedman wrote about it in The World is Flat — the fact that all the countries that we manufacture and sell to are going to manufacture and sell back to us, and the necessity of adjusting to the impact of modern communications and technology. He understands all that, and of course the way to answer that is education.

CD: Could you elaborate on what you mean by education as an answer to these trade issues?

MELADY: Just think of New England, where I’m from. I’m half Irish and half French-Canadian, and both my grandfathers came as immigrants and worked in the mills of Eastern Connecticut. Now when I go home to visit cousins, all I see are old mills falling apart. That whole industry has left the United States, and so we have the choice of either crying about it or doing something, and essentially we did something in terms of building other skills. But it’s been a challenge, and it’s education that will help us meet that challenge. From what I read about [Romney], he has the foresight to meet that kind of thing.

CD: What about the challenges that are facing Africa today? As far as I know Romney has been quiet on the topic, but as a former ambassador to two countries on that continent, how would you assess his approach to it?

MELADY:I don’t know if anyone’s really spoken on what I’d call the developing societies. I think it will come up.

CD: And how would you like to see it addressed?

MELADY: Well, I wrote a book on it. Now, the book’s about fifty years out of date, but some of the things haven’t changed. My first job when I got out of Catholic University was in Ethiopia, and we had to learn some lessons. We had a lot of ideas, but what we didn’t do was talk to the people — it was our idea, it sounded good for us. Unfortunately that was characteristic of a lot of the foreign aid, however well-intentioned. As I say in the book, the final lesson was that we have to work with [the local people]; they would have the determination, and we would help them with their ideas. Right now no one has spoken much on developing societies.

CD: What about our own country? What do you see as some of the biggest challenges facing America today?

MELADY: Well right now we have to recognize that there are some difficult challenges facing us: the Iraq war, the growing tightness of our economic system. We’ve got unemployment that’s about the five percent level, which technically isn’t bad, but it’s the wages and so forth that we have to look at. And so we have a whole number of things to look at and to restore confidence that we can do things. And a four letter word, which is spelled h-o-p-e, there’s something to that. Hope that we can turn things around, that we’re going to resolve the situation in Iraq. We have to do it in terms of our long-term interests and the long-term interest of the people there. With regard to the economy, we have to adjust to the realities. The good thing is that unemployment is down to less than 5 percent. On the other hand we’ve seen all the studies about the salaries. You see the rise in the cost of higher education; you see some people graduating with loans of 60 to 90 thousand dollars, and even higher than that. It’s alright for the young person coming out of college and going to a well-paying law firm, but what about the young person who wants to become a high school teacher? We need to figure out some other ways. I look at the campaign in a very positive way. Let’s get a lot of these ideas out there for public discussion.

CD: Sure, that’s an important part of the election process. You mentioned the Iraq war. Governor Romney has been in favor of the troop surge, and he’s also expressed the opinion that it’d be beneficial to double the size of Guantanamo, and for Americans to employ “enhanced interrogation techniques.” Is this something that you also support?

MELADY: I’d like to see us solve the problem in Iraq. It’s gone on longer than we ever thought it would. Things seem to be improving. In regard to the treatment of prisoners, I just became aware of that statement; I haven’t had a chance to focus on it. I’d look at the whole thing happily. The thing is, things have changed. I teach history, and to get back to World War I where the German soldiers and the French soldiers took off Christmas Eve night and got together and sang Christmas carols, that kind of atmosphere is totally past. We have terrorists. And we had rules of war by Judeo Christian teachings, and now we have another kind of enemy attacking us, so it requires an adjustment, but I don’t think we want to lose sight of our ideals.

CD: So do you think the answer lies in something like increasing the size of Guantanamo or in a troop surge?

MELADY: Well [Romney] must have thought about it carefully, and I haven’t. A troop surge — this is not my field — but there’s some evidence in the past month that there’s been some success to it. The number of deaths in the past few weeks has significantly gone down, and that may be attributed to the troop surge.

CD: There are so many factors that play into these issues.

MELADY:It’s a complicated thing and it doesn’t lend itself to one-word answers. CD

Kerry Weber is associate editor for Catholic Digest.