WASHINGTON (AP) - It was more than a social call: Five days after taking office, President Bush paid a visit to Washington Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick, foreshadowing what has become a meticulous outreach to the nation's Roman Catholics - a bloc he sees as vital if he is to have a prayer of re-election.
In Miami, Bush dropped in on Archbishop John Favalora. In Pittsburgh, he saw Bishop Donald Wuerl, and in Philadelphia, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua. Swinging through St. Louis, he stopped to see Archbishop Justin Rigali.
Bush's first trip to New York will be to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the late Cardinal John O'Connor on Tuesday. When he goes to Italy later this month, Bush will meet with Pope John Paul II.
Bush, a Methodist, is lavishing attention on Catholic leaders and their flocks. He and Democrat Al Gore essentially split the Catholic vote last year - a big gain for the Republican side after Bill Clinton captured the Catholic vote by a 16 point margin in 1996 and 9 points in 1992, according to exit polling by the Voter News Service.
Advisers believe Catholics, about one-quarter of the November electorate, are particularly receptive to Bush's initiative to bring religious groups into government-funded charity efforts.
``Their core values fit with his agenda,'' said White House spokesman Tucker Eskew. ``The man has an abiding sense of compassion, and that value is a tenet of the active Catholic's faith, as is defense of the family, defense of life. Those issues all ring true with this president's character and that faith's values.''
Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said his party's stances on the environment, education, patients' rights and the economy will draw growing numbers of Catholics to Democratic candidates.
``Sitting there doing a photo op with the local cardinal or bishop or even the Holy Father at some point isn't going to do anything to help the Catholic voter who just lost a job and is worried about providing health care for a loved one,'' McAuliffe said.
Bush offended many Catholics during the presidential campaign by making a campaign stop at Bob Jones University, a South Carolina school whose leader called the Catholic Church a ``Satanic cult.''
Ever since, Bush has gone out of his way to court Catholics, both on the road and at home.
On March 21, Bush entertained more than 120 Catholic leaders in the East Room of the White House. The next day, he surrounded himself with cardinals and reaffirmed his opposition to abortion as he presided over the ribbon-cutting at a museum named for Pope John Paul II.
Today, Catholics wield special clout in the Bush White House.
Aides mull issues and strategy every week with Catholics from around the country. The Republican National Committee has named Catholic teams in more than a dozen cities to bring more Catholics into the GOP and stir political activism among the faithful.
``This is a group of swing voters that is very influential, especially in many battleground states,'' RNC spokesman Trent Duffy said.
Nevertheless, conspicuous divisions remain between Bush and Catholic leaders and followers.
Pope John Paul II asked Bush to spare the life of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh in May; Bush refused.
Catholic bishops in June voted unanimously to call for immediate action to mitigate the effects of global climate change, indirectly rebuking Bush over the 1997 global warming agreement known as the Kyoto Protocol, which he has rejected.
Bush is now weighing whether to allow federal funds for research that uses stem cells from human embryos, which scientists say holds tremendous promise in finding dramatic new treatments for disease.
The Catholic Church opposes the research, arguing that it amounts to unethical experimentation on an early life. One of the groups that have directly contacted the White House to express their opposition is the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, now part of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Bush recently met at the White House with Bishop Rev. Joseph Fiorenza, the president of the bishops' new group, and Bishop Rev. Wilton Gregory, the vice president.
Many Catholics say they are closely watching Bush for signs that he will stick to an agenda they favor.
``For those of us who are the real, true believers, it's show me, don't tell me, and the photo ops don't impress us,'' said Florence Ward, 60, of Wellington, Fla.
``He'd better not roll over on stem-cell research, or he's done with hard-core Catholics,'' she said. ``I would like to see him stick to his principles, and if he's only going to be a one-term president, go down with his head held high.''
On the Net:
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: http://www.usccb.org/
AP-NY-07-07-01 1249EDT