10 Minutes With … Laura Ingraham

c. 2008 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Listeners throughout the country hear conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham hold up faith and flag in her daily national radio show. And her latest book, a collection of essays called “Power to the People,” has sold more than 100,000 copies since its debut last September. Ingraham, 45, converted […]

c. 2008 Religion News Service

(UNDATED) Listeners throughout the country hear conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham hold up faith and flag in her daily national radio show. And her latest book, a collection of essays called “Power to the People,” has sold more than 100,000 copies since its debut last September.

Ingraham, 45, converted to Catholicism in 2003. She developed breast cancer _ which is now in remission _ in 2005. Conversion and cancer were a leap from the more secular pundit known in the 1990s for criticizing former president Bill Clinton.


Ingraham recently spoke with RNS about the presidential campaign, her Catholicism and faith issues in the U.S. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Q: What’s your view on how the spiritual and religious elements of this presidential are taking shape?

A: I think there are two big stories here. First, a big portion of religious voters on the right went against the mainstream of their party by voting for (former Arkansas Gov. Mike) Huckabee. Second, Democrats, particularly (Sen. Barack) Obama, are trying very hard to use religious language in reaching out to voters.

Q: You wrote in your book that cancer was a gift from God. Is it still a gift?

A: Absolutely. Many of my fellow cancer survivors understand completely what I said. It boils down to having the issue surface quickly, and also understanding again how quickly fleeting life is. You have to make it matter.

Q: Was developing cancer so shortly after your conversion a test of your new faith?

A: It was but I never wanted to ask, “Why me?” (Conversion) got me ready for it, though. I was really fortunate that I had that foundation, otherwise it would have been harder to get through. It was my rock and my foundation.


Q: Why do you think atheist-fueled books are so popular these days? Is the success of your book perhaps a counterweight or antidote to them?

A: Atheist writers … are validated by their book sales. They bow down to the church of atheism. You don’t have to answer to anybody except your own so-called conscience. There’s a deep and sustained antipathy, almost maniacal, towards the faithful and the religious. To me, it’s strange. They are obsessed with their non-belief.

Q: Who were your spiritual advisors in your conversion?

A: (Washington, D.C. attorney) Pat Cipollone, who was my godfather and who has nine kids. He was sort of the one who gave me the first push. And then Monsignor Peter Vaghi (a Washington, D.C. priest known for his influence on American Catholic jurists including Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, whose family attends Church of the Little Flower in suburban Maryland, where Vaghi is pastor).

Q: What do you like most about Catholicism?

A: That I keep learning more about it. And for me it has a grounding influence on me, the liturgy and the history and the Gospels. To me all is intertwined, and makes sense.

Q: Do you worry about being overzealous in your Catholicism and falling into the zeal of the convert?

A: No. The converts are the lifeblood of the church.

Q: What role does faith play in the public square?

A: Without faith and virtue grounded in faith, I don’t think our country can survive. We have our faith, we’ll never be truly defeated if we have that. I think a lot of people are out there like I was, they’re searching, they’re wondering, kind of floating around (and thinking), “What is the point of this whole thing?”


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A photo of Laura Ingraham is available via https://religionnews.com.

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