Obama's director of Catholic outreach dodges Catholic radio

Nick Thomm, who recently facilitated my appearance on Al Kresta's program, was recently given the run around by the director of "Catholic Outreach for Obama":

Mark Linton, director of Catholic Outreach for the Obama Campaign, refused to appear on a Catholic radio show to explain Obama’s views regarding abortion and address his accusations of supporting infanticide.

...

After successfully contacting Hudson, Thomm was unable to find a contact number for Linton on the party’s website. When he contacted Obama’s Senate office, he told that they couldn’t give out Linton’s phone number and that he would have to send Linton an email.

After sending Linton an email on Monday afternoon and another Tuesday morning, Thomm called Senator Obama’s office once again to try and reach Linton in time for Kresta’s 4 p.m. (ET) radio show.

Thomm explained that when he called Obama’s senate office he told the Obama staffer, “we have no choice but to think that he’s trying dodge us. He’s supposed to be a National Catholic Outreach coordinator and we’re a Catholic radio show, so who’s he doing outreach to?” (CNA)

Meanwhile, McCain's folks are actively courting the Catholic vote:

John McCain is preparing to ramp up his efforts to reach out to Catholic voters with a “very, very aggressive” campaign, spearheaded by his newly created Catholic Outreach Coalition.

Frank Donatelli, the Deputy Chairman of the Republican National Committee, spoke to reporters and Catholic media on a conference call this morning about the efforts that the McCain campaign is planning to reach Catholic voters.

Donatelli described the Catholic Outreach Coalition, chaired by Sen. Sam Brownback and Frank Keating, as “first-rate” and said that it will be “very well-funded.” (CNA)

Why the disparity? Why does the McCain campaign seem so much more "at home" talking to Catholics about the issues that matter most? And why does Obama's supposed appeal among religious voters seemingly falter when it comes to Catholics? And finally, why do Obama's defenders rarely, if ever, consent to debating their candidate's positions in a free public forum?

And finally, why isn't the answer to all these questions "because Obama's platform is less acceptable to Catholics than McCain's platform, and Obama's people know it."?

Okay, have at it.