President Obama on abortion

President Barack Obama wisely accepted an invitation from Father John Jenkins, C.S.C., president of Notre Dame, to speak at the university’s May 17 commencement ceremonies.  I say wisely, because the event resulted in a clear victory for Obama, his policies on abortion, and his party, while at the same time painting the pro-life community as intolerant.

President Obama, very adroitly in his address, lifted himself above his damaging actions and policies to claim the high moral ground of the debate.  With Father Jenkins’ baffling and embarrassing help, the president got to play referee in what the media cast as a fractious Catholic episode of “Family Feud.”  President Obama piously acknowledged that differences do exist—they would be very hard to miss—and meanwhile urged common ground.  But where exactly might that common ground be on the issue of abortion, which always takes an innocent life? 

Which of Obama’s votes in either the state of Illinois or as a U.S. senator, or his actions as president, has in any way contributed to the effort to reduce the number of abortions? 

Was it –

His vote in the Illinois Senate to deny life to the young one who survived a botched abortion?
His swift reversal of the Mexico City policy providing funding for abortions?
His commitment during the campaign to Planned Parenthood?
His commitment to pass FOCA, which would essentially wipe out any progress the pro-life movement has made in recent years?

So far, the president’s actions and words suggest that in the debate on life, his committed plan is:  they (pro-lifers) lose and he and his supporters win.

We will soon see another page released in the president’s legacy on this issue.  If he is serious about reducing abortions, let’s pay close attention to the president’s nomination for the Supreme Court.

As Catholics we have suffered a real defeat in the president’s appearance at Notre Dame.  But there is one modest ray of good news: President Obama committed himself to reducing abortions—which implies that he knows abortion is wrong.  It’s a very small, very modest admission, but it might be a start.  We need to continue to pray for him and all legislators that they will be moved to respect the most vulnerable in our society.  President Obama’s administration has put forth programs to assist nearly every need in our society but one.  We must hope as Catholic Christians that our president (a self-described Christian) will be moved to recognize the sanctity of life from the moment of conception, until natural death.

Carol and John Saeman
Denver