Cardinal George: Obama thinks we agree on abortion
I’ve said several times Obama has the ability to make everyone think he agrees with them by reflective listening (repeating back what they say) or expressing sympathy.
With that in mind, CNS.com covered a fascinating speech by Cardinal Francis George of Chicago (and USCCB prez) at the Louisiana Priests Convention April 21:
In a question-and-answer session that followed his keynote speech… Cardinal George offered a candid assessment of his 30-minute meeting with the president at the White House March 18.
“I think on the life issue he’s on the wrong side of history,” the cardinal said. “I think he has his political debts to pay, and so he’s paying them.”
Cardinal George said his conversation with the president was polite but substantive.
“It’s hard to disagree with him because he’ll always tell you he agrees with you,” he said. “Maybe that’s political. I think he sincerely wants to agree with you. You have to say, again and again, ‘No, Mr. President, we don’t agree (on abortion).’…”
Cardinal George said he told the president he was concerned about his decision to rescind the Mexico City policy, which resulted in providing taxpayer money to fund abortion overseas.
“He said we weren’t exporting abortion,” the cardinal said. “I said, ‘Yes we are.’ He would say, ‘I know I have to do certain things here. … But be patient and you’ll see the pattern will change.’ I said, ‘Mr. President, you’ve given us nothing but the wrong signals on this issue.’ So, we’ll see, but I’m not as hopeful now as I was when he was first elected.”…
Cardinal George said on the issue of abortion, “I think we’re up against something a little bit like slavery…. It’s a society-dividing issue, and on this issue, we’re with Abraham Lincoln and he’s with Stephen Douglas, and he doesn’t like to hear that, but that’s where he is.”
The cardinal was referring to the 7 debates held in 1858 between Lincoln and his opponent for an IL seat in the U.S. Senate. Slavery was the main issue discussed in all of the debates.
If even the incremental restrictions on abortion — such as the ban on partial-birth abortion or parental notification laws — are rolled back, Cardinal George said pro-life advocates could feel desperate because they fear “abortion will be a human right, and of course, if it’s a human right, it can’t be qualified.”
“But you can’t go on indefinitely. For 80 years we were a slave republic, and it took a terrible war to end that. And now for 40 years we’re in an abortion regime, and I’m not sure how that’s going to end,” [the cardinal said].
I love how Cardinal George did not let Obama get away with saying they agreed on components of abortion.
And it sounds as if Cardinal George compared to his face Obama’s position on abortion compared to Douglas’s position on slavery. Bravo.
Nevertheless, I’m quite sure Obama doesn’t actually hear charges like this. He’s an interesting psych case, able to compartmentalize to a frightening degree.
I also thought Cardinal George’s statements about pro-lifers “feeling desperate” and “I’m not sure how this is going to end,” were cryptic.
[Photo of George courtesy of Fair Immigration; photo of Obama courtesy of Digital Journal

That is why we play the 22 minute sermon from Obama to Planned parenthood with PP logos in the background.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUl99id2SvM
Wow, that was great. What a hero Cardinal George is. I would not be able to be that bold and forthright with the President. As I said yesterday, in horrible and troubled times, God raises up great saints.
Amen Bobby and xppc.
Bobby, you’d do fine in a conversation with the President.
“It’s hard to disagree with him because he’ll always tell you he agrees with you,” he said. “Maybe that’s political. I think he sincerely wants to agree with you. You have to say, again and again, ‘No, Mr. President, we don’t agree (on abortion).’…”
I love Francis Cardinal George!
What a great line. ‘No, Mr. President, we don’t agree (on abortion).’…”
* * * * *
On Jasper’s QuOD,
“Barack Obama has taken the steam out of the culture wars somewhat by his efforts at reaching across the aisle on questions such as abortion. ”
~ Paul Raushenbush of beliefnet.com, April 25.
LOL.
*
What a goof. I read a few of Raushenbush’s other articles. His arguments for abortion are based on the idea that the earlier, the better, ignoring that a baby is human AT FERTILIZATION.
” As a fetus progresses from a potential life to a viable life, the rights of the mother to terminate that life should, in my opinion, decrease. This idea was reinforced after reading Steve Waldman’s seminal piece called Safe, Legal & Early – A New Way of the Thinking About Abortion.”
Paul Raushenbush of beliefnet.com calls himself a Mainline Protestant. I wonder if Protestant readers are offended by that association. I certainly would be.
While some are claiming he is the most radical pro-abortion president ever, he also has defenders among the pro-life crowd who appreciate his abortion reduction strategy.
**Oops, sorry for the non-sequitur at the end. I meant to delete that last line. It should be in quotes, attributed to Raushenbush.**
FOX is choosing not to show Obama tonight and continue with American Idol. Good idea.
Better Bach often than Offenbach.
Better Bush or Rush than Raushenbush.
I’m a Protestant. Anyone who refers to himself as a Mainline Protestant is more likely a secular humanist, in my opinion. Mr. Raushenbush needs to follow Mr. Spectre’s example. And if he follows Mr. Spectre’s reasoning, he will: the mainline churches are dying in numbers (they are already dead as churches).
Bobby, if there is anyone on this blog who could engage in dialogue with the Prez and hold himself back from taking a swing at him, it would be you.
Plus, you’d run circles around him with regards to morality.
But I’ll take Cardinal George.
See, Obama is “seeking” common ground with the hopes that when he proceeds with his original intentions, one doesn’t get too bent out of shape because after all, we agreed on something.
Obama “agrees” that abortion is a difficult decision, but it ends there.
I could never maintain any degree of civility with Mr. Obama. I can see this right off the bat. I would instantly take his seeming lack of a concrete position at best as well-meaning political pandering, and at worst as outright and diliberate dishonesty, and I cannot and will not respect someone who doesn’t have the stones to speak up, say what they mean, and stand firmly beside that.
“…he has defenders in the pro life crowd who support his abortion reduction strategy.” Who might these be?
Jerry,
It couldn’t POSSIBLY be the one, the only, Professor Doug Kmiec.
His abortion reduction plans include forcing tax payers to pay for OVERSEAS abortions and more contraception and other birth control in schools, in addition to starting SEX ED in Kindergarten (which IS not necessary)
Wow, that was great. What a hero Cardinal George is. I would not be able to be that bold and forthright with the President. As I said yesterday, in horrible and troubled times, God raises up great saints.
Posted by: Bobby Bambino at April 28, 2009 10:42 AM
Heroes don’t keep rapist priests in their parishes. Georgie-boy did. You talk all the time about Planned Parenthood covering up rapes, how’s about Georgie-boy covering up boy-diddling priests? I wouldn’t let Georgie scrub my toilets… too dignified.
“Heroes don’t keep rapist priests in their parishes. Georgie-boy did. ”
How about a source for this claim?
Bobby – Check wikipedia or any newspaper from chicago.
Remember it is above his pay grade “Human life”
PLUS!! he has moral’s where I don’t know, That’s what he tells are enemies!!
” Bobby – Check wikipedia or any newspaper from chicago. ”
No, no, no. I mean a source for why a hero can’t harbor pedophiles. Where is the source for that being “wrong”? What makes something right and wrong?
This is the KoreanWarBaby reporting from Seoul,ROK: On the latest concerning “Research ban is lifted on cloned human stem cells” (April 30, 2009). “Korea’s bioethics authority yesterday conditionally lifted a three-year ban on research using cloned human stem cells.”
This is an indirect response to the policies of ‘President Death Obama’ and his policy changes encouraging the Korean Government. (I hope the link works, I am kind of new at this…)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2904253
The Korean War Baby
A Recon Marine for Christ
” Bobby – Check wikipedia or any newspaper from chicago. ”
No, no, no. I mean a source for why a hero can’t harbor pedophiles. Where is the source for that being “wrong”? What makes something right and wrong?
Posted by: Bobby Bambino at April 29, 2009 7:37 PM
Wow. The Pro-life movement really does lack a moral compass. You really do care more about that which is theologically alive more than that which is actually alive. How sad.
“” Bobby – Check wikipedia or any newspaper from chicago. ” No, no, no. I mean a source for why a hero can’t harbor pedophiles. Where is the source for that being “wrong”? What makes something right and wrong? Posted by: Bobby Bambino at April 29, 2009 7:37 PM Wow. The Pro-life movement really does lack a moral compass. You really do care more about that which is theologically alive more than that which is actually alive. How sad.”
Come on, YLT. Answer my question. What makes something “right” and something else “wrong”? What is it that makes pedophilia, for example, wrong?
In fact, YLT, you say “how sad.” What makes something sad? Is that sad in an objective sense or subjective? Could it be sad for you but not for me and either one of us has a valid opinion about whether or not its sad? Open up your worldview to me.