July 10, 2009 10:39 AM

Obama Tells Pope He Wants Fewer Abortions

By
Brian Montopoli
Topics
In The News
(CBS)
Updated 2:45 p.m. ET

President Obama told Pope Benedict XVI at a Vatican meeting that he would work to limit how many abortions take place each year in the United States, according to a Vatican spokesman.

"The pontiff told me that President Obama affirmed his personal commitment to try to reduce the number of abortions in the United States," spokesman Federico Lombardi said, according to Agence France-Presse.

The president met with the pope for 25 minutes on Friday in the Papal Library. As the pair posed for pictures at the outset of the meeting, the president said to the pontiff, "I'm sure you're used to getting your picture taken. I'm still getting used to it."

Cameras and reporters were only allowed to record the beginning and end of the meeting. The president could be heard saying "thank you, God bless you" to Benedict as they parted. He also said he looks forward to "a very strong relationship between our two countries."

According to the White House, the two men discussed the encyclical (Papal letter) released by the pope earlier this week, and Benedict gave the president a signed copy of the encyclical. They also discussed the situation in the Middle East, Cuba and Honduras.

(AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
In addition, "they talked about interfaith dialogue, obviously mentioning the president's speech in Cairo, but also mentioning their shared desire for Middle East peace," Deputy National Security Advisor For Strategic Communications Denis McDonough said. Other topics touched on were countering Muslim extremism, immigration and bioethics.

McDonough said the president presented the pope with a letter from Senator Ted Kennedy and asked him to pray for Kennedy, who has been battling brain cancer. The content of the letter was not disclosed. Kennedy's brother John was the first Catholic president on the United States.

On taking off from Rome today, Mr. Obama called Kennedy to tell him about the meeting - and assure him the letter was delivered, reports CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller.

According to McDonough, Mr. Obama "was very impressed and touched by the office of the Holy Father but also by the breadth of issues that they discussed."

This was the first meeting between President Obama and Pope Benedict. Mr. Obama sought common ground on abortion and stem cell research during the meeting, McDonough said, despite the differences between Benedict and the pro-choice president.

At the staunchly Catholic University of Notre Dame earlier this year, the president stressed his desire to reduce the number of abortions in America.

"Let's make adoption more available," he said. "Let's provide care and support for women who do carry their children to term. Let's honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion, and draft a sensible conscience clause, and make sure that all of our health care policies are grounded not only in sound science, but also in clear ethics, as well as respect for the equality of women."

(CBS)
Mr. Obama, who is a Protestant, won the support of most Catholics in the presidential election. But he has been criticized by conservative Catholics, who were unhappy that he was invited to speak at Notre Dame.

The Vatican released a statement following the meeting referencing the two men's differences on abortion.

"In the course of their cordial exchanges the conversation turned first of all to questions which are in the interests of all and which constitute a great challenge for the future of every nation and for the true progress of peoples, such as the defense and promotion of life and the right to abide by one's conscience," the statement read.

Unlike predecessor George W. Bush, Mr. Obama has allowed federal funding for embryonic stem cell research as well as family planning groups abroad that carry out abortions.

There are issues on which the two men agree, including minimizing the potential impact of the global recession on the poor and reducing the number of nuclear weapons worldwide.

The president and the pope shook hands when they met, and Mr. Obama told the pontiff that the audience was "a great honor." They then sat down across from each other at Benedict's desk.

The pope asked the president about the Group of Eight summit in L'Aquila, Italy, where the president had spent three days before the meeting. Mr. Obama said the summit had been "very productive."

The two were joined by first lady Michelle Obama toward the end of the meeting. The president's daughters and White House staffers also met the pope.

Mr. Obama travels to Ghana following his visit to the Vatican. Before the meeting, Mr. Obama met with the Vatican's secretary of state, Cardinal Tarciso Bertone.

Add a Comment See all 28 Comments
by ryetallon July 11, 2009 1:58 AM EDT
all of these obama fans keep saying that bush had eight years and obama has had six months but what has he done with those six monhts? he run us deeper into debt and socialisam. its an ill wind that blows no good and spending the next four years talking about the last isnt change!
Reply to this comment
by ryetallon July 11, 2009 1:58 AM EDT
all of these obama fans keep saying that bush had eight years and obama has had six months but what has he done with those six monhts? he run us deeper into debt and socialisam. its an ill wind that blows no good and spending the next four years talking about the last isnt change!
Reply to this comment
by Aldymac July 10, 2009 7:19 PM EDT
If Obama is so in favor of the separation of church and state, why is he visiting the Pope?
Reply to this comment
by maistir July 10, 2009 4:27 PM EDT
Pres. Obama is a likeable, affable person who tries to find common ground with other political and religious leaders. Why can't he honestly want fewer women or couples to choose abortions? I think his position on the issue (and on many others) is flawed, but why claim that it is dishonest?

Destroying human life is justified as capital punishment and justified in warfare. To me (only my opinion) the abortion question boils down to justifying (or refusing to justify)the destruction of human life at its earliest stages.
Reply to this comment
by pepperwood2 July 10, 2009 4:20 PM EDT
"First of all Pontiff it is important that all your Crucifixes & Religious Images be covered when I come to speak. Secondly I must admit that I was able to FOOL you Catholic Christians into voting for me & my Liberal Cronies. You are such hypocrites! It was easy.

BTW - Nancy Pelosi & Ted Kennedy are waiting to have their pictures taken with you and have them posted on the cover of LIFE Magazine.

Live Stem Cell Destruction is Necessary & an Important Ingredient to Saving The Planet. My Religion is GW & Cap & Trade. I can Trump You." So Sad!
Reply to this comment
by tngreen July 10, 2009 3:28 PM EDT
"Obama Tells Pope He Wants Fewer Abortions"

Then he should have less unprotected sex.
Reply to this comment
by indivthinker July 10, 2009 3:19 PM EDT
"Obama tells pope that he wants fewer abortions"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...
That's the biggest bunch of BS that I have ever heard from BO. This is the man that voted to support partial birth abortions (the procedure that fellow democrats called heinous) in both Illinois and in the United States. He supports federal funding to promote abortions in other countries. He supports FOCA, and he told Planned Parenthood that one of the first things he would do as President is pass it. Of course, he hasn't, which makes him a liar and abortionist.

Barack Obama is the most pro-abortion President in history! He was also the most pro-abortion Senator in history, even more than Pelosi and Hillary. Obama is only lying to the Pope because he does not want to be shunned by the Pope and the Catholic Church like Bill Clinton was.

If you talk like an abortionist, look like and abortionist, and lie like and abortionist, then you are an abortionist.

This has nothing to do with restricting a woman's right to choose. There are responsible ways to get abortions, which include having parental consent for minors, eliminating partial birth abortions, having counseling and wait periods, and getting permission from the father.
Then there are Obama's ways, which are any time, any age, any where, which everyone's tax money too.

Obama is such a liar. Maybe if he was aborted as a baby, he would have different views on abortion. Oh wait, he would be DEAD. Aren't we all glad he wasn't aborted?
Reply to this comment
by debinok1 July 10, 2009 4:16 PM EDT
Permission from the father? Permission? You want to give the man who knocked her up control over her body? Are you freaking serious or just deluded?
by geewheeez July 10, 2009 3:18 PM EDT
by pmsnbc2 July 10, 2009 10:38 AM PDT
In six months, your boy nobama has put this great country on a path to bankruptcy and the destruction of an economic system that built this country.
__________________________________________________________________________

Crying out loud, educate yourself...6 months of office, 1.75 trillion deficit ($700 billion(BUSH), Iraq War: cost $1 Trillion(BUSH). Oh and not forgetting the national deficit balloon under BUSH from $4 Trillion to $12 Trillion. Now who is bankrupting this country???
Reply to this comment
by skeetchamp July 10, 2009 2:52 PM EDT
Benedict 's dress was nicer than the First lady's -- Michelle Obama has finally been outdone.
Reply to this comment
by jankebenzone July 10, 2009 2:45 PM EDT
Obama is just your typical politcian,saying what fits the situation or crowd the best to his advantage. Gone are the days when a leader would do what was best for the country instesd of just paying lip service.
Reply to this comment
by geewheeez July 10, 2009 3:14 PM EDT
Name me a politician that do not fit your above statement.
See all 28 Comments
.

Follow Political Hotsheet

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...