Politics Today: Obama Wraps Up G-8, Heads to Ghana
Politics Today is CBSNews.com's inside look at the key stories driving the day in Politics, written by CBS News Political Director Steve Chaggaris:
**President Obama wraps up G-8 meeting; meets with the Pope; heads to Ghana...
**Congress continues wrangling over health care legislation...
**Senate gears up for Sotomayor hearings...
**Burris to retire; another Ensign bombshell; latest on Palin...
PRESIDENT OBAMA: This morning, President Obama wrapped up the G-8 summit with a press conference before heading to the Vatican to meet with Pope Benedict XVI and then flying to Ghana. More on the press conference here.
Agence France-Press previews the president's first meeting with the Pope: "Barack Obama's meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Friday carries more weight than normal for the new US president, the White House said. ... Obama, a committed Christian, will have his first audience with the pope since becoming president shortly after the end of a three-day Group of Eight summit in the Italian town of L'Aquila. He will be accompanied by his wife Michelle.
"After taking office in January, Obama ended his predecessor George W. Bush's restrictions on government funding for embryonic stem cell research and for family planning groups that carry out or facilitate abortions overseas.
"'The fact however is that, given the influence of the Catholic Church globally as well as in the United States, and frankly given the influence of the Catholic Church and Church social teaching on the President himself, he recognises that this is much more than your typical state visit,' said [Deputy National Security Adviser Denis] McDonough. 'I do believe that it's fair to say that the President very much looks forward to this visit.'"
Bloomberg News' Lorraine Woellert, "Democrats Link Pope's 'Economic Justice' Plea With Obama Agenda"
Politics Daily's David Gibson, "Pope Benedict's Meeting with Obama a Setback for Conservative Catholics"
Earlier today, the president and the members of the G-8 met with the Outreach 5 (Egypt, Algeria, Senegal, Nigeria, Libya, Ethiopia). Mr. Obama then met unilaterally with South African President Jacob Zuma.
**President Obama wraps up G-8 meeting; meets with the Pope; heads to Ghana...
**Congress continues wrangling over health care legislation...
**Senate gears up for Sotomayor hearings...
**Burris to retire; another Ensign bombshell; latest on Palin...
(AP Photo)
Agence France-Press previews the president's first meeting with the Pope: "Barack Obama's meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Friday carries more weight than normal for the new US president, the White House said. ... Obama, a committed Christian, will have his first audience with the pope since becoming president shortly after the end of a three-day Group of Eight summit in the Italian town of L'Aquila. He will be accompanied by his wife Michelle.
"After taking office in January, Obama ended his predecessor George W. Bush's restrictions on government funding for embryonic stem cell research and for family planning groups that carry out or facilitate abortions overseas.
"'The fact however is that, given the influence of the Catholic Church globally as well as in the United States, and frankly given the influence of the Catholic Church and Church social teaching on the President himself, he recognises that this is much more than your typical state visit,' said [Deputy National Security Adviser Denis] McDonough. 'I do believe that it's fair to say that the President very much looks forward to this visit.'"
Bloomberg News' Lorraine Woellert, "Democrats Link Pope's 'Economic Justice' Plea With Obama Agenda"
Politics Daily's David Gibson, "Pope Benedict's Meeting with Obama a Setback for Conservative Catholics"
Earlier today, the president and the members of the G-8 met with the Outreach 5 (Egypt, Algeria, Senegal, Nigeria, Libya, Ethiopia). Mr. Obama then met unilaterally with South African President Jacob Zuma.
