Catholic surgeon general nominee supports Obama abortion stance, White House says
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Dr. Regina Benjamin

Washington D.C., Jul 15, 2009 / 07:09 pm (CNA).- Speculation about whether President Barack Obama’s new nominee for surgeon general is a pro-life Catholic has been circulating in the press and on the internet. On Wednesday, a White House spokesman touched on the matter but only said Dr. Regina Benjamin supports the president on “reproductive health issues.”

Dr. Benjamin, a rural Catholic doctor from Alabama, has served on the board of the Catholic Health Association. She  has also received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award from the Pope because of her example in her Catholic faith and in her medical profession, Monsignor Michael L. Farmer told CNA on Monday.

Msgr. Farmer, rector at the cathedral in Mobile, Alabama, said Dr. Benjamin had served as a lector there. Acknowledging that he did not “explicitly” know the nominee’s position on abortion and other life issues, he said that to his knowledge she has been “in conformity with the Catholic Church.”

The monsignor also expressed hope she would adhere to Catholic moral teaching in a position with the Obama administration.

However, White House spokesman Reid Cherlin told McClatchy Newspapers on Wednesday that Dr. Benjamin “supports the president’s position on reproductive health issues.”

President Obama supports legalized abortion, public funding of contraception and “comprehensive” sex education.

“Like him she believes that this is an issue where it is important to try and seek common ground and come together to try and reduce the number of unintended pregnancies,” Cherlin continued, according to McClatchy. “As a physician, she is deeply committed to the philosophy of putting her patients' needs first when it comes to providing care.”

Dr. Benjamin founded and operated the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic, which does not perform abortions. An unidentified clinic employee told McClatchy that patients seeking information about abortions would be referred to providers in the state.

The surgeon general nominee was also a board member between 1996 and 2000 of Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), an international group that has advocated access to “safe” abortions in its investigations of conditions in some countries.

A PHR associate of Benjamin's said that during her time on the board abortion “was never a focus of her advocacy work.”

Dr. Benjamin is President Obama’s second proposed candidate for surgeon general. He had previously considered CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who withdrew himself from consideration in March.

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Subscriber comments:
Published by: Ronald Falter
Columbia, SC, USA 07/24/2009 02:35 PM EST
To answer the question "Does Dr. Benjamin support abortion?", just consider the radical abortion advocate that nominated her. Would he have it any other way?
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Published by: Erny
Philippines 07/22/2009 07:30 PM EST
'That he may prevent us from doing a good work, the devil often suggests a greater one; but he understands well how to prevent its execution afterwards, by new obstacles.'

St. Ignatius of Loyola
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Published by: Dan
Santa Fe 07/21/2009 07:48 AM EST
There was no doubt from the start that Dr. Benjamin was on board with the Obama administration on this issue. Not sure what all the fuss is about this---America is getting what a majority asked for last November.
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Published by: momcasmi
grand rapids mi usa 07/20/2009 07:34 AM EST
Msgr. Farmer, rector at the cathedral in Mobile, Alabama, said Dr. Benjamin had served as a lector there. Acknowledging that he did not “explicitly” know the nominee’s position on abortion and other life issues, he said that to his knowledge she has been “in conformity with the Catholic Church.” She is not in conformity with the church. I wish that someone had done some homework before giving her an award! Perhaps an interview asking her about her views on abortion an life issues? What a concept! These pro-abortion public figures that claim to be Catholics need to be excommunicated. They undermine the Church!
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Published by: Ellen Simoni
Port Charlotte, FL 07/17/2009 08:21 AM EST
I agree she is proabortion. Obama said it first that we can find common ground. The Vatican newspaper thought that was a nice gesture, but Pope gave him pro-life literature. Not that he'll read it. He is arrogant enough that he thinks he can divide us and convince us that "reducing abortios" is what is needed only. We have to show him by letter, phone calls, talking to friends and anyone, and praying alot that there is no middle ground to killing the innocent. We saved the eagle, the manatee, now the sharks, turtles, and scrub jays...What a disconnect! Poor babies genocide for them.
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Published by: Lance Patrick
Columbus, GA, USA 07/16/2009 07:57 PM EST
And this will continue until the bishops care enough about these peoples souls to incur excommunications to try to resolve their problems with Chruch teaching.
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Published by: jane
greer, sc, usa 07/16/2009 03:55 PM EST
I don't understand how she has received 2 prestigious awards: one from the Pope, the other from Mother Teresa' group....
Is the entire Church naive? How about Sr. Keehan..the president of the Catholic Health Association ? She is the same Daughter of Charity who supported Kmiec and his "rationale" in support of Obama's election!!
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Published by: Frank Heverly
Hot Springs AR USA 07/16/2009 01:40 PM EST
Mithinks we may finally be seeing the anti-christ. Please pray for his conversion to Christianity, EVERY DAY.
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Published by: jane
sarasota/fl/usa 07/16/2009 12:29 PM EST
One cannot be pro-abortion and Catholic. It is a deception to others but God knows all of our hearts. All life is sacred from the unborn to the elderly, from the able to the disabled. Shame on her for saying she is what she isn't. She will fit in with the group in charge of our country right now--they are not trustworthy and honest.
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Published by: Andrew Eppink
Lake Los Angeles, CA, USA 07/16/2009 12:02 PM EST
What a surprise. Could it possibly have been otherwise. Another 'Catholic' in good standing.
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Published by: Jeff Johnson
Collegeville, MN 07/16/2009 11:27 AM EST
There is no common ground on abortion: it is straightforward murder.

How long are American Catholics going to put up with that smoke screen? How long are we going the administration of Obama confuse and divide us
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Published by: WSBowles
Louisville, KY/USA 07/16/2009 09:24 AM EST
So, Obama wants "to try and seek common ground and come together to try and reduce the number of unintended pregnancies." Why? If he supports abortion, why reduce "unintended" pregnancies? Tell me Mr. President what is the "common ground" when it comes to killing a life?
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Published by: Phil
Riverside 07/16/2009 01:56 AM EST
It is a tradegy and sad day once again for the unborn, who have another 'buffet Catholic' that does not support the Church's teaching on abortion. Shame on Dr. Benjamin and what a scandal it is to call her a doctor. Please pray for her conversion.
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Published by: kim
yuma/az/usa 07/15/2009 11:26 PM EST
Does the White house really think that if they can find enough PRO abortion Catholics the rest of us will fall into line?
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Published by: diane smith
Northern California, USA 07/15/2009 09:35 PM EST
Perhaps Dr. Benjamin should have held her own confirmation hearings of BO. To say that she is a Catholic and "supports the president on reproductive health issues" is indeed contradictory. One cannot do both!

Even those who haven't reached their majority yet know the president's stance on human life. He is FOR ABORTION. FOR PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTION. FOR POPULATION CONTROL . FOR TAXPAYER-PAID ABORTIONS/ BIRTH CONTROL. FOR GENOCIDE. FOR EUTHANASIA AND FOR GOVT. APPORTIONED HEALTH CARE.

He is evil incarnate. He is continually pushing to get his (unread) programs pushed thru in the middle of the night, on an accelerated time schedule. Thats because evil can't stand the light of day.

Perhaps Harry Reid, who we know lies a lot, and Pelosi, the rah-rah girl, same category, put their slant on this as they usually do.
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Published by: Robert Matzinger
Taylor/Michigan/USA 07/15/2009 08:20 PM EST
No surprise here folks: Obama selects an abortion advocate as his surgeon general. She'll fit right in with the rest of his pro-death administation and assit in providng for more means of abortions!
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Published by: JLS
Riverside, CA, USA 07/15/2009 08:14 PM EST
Isn't this the Catholic position, to reduce abortions by increasing abortions?
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