“What I intended to say is that, as a Christian, I have a lot of humility about understanding when does the soul enter into … It's a pretty tough question. And so, all I meant to communicate was that I don't presume to be able to answer these kinds of theological questions.”
Explaining the answer he wished he had given to Rev. Warren’s question, Obama commented, “What I do know is that abortion is a moral issue, that it's one that families struggle with all the time. And that in wrestling with those issues, I don't think that the government criminalizing the choices that families make is the best answer for reducing abortions.”
He then endorsed ensuring that “the young mothers, or women who have a pregnancy that's unexpected or difficult, have the kind of support they need to make a whole range of choices, including adoption and keeping the child.”
Obama said this position is reflected in the Democratic Party’s platform.
Mark Stricherz, political commentator and author of the book Why the Democrats are Blue, commented on Obama’s remarks in a Monday telephone interview with CNA.
“He’s covering himself. He knows he messed up at the Saddleback Forum,” Stricherz argued, saying Obama’s remarks had hurt his appeal to religious voters, especially evangelical Christians and Catholics.