Washington D.C., Dec 9, 2008 / 23:51 pm
Catholics concerned about pro-life issues should not believe suggestions that President-elect Obama is interested in finding common ground with them, Russell Shaw has argued in a recent edition of Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly. In particular, Shaw warned that the legislative prospects of the radically pro-abortion Freedom of Choice Act should not be underestimated.
Shaw argued that President-elect Obama has not shown signs of engaging with Catholics and other pro-life advocates, especially through his choices of cabinet members and White House staffers. He noted that Obama has appointed pro-abortion rights Catholic Tom Daschle as Secretary of Health and Human Services, while choosing as the director of his Domestic Policy Council a former member of Planned Parenthood’s board of directors, Melody Barnes.
Further, the head of White House communications will be Ellen Moran, a former executive director of the abortion advocacy group EMILY’s List.
“This, it must be said, is not the path to engagement,” Shaw remarked.