So says Francis Cardinal George about President Obama, as reported by CNS:
"I think on the life issue he's on the wrong side of history," the cardinal said. "I think he has his political debts to pay, and so he's paying them."
Cardinal George said his conversation with the president was polite but substantive.
"It's hard to disagree with him because he'll always tell you he agrees with you," he said. "Maybe that's political. I think he sincerely wants to agree with you. You have to say, again and again, 'No, Mr. President, we don't agree (on abortion).' But we can agree on a lot, and we do, and that's why there is so much hope. I think we have to pray for him every day."
Cardinal George said he told the president he was concerned about his decision to rescind the Mexico City policy, which resulted in providing taxpayer money to fund abortion overseas.
"He said we weren't exporting abortion," the cardinal said. "I said, 'Yes we are.' He would say, 'I know I have to do certain things here. ... But be patient and you'll see the pattern will change.' I said, 'Mr. President, you've given us nothing but the wrong signals on this issue.' So, we'll see, but I'm not as hopeful now as I was when he was first elected."
It seems that President Obama has a way of dashing hope when it comes to life issues. But, then, I'm still not sure why anyone had such hopes in the first place. Perhaps part of the answer is found in Cardinal George's remark, "It's hard to disagree with him because he'll always tell you he agrees with you." Combine that with the appearance of sincerity, which is also vital, and you have the makings of something Josef Pieper warned about in his little classic, Abuse of Language, Abuse of Power:
And, a few lines later:
Cardinal George states that Catholics "can agree on a lot, and we do" with President Obama. Perhaps. We certainly agree on the need to pray for President Obama and all political leaders. But I think Cardinal George, for whom I have great admiration, surely appreciates why I and many others are so doubtful about agreements on substantial points. Unfortunately, President Obama has proven to be adept at often using sophisticated rhetorical skills to misdirect and to disrespect. The spin is in and it is ongoing. Yes, the President has political debts to pay and he does seem to be paying them, as evidenced by his many radically pro-abortion nominees. Our debt, as Pieper notes, must be to truth, for it is the basis of all that is good, decent, respectful, and authentic.
"It's hard to disagree with him because he'll always tell you he agrees with you," he said. "Maybe that's political. I think he sincerely wants to agree with you. You have to say, again and again, 'No, Mr. President, we don't agree (on abortion).' But we can agree on a lot, and we do, and that's why there is so much hope. I think we have to pray for him every day."
This does not strongly present the teaching of the Church as not being subject to any compromise whatsoever when it comes to the murder of innocents. We DO NOT agree on a lot and this comes close to the classical "seamless garment" approach of the late Cardinal Bernardin. Cardinal George sounds more like a fellow politician than a prince of the Church. Obama must have left that meeting with a smile on his face.
Posted by: Brian J. Schuettler | Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 09:59 AM
I agree. President Obama has not given any indication he is interested in human life, dignity or truth during his political career. Indeed, he stated that he was incapable of deciding when human beings get human rights. Additionally, he has been proven to be a disciple of avowed communists who hate truth and want power.
Quite frankly, at this point, with so much evidence available, I think that the presumption is we cannot work with Obama and trust him. He offers to feed the poor and allow us, through faith based initiatives and government programs to offer medical services, etc. But Satan made much the same offer in the desert to Jesus Christ, just so long as Jesus would "compromise" and worship him. Sound familiar? We should follow the Master's example and reject such offers of "goodwill."
The President of the United States is not King, we do not need to "work with him" to participate in the political process of America! If people are really hungry to participate, start getting involved in local and state government, run for office, but please don't compromise with evil!
Posted by: Gunnar Gundersen | Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 10:36 AM
This is spot on. I teach at an HBCU, and see this all the time with the generation gap between older African-Americans who have the black Church heritage in their veins, and the newer generation that has much less of that and much more of modern secular education in their veins. They all essentially "agree" on parroted goals, but they do not share the same values. Obama is the walking personification of this transition fully accomplished, which is why his victory as a minority candidate is such a tragedy. It many ways I think there are parallels with much of the liberal biblical scholarship that triumphed after Vatican II, all the while claiming the same fidelity to scripture. It is far more damning than someone who honestly knows and says they are at cross purposes with you.
Posted by: Joe | Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 04:17 PM
Time to read Lord of the World again.
Posted by: Linus | Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 05:34 PM
"It seems that President Obama has a way of dashing hope when it comes to life issues. But, then, I'm still not sure why anyone had such hopes in the first place."
DITTO. I've lived in Illinois my entire life and I can NOT understand why voters in Chicago keep voting for empty suits who are all-sizzle-no-steak. To the politicians created by the Democratic machine there, government is a game. Their only interests are in winning the game, grabbing power, and retaining it. Against this backdrop, life isn't sacred -- it's useful.
Posted by: Mary H. | Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 07:59 PM
Great post! What timing! The more I write to reps., etc., the more odd letters I receive saying "Thank you for agreeing with me" which then state the very policies I had just written against. I was beginning to feel a little crazy.
Plus, the words employed to justify what is not justifiable are becoming more and more disconnected from truth and reality. At the same time, we are "reassured" (ie, threatened) during "friendly" public discussions that WE will "evolve" to the point where what we object to will no longer disturb us.
Linguists beware! You are being edged out of significance by persuasive and deceptive advertisers. Language is becoming the "black art" of politics.
Here is a sad example:
http://www.projo.com/opinion/columnists/content/CL_harrop19_04-19-09_9TE20AM_v9.3e64ecc.html
If you haven't surrendered to "evolution" yet, maybe some of you might pen a letter to the Providence Journal.
And Linus, I happen to be reading Lord of the World for the first time currently. :)
Yes, it's a timely read.
Posted by: joanne ciocys | Sunday, April 26, 2009 at 04:27 AM
It sounds like Cardinal George has been schmoozed. Pres. Obama seems to use classic French persuasive essay methods. I suppose these come from the Rhetoric section of the Trivium and Quadrivium. Start by agreeing with your partner (or finding points of agreement), then begin inserting your ideas in a calm, reasonable manner. The partner will be, theoretically at least, delighted with how you and he agree and will begin to go along with your program.
An interesting article and interesting comments.
Posted by: Dan Deeny | Sunday, April 26, 2009 at 06:22 AM
Well, it sounds to me like Cardinal George is doing diplomacy, in which case he is not going to say anything downright critical of the president. That's not how diplomacy works. But it's there if you read between the lines. How "hopeful" was he really? I don't know, but it certainly behooved the bishops to at least profess hopefulness, once the man was actually elected. That way they could start out politely and be shocked when their "hopes" did not pan out.
This quote really says it all: "I think on the life issue he's on the wrong side of history," the cardinal said. "I think he has his political debts to pay, and so he's paying them." That's pretty damning.
Posted by: Gail F | Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 07:01 AM
I think Cardinal George represents the error that we need one bishop to speak for all the U.S. bishops; that we should have a "top" U.S. bishop.
We have a top bishop: he of Rome. We do not need intermediaries.
Alas, the bishops in the U.S. are badly represented by the bureaucratic USCCB. It is an unnecessary and an uncanonical organization. What each bishop does in his own diocese is that bishop's business and that bishop's responsibility.
Posted by: Gabriel Austin | Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at 01:40 PM