Obama to the Catholic Press on abortion and gays

From USNews:

Obama cast the decision to have an abortion in a decidedly negative light. "I don't know any circumstance in which abortion is a happy circumstance or decision," Obama said, "and to the extent that we can help women avoid being confronted with a circumstance in which that's even a consideration, I think that's a good thing."

It will be interesting to see how abortion-rights advocates react to this....

Obama said he's struggling to reconcile his religious faith with his acceptance of gays and lesbians:

For the gay and lesbian community in this country, I think it's clear that they feel victimized in fairly powerful ways and they're often hurt by not just certain teachings of the Catholic Church, but the Christian faith generally. And as a Christian, I'm constantly wrestling with my faith and my solicitude and regard and concern for gays and lesbians.

Reaffirming his support for a conscience clause for medical workers who object to abortion or other procedures, the president knocked critics who alleged that he'd undo such a clause:

There have been some who keep on anticipating the worst from us, and it's not based on anything I've said or done, but is rather just a perception somehow that we have some hard-line agenda that we're seeking to push.

Of course, what social conservatives fear will be "the worst" from the Obama administration is what many liberals would consider "the best." The president suggests that enacting liberal policies around abortion would constitute a "hard-line agenda." Abortion-rights groups aren't going to be happy with that kind of framing.