White House Pushes Back Against Protests of Pending Presidential Honorary Degree From Notre Dame

I hope all the pro-lifers who can get there go an protest and show Obama that he is completely out of touch with how strongly Catholics feel about his appearance at Notre Dame.

Regardless of the spin that the White House put on it. Good Catholics, that understand their religion and wish to follow it’s teaching, know that President O. is working for baby killers. What more can be said? Everything else is nothing more than political hog wash. I’m surprised this is even an issue. Who invited him anyway? Couldn’t have been a “Practicing Catholic”.

No mention that the last sitting president to receive an honorary degree from Notre Dame was responsible for a large number of state executions — officially disapproved by the Vatican — and later started a war that was denounced by the Pope?
‘Cause something like that would seem relevant.
Maybe you should ask William Donohue or Alan Keyes about that? I think it’d be interesting to hear what they’d have to say about that…

I believe that Notre Dame Officials are hippocrits as is the Vatican. This is a school affiliated with a religion and church that has hidden or moved preists accused for years of abusing children to save face and have a Pope that says condoms are a sin. Not to mention a the fact that they are now boycotting Hollywood because of the Movies “The DaVinci Code” and “Angels and Demons”. As I understand it President Obama is being honored for his Leadership not his beliefs. Why doesn’t the Catholic Church step into the 21st Century and out of the 1st Century, maybe more people would be inclined to join the religion.

“Our objection is not a matter of political partisanship, but of President Obama’s hostility to the Catholic Church’s teachings …”
Why should [President of the United States] Obama bend to the Church’s rules, whims, and wants that he should even shape laws to the Church’s liking (for All the people of the US)? Why not just elect the Pope if America is to be governed by the Church?

Give him some peanuts from George Washington U. instead.

Jake Tapper: “The White House today aggressively pushed back”
I’ve read the story three times now, looking for the tidbit that would indicate that the push back was “aggressive”.
I couldn’t find it. Can you clarify why a detailed response constitutes any aggression. I do see hostility from the anti-choice group, I don’t see any in the WH-response though.

inviting Obama to speak at commencement and honoring him with an honorary degree is the equivalent of flying a 747 across the Manhattan skyline without telling anyone: totally clueless and ‘out of touch’

I thought the pilgrims came to America on the Mayflower to escape the oppression of the Catholic Church and to practice religious freedom. Most Americans including the President understand that in a democracy, differing opinions are inevitable. RESPECT is the key. President Obama has stated that he is saddened by the number of unwanted pregnancies in our nation and has expressed the need to try and increase support systems so more women feel they can handle sustaining a life after it is born. I have heard many comments about “Real Catholic’s” verses Catholics who do not support the fanatical Christian fringe. You guys sound just like the Taliban in the Middle East. What gives you the right to think you can police a women’s body? YOU CANNOT and thank GOD you can’t!

I would be outraged by the Obama invite if I were a Catholic student attending Notre Dame. If I were an atheist attending ND I probably wouldn’t care.

It wasn’t so long ago, when people didn’t think we could ever have a Catholic POTUS.

I think Obama should stand down. He should respect the inherent Catholic belief system, even if only one graduating senior feels Obama is ruining graduation day. I’m proud that we have young people in America who are still willing to stand up for their beliefs, like Miss California. We better all get a little more outspoken or all the freedoms we’ve enjoyed for generations will be taken away by the Liberal Left.

Obama should step down and not go. He
is getting to be a joke.
Wrong place – wrong time!

This isn’t about Obama’s views, it’s about the Catholic Church’s views. He shouldn’t have been asked but now that he has been, they should let him speak but not give him the honarary degree.

Giving Terri Schiavo would have “killed her instantly,” your story proclaims. That is a lie. Who in God’s name are you people, not journalists; perceptual manipulation, deceit, and fraud is your game. No honorary degree for the citizen impostor in Constitutionally corrupt occupancy at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Wow. Did you proof-read this article? Two typos in just the first three paragraphs. That’s when I stop reading. Come on abc. You’re a real news organization.

Great job, once again, ABC, acting as the primary public relations arm of the Obama Administration!

It’s too bad that Notre Dame bowed to the pressure of the White House. Since Obama
fully backs the destruction of fetuses in the womb, there should be no “honorary degree”. Mass protests should be called.
To earn the scorn of Obama, Notre Dame should have a statue or a mural of Jesus in the background where he accepts the award. Watch and see if he shows up.

Remember the inquisition?-thanks to the catholics. Remember that they (the catholics) imprisoned galileo–one of the first real scientists. Remember they–brainwashed the indians in Mexico to destroy their culture in order to destroy their religion and control them and be part of them. And remember that they said the sun revolves around the earth not the other way around. Remember that they took parts of the bible out in order to fit their needs.

Obama defended the indefensible.
Life begins at conception, but even NARAL will at least give the answer as “at birth”. Not so with Obama.
Obama doesn’t even know when human *rights* begin, much less human *life*. Any fool should know the answer to when human *rights* begin is -at minimum- birth. Obama said the question, however, is above his pay grade.

Got to give credit where credit is due-bring out the tea parties and right to lifers to discredit the Democratic President. Reminds me of a cartoon of a Pentagon General that had just received an updated body count from Iraq who shook his head and said, It is a good thing that President Bush is pro-life!

I am so sick of Catholics trying to push their arrogant, false religion on the rest of the country. Yet, none of them are speaking up for healthcare. Their political agenda is sickening and they should be ASHAMED of themselves.

Anymore than you can be Muslim and be Pro-Choice and Pro-Gay Rights (although I don’t see the vicious attacks on the Muslims for this as you see on Catholics).

This group didn’t protest the Iraq war where thousands of innocents died.

“You can’t be Catholic AND Pro-Choice”
I know a lot of Catholics that use birth control when they’re not supposed to. Does the church always define it’s members or do it’s members sometimes define the church?

I’m a bit surprised Jake did not mention (but could be in one of the links within the story) that Mary Ann Glendon rescinded her acceptance of an invitation to accept the ND’s Laetare Medal and to speak at the commencement on May 17:
————
“Mary Ann Glendon, a pro-life Harvard professor and former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, released a letter today to the president of the University of Notre Dame, explaining that she will not accept the school’s prestigious Laetare Medal or speak at the commencement on May 17, where President Barack Obama is also scheduled to speak and receive an honorary degree.
Glendon, in her Apr. 27 letter to Notre Dame President Rev. John Jenkins, said the decision to honor Obama with an honorary degree “was in disregard” to what the U.S. Catholic bishops have specifically taught about Catholic institutions.
To award Obama an honorary degree, Glendon wrote to Jenkins, “as you must know, was in disregard of the U.S. bishops’ express request of 2004 that Catholic institutions ‘should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles’ and that such persons ‘should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.’ That request, which in no way seeks to control or interfere with an institution’s freedom to invite and engage in serious debate with whomever it wishes, seems to me so reasonable that I am at a loss to understand why a Catholic university should disrespect it.”
Glendon further said that “talking points” released by Notre Dame officials to help dampen criticism over Obama giving the commencement speech “included statements implying that my acceptance speech would somehow balance the event.”
“A commencement, however, is supposed to be a joyous day for the graduates and their families,” wrote Glendon. “It is not the right place, nor is a brief acceptance speech the right vehicle, for engagement with the very serious problems raised by Notre Dame’s decision—in disregard of the settled position of the U.S. bishops—to honor a prominent and uncompromising opponent of the Church’s position on issues involving fundamental principles of justice.”
“It is with great sadness, therefore, that I have concluded that I cannot accept the Laetare Medal or participate in the May 17 graduation ceremony,” wrote Glendon, who is the Learned Hand Professor of Law at Harvard Law School.
The Latare Award was established in 1883 and is given to honor a Catholic “whose genius has enobled the arts and sciences, illustrated the ideals of the church and enriched the heritage of humanity,” according to Notre Dame’s Web site.
When it was announced earlier this year that Glendon would receive the award, Notre Dame President Jenkins said that Glendon is “a compelling expositor of Catholic social teaching who exemplifies our University’s most cherished values and deserves its highest praise.”

First, about the beginning of life, if a fertilized egg does not implant in the uterus wall there is not going to be a life. Second, perhaps dozens of fertilized eggs are lost during a woman’s period every month. Third, are those of you who do not give one good d___ for the lives of thousands of Iraqi children in a false war good Catholics? What have you done lately to help the living children of the world who suffer from war, famine, cruelty, molestation by Catholic Priests, etc., etc. If you don’t do this, then your movement is disingenuous and it will soon disintegrate. Do you really believe that your God wants you to call the President of YOUR country “a baby killer”? Then, what do you call the last president responsible for the Iraq war? President Obama is trying to help the millions of children who do not have healthcare. Is that worth anything to you? I forgot, you are not people inclined to reason.

tjp612: Imagine that, a person reaching conclusions based on rational thought and reflection rather than self-interest. Hard to fathom, I’m sure.

Gibbs: “I think there’s one group organizing a boycott … and, as best I can understand it, there are 23 groups that have formed in support of the president’s invitation.”
Yep, let’s make civil rights a matter of a poll.
Spanish Club: “…recognize the other aspects of President Obama’s work that continues to uphold the principles of justice and solidarity.”
Sure, like his expected taking away conscience rights of medical personnel, his State Department’s pushing abortion as a “reproductive right” though UN agencies, the taking away of DC Charter Schools because they produce better students at lower cost than the teacher union can, … and this is only in the first 100 days. It took 9/11 for Bush to decide he needed to waterboard mass-murders to prevent other mass-murders.
Gibbs: “the majority of Catholics are supportive of the invitation the president accepted.”
Yes, Catholics are creatures of the culture, which is asleep over the civil rights issue of our generation. Even the President is blind to the reality of what he supports, I am sure. Just because the majority of Germans didn’t protest when the Nazis starting mistreating the Jews and the mentally and physically handicapped, didn’t make that mistreatment right, even if was politically correct. Eventually the Holocaust resulted. Well, abortion is already a 50 million human being slaugyter!!! Wake up Notre Dame! Wake up America.

When will you stick with criticism about the issues and not the person with whom you differ in opinion? Have you not learned anything from history (Hint: The Dark Ages?) Remember Martin Luther and why he nailed on the door “95 Theses”? I am not Catholic. I am a Protestant-Christian. I am against abortion. I am for choice however. Why? Because God gave man the right to choose. Basic and biblical (look it up!). Is it man that should dictate man’s choices? I thought that’s what liberty of conscience is about! Are you the voice of conscience and reason? I am against homosexual lifestyles. Holy Scripture say that men should not lie with men as with a woman. (See Leviticus 18:22). I respect the right of choice of the lifestyle a person wants to live. I can agree to disagree without succumbing to name-calling and character assassination! I don’t agree on every point with President Obama. Let’ look at teen pregnancy or out-of -wedlock pregnancy glamorized by Hollywood. What are we doing in our community to help stem the tide of out-of-wedlock births and absentee fathers? You cannot legislate choices and morality…biblically speaking when you take away a person’s right to choose, you take away the ability to love freely as I heard a Pastor say. You are passionate and that’s commendable but passion without balance is dangerous, murderous and callous! Read the Bible, Koran, Tanakh, whatever you read and get educated and then help others to make informed choices/decisions. Choice: It’s God given; not man-made or man-ipulated!

President Obama is open to Pro-Lifers who want to work to reduce abortion. He’s willing to listen to those of us who have ideas for promoting more responsibility for sexual behavior and for reducing the incidence of unintended pregnancy. He’s also shown a willingness to support compassionate ideas for making it easier for mothers to choose life.
We can look for common ground, or we can announce to the leader of the free world, “It’s our way or the highway!” Which strategy is going to save more lives?
Paul Bradford, Pro-Life Catholics for Choice
Oh really is that why he overturned the Mexico City Policy? is for forcing doctors to participate in abortions? Wants American taxpayers to PAY for ALL abortions in the U.S.? Is against Pregnancy Centers that provide alternatives to abortions? Wants to make abortions more of a right no matter the gestational age of preborn baby then Roe Vs Wade did? And hiring radical abortion supporters to office? What common ground are you talking about? Pro-Life Catholics for Choice,what exactly does that mean? What Choice are you talking about?

There is only one reason Notre Dame Univeristy was established. That is to be a Catholic University.
If they are not going to actually act in accordance with their Catholic identity, then simply remove “Cahtolic” from the identifier, as so many other colleges and universities have more honestly done.
Don’t lie about it an try to say (with a straight face) down is up, darkness is light, and the Bishops’ document forbidding Catholic institutions from honoring those who publicly hold views contrary to the faith doesn’t apply to Notre Dame.

Why do they keep citing the poll from PEW? If you go to their website they polled 2003 people in the U.S. and 389 are catholic. It just aggravates me that they polled such a small group and act like it represents all Catholics. Nobody asked me. Must have been polled in a Democratic voting district.
Pray for a conversion of our politicians and especially our president. Remember Lincoln was an athiest and he converted.