Obama Avoids Culture War

E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post praises President Obama for refusing to answer his critics in kind in a much anticipated commencement address at the University of Notre Dame.

There were many messages sent from South Bend. Obama's opponents seek to reignite the culture wars. He doesn't. They would reduce religious faith to a narrow set of issues. He refused to join them. They often see theological arguments as leading to certainty. He opted for humility... He paid more respect to opponents of stem cell research -- he spoke of their "admirable conviction about the sacredness of life" -- than he had in his original announcement altering Bush's policies. And on abortion, the issue that ignited the protests against him, Obama endorsed a broad agenda: "Let's reduce unintended pregnancies. Let's make adoption more available. Let's provide care and support for women who do carry their children to term."

By facing their arguments head-on and by demonstrating his attentiveness to Catholic concerns, Obama strengthened moderate and liberal forces inside the church itself. He also struck a forceful blow against those who would keep the nation mired in culture-war politics without end. Obama's opponents on the Catholic right placed a large bet on his Notre Dame visit. And they lost.

--Ballard Burgher