There was a sharp rebuke Wednesday from Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan that put even more pressure on the president to calm a widening election year uproar. The issue at hand was the president’s insistence that Catholic institutions provide free birth control to their employees.
Dolan came to the South Bronx to bless a library, but he had no blessings — just harsh words — for President Barack Obama, who wants Catholic institutions to pay for birth control, the morning after pill and other services for people who work for them.
“The federal government should do what it’s traditionally done since July 4, 1776, namely back out of intruding into the internal life of a church,” Dolan told CBS 2’s Marcia Kramer.
The leader of the New York Archdiocese picked up support from Speaker John Boehner, who said either Obama reverses the policy or the House will.
◼ Rasmussen: Majority opposes Obama contraception mandate on religious organizations - HotAir
◼ Obama Weighed Religious Politics Before Contraceptive Decision - Mike Dorning & Margaret Talev/Bloomberg News
Vice President Joe Biden and then-White House chief of staff Bill Daley, also Catholics, warned that the mandate would be seen as a government intrusion on religious institutions. Even moderate Catholic voters in battleground states might be alienated, they warned, according to the people familiar with the discussions.◼ White House tries to quell birth control storm - Carrie Budoff Brown & J. Lester Feder/Politico
◼ This is Not Just a “Culture War,” It’s An Attack on The First Amendment - Ron Futrell/Big Journalism
◼ White House Lays Low as Birth Control Dispute Heats Up - Alexis Simendinger/Real Clear Politics
