More on Hagee, Wright, abortion, and Obama

In light of Eduardo's post the other day -- on Frank Rich and the "double standard" he thinks is being applied to Jeremiah Wright and John Hagee -- this piece, "Meeting John Hagee", might be relevant.  (I've been very critical of Hagee, and of politicians who cozy up to him, so the piece was informative for me, too.)

For what it's worth, I am quite sure that Sen. Obama does not share Rev. Wright's loopy and offensive views.  I am equally sure that Sen. McCain does not agree with (or care much about) John Hagee's understanding of Revelation or his (unremarkable, given the source) views of the Roman Catholic Church. 

Much more worrisome (to me) than Sen. Obama's (I assume) strategic relationship with Rev. Wright's church is his staunch support for the Freedom of Choice Act -- he said his "first act" as President would be to push for it -- and his apparent unwillingness, so far, to even endorse the Democrats for Life-supported "95-10" initiative.  There's much that is appealing about Sen. Obama -- I understand why so many political liberals like him -- but, when it comes to abortion, he's a garden-variety, down-the-line NARAL guy.  The FOCA would, remember, among other things, undo the partial-birth-abortion ban and other regulations of abortion, require public funding of abortions, and nullify conscience-clause protections.  This latter effect of the Act, in particular, seems inconsistent with Sen. Obama's professed belief -- a belief that is, apparently, quite important to my friend Doug Kmiec -- that it is wrong to "tamp down the moral dimension to abortion".