On Friday’s Special Report with Bret Baier, FNC correspondent Molly Henneberg highlighted the controversial decision by Notre Dame to invite the pro-choice President Obama to speak and be awarded an honorary degree. Henneberg filled in viewers on recent remarks by Archbishop Raymond Burke of the Vatican Supreme Court as the Catholic Church official voiced disapproval of Obama’s planned appearance. Henneberg: "He does not think Notre Dame, a Catholic university, should have invited President Obama to give the commencement address on May 17. And he does not think the university should present the pro-choice President with an honorary degree."
The FNC correspondent also reminded viewers that Archbishop Burke had previously been critical of Senator John Kerry when the Massachusetts Democrat ran for President in 2004. Henneberg: "President Obama is a Protestant, but the Archbishop also has spoken out previously against pro-choice Catholic politicians such as Massachusetts Democratic Senator John Kerry, saying he does not think they should be allowed to take communion."
After noting that most American Catholics give President Obama a positive job approval rating, Henneberg concluded by recounting that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius also received criticism from Archbishop Burke. Henneberg: "Today, Archbishop Burke also mentioned by name, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who's pro-choice and Catholic. The Archbishop says having her in the Health and Human Services position is ‘the source of deepest embarrassment for Catholics.’"
Below is a complete transcript of the report from the Friday, May 8, Special Report with Bret Baier on FNC:
BRET BAIER: President Obama is running into significant resistance to next weekend's commencement appearance at one of the nation’s most prominent Catholic schools. Correspondent Molly Henneberg reports one critic in particular is not holding anything back. Good evening, Molly.
MOLLY HENNEBERG: Hi, Bret. Archbishop Raymond Burke, a powerful Vatican official, the head of the Vatican Supreme Court, has said it before and he said it again today at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast here in Washington. He does not think Notre Dame, a Catholic university, should have invited President Obama to give the commencement address on May 17. And he does not think the university should present the pro-choice President with an honorary degree.
ARCHBISHOP RAYMOND BURKE, VATICAN SUPREME COURT: The proposed granting of an honorary doctorate at Notre Dame University to our President who is so aggressively advancing an anti-life and anti-family agenda is rightly the source of the greatest scandal.
HENNEBERG: President Obama is a Protestant, but the Archbishop also has spoken out previously against pro-choice Catholic politicians such as Massachusetts Democratic Senator John Kerry, saying he does not think they should be allowed to take communion. Despite the Notre Dame controversy, President Obama does well among Catholics. And a Quinnipiac national poll out at the end of last month, 57 percent of Catholics approve of the way President Obama is doing his job. Thirty-three percent disapprove. The White House says the President was honored to be invited to Notre Dame's commencement and he's going.
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Notre Dame has a good history of robust civic debate, and the President looks forward to speaking to the graduating class and hopefully giving them a message that they'll think about as they move forward.
HENNEBERG: Today, Archbishop Burke also mentioned by name, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who's pro-choice and Catholic. The Archbishop says having her in the Health and Human Services position is "the source of deepest embarrassment for Catholics." A spokeswoman for Secretary Sebelius had no comment.
