CNN Rejects Catholic Group's Obama-Themed Pro-Life Ad

By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country

The conservative Catholic group Fidelis says CNN has rejected its television ad that uses Barack Obama's life story to make the pro-life case. Fidelis group submitted the ad—which has run on Black Entertainment Television in Chicago and that Fidelis says has garnered 1.6 million online viewers, landing it in YouTube's top 10 most viewed category on Inauguration Day—to run on CNN next week during Obama's big address to Congress.

Watch the ad here:

From Fidelis:

CNN claims the ad "suggests a position in favor of the advocacy message, without having permission of the persons involved."

Burch reacted to CNN's claims: "This is absurd. Our ad does not suggest that Barack Obama is pro-life. Instead, we make the obvious point that Obama's mother gave birth to a child that ultimately became the 1st African American President. This is a fact, not an opinion."

The standard CNN used to reject the ad did not prevent the network from airing a 2005 ad sponsored by the pro-abortion group NARAL that suggested that then Judge John Roberts supported violence against abortion clinics....

"CNN doesn't accept advocacy ads that portray personal decisions in a manner that suggests a position in favor of the advocacy message, without having permission of the persons involved. CNN is not accepting this particular advocacy ad because it deals with a highly personal and private matter and does so without the consent of those involved."

"There is nothing objectionable in this positive, life-affirming advertisement. We never mention the word abortion. We show an ultrasound of a baby. And we congratulate Barack Obama on becoming the first African-American President. And we simply ask people to imagine the potential of each human life," said Burch.

• Read more by Dan Gilgoff.
• Read more about abortion.