The Coming Obama Alliance With Religious Conservatives

By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country

Expectations that the Obama administration will find common ground with some prominent religious conservatives over reducing demand for abortion have fizzled somewhat, as the religious right has alleged that Obama-led healthcare reform includes an abortion mandate and taxpayer-funded abortion coverage.

But the best opportunity for Obama to find common cause with abortion foes was never on the abortion issue anyway. It's on comprehensive immigration reform, which would include a path to citizenship for many illegals already in the United States. Check out the witnesses appearing tomorrow on a Senate subcommittee hearing on faith-based perspectives on immigration reform:

His Eminence Theodore E. McCarrick
Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus
Diocese of Washington

The Reverend Samuel Rodriguez
President
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

Michael Gerson
Senior Research Fellow
Institute for Global Engagement
Center on Faith and International Affairs

Leith Anderson
President
National Association of Evangelicals

How many of these prominent religious conservatives will get behind Obama's eventual "common ground plan" on abortion? One or two, maybe, though it's easy to imagine none of them lending an endorsement.

And none may end up supporting the Democrats' healthcare bill.

But it's plausible that all would support the president and his party's attempt to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Considering the outcry from social conservatives on healthcare reform, that's quite an opportunity.

• See President Obama's top faith leaders.
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