WASHINGTON AND LOS ANGELES — In calling last month for "common ground" on abortion, President Obama launched his search for an unlikely political sweet spot -- a popular stance on an issue that has long been dominated by extremes.
But the slaying Sunday of Kansas abortion doctor George Tiller has raised the level of mistrust between the very factions that the White House has been trying to bring together.
The administration had already been struggling to soothe simmering tensions. Two days before Obama delivered his call for common ground at Notre Dame, the White House hosted a meeting of activists on both sides, and a subtle but telling disagreement over semantics arose between an Obama aide and a leading abortion foe. Now some activists say they have yet to see room for compromise.
Tiller's death is a "massive setback" in the search for common ground, said Cristina Page, a New York City author and abortion rights advocate. "It's sort of like having a family member murdered and then being asked to make nice with the assassin's family. It's unnatural."
Page, who attended the White House meeting, added: "If there's common ground here, it's that it is in the [antiabortion community's] best interest to not attract homicidal idiots who want to use their cause to justify these acts."
For the many antiabortion groups that rushed to condemn Tiller's killing, such language was frustrating but not unexpected.
"There is no question that some in the pro-abortion movement will attempt to paint all pro-lifers with this bloody brush," said Richard Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. "The murder of the doctor is not a question of pro-choice versus pro-life. This is a question of civilization versus barbarism."
Already, those who oppose abortion say that Obama's rhetoric on compromise has been undercut by his actions, including the appointments of high-profile abortion supporters and moves that include restoring U.S. funds for foreign groups that do abortions.
"It is very hard to find common ground when none of your policies overlap with the people you are trying to find common ground with," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, which supports female candidates who oppose abortion.
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Ongoing effort
Still, last month's meeting was one of several conversations being hosted by Obama aides, who plan to continue the sessions and draft policy proposals in coming months.
