At Notre Dame, Obama delves into abortion debate

By JULIE PACE

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Facing protests and controversy, President Barack Obama pressed for a change in tone in the nation's divisive debate over abortion.

Addressing the issue head-on at the University of Notre Dame, one of the leading Catholic universities, Obama told graduates on Sunday that while the two sides may never agree on the issue, there is some common ground.

"We can still agree that this is a heart-wrenching decision for any woman to make, with both moral and spiritual dimensions," Obama told the university's 2,900 graduates.

Obama called for "open hearts. Open minds. Fair-minded words" in the public debate over the issue, arguing that there was no reason to reduce the other side to caricatures.

At Notre Dame, Obama delves into abortion debate....