"One 'Culture of Life' sandwich, please, hold the lettuce, tomato, and bun."

Love, Infinity, Sperm and Egg by John Farah

You really have to love it when W's spokesman gets caught defending his boss's inconsistent and thus incoherent, "Consistent Life/culture of life/seamless garment" position.

As you know, W has co-opted the Catholic phrase, "culture of life", which, to an orthodox Catholic, means no abortion and no euthanasia -- positions the President supports. However, the orthodox "culture of life" position also entails no war, no death penalty, working to eliminate poverty, and no contraception -- the first three positions being those where the President becomes a "cafeteria Catholic", deftly leaving those behind for one more pious than he. But what about contraception? Where does he stand on that one, in a time when some pharmacists are loathe to dispense birth control pills?

We don't get much help from today's press conference, but it would have been fun to see McClellan squirm:

Q There are news reports this morning that parents and children who were guests of the President, when they visited Congress, wore stickers with the wording, "I was an embryo." And my question is, since all of us were once embryos, and all of us were once part sperm and egg, is the President also opposed to contraception, which stops this union and kills both sperm and egg?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think the President has made his views known on these issues, and
his views known --

Q You know, but what I asked, is he opposed -- he's not opposed to contraception, is he?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, and you've made your views known, as well. The President --

Q No, no, but is he opposed to contraception, Scott? Could you just tell us yes or no?

MR. McCLELLAN: Les, I think that this question is --

Q Well, is he? Does he oppose contraception?

MR. McCLELLAN: Les, I think the President's views are very clear when it comes to building a culture of life --

Q If they were clear, I wouldn't have asked.

MR. McCLELLAN: -- and if you want to ask those questions, that's fine. I'm just not going to dignify them with a response.

Socrates could not have done any better -- the irony of choking on the "culure of life."