Strang: Your plan [with faith-based initiatives] specifically prohibits discriminatory hiring policies based on religion. Don't you think faith-based organizations that would otherwise want to join this program would bristle at the limitation that they can't hire a staff that reflects their organization's values?Obama: I think it's important to distinguish between people who are hired as part of a church to carry out that church's mission or ministries, or administer the church. There's always a religious exemption there from Title VII. It's important for us to make sure that a Christian church can hire Christians or a Jewish church can hire people of the Jewish faith. That's different from programs that are specifically funded by the federal government and offered to the public. […] And that's not going to encroach on the ability of those faith-based organizations to do what they need to do when it comes to their core religious mission. They are going to be able to hire and carry out those functions of a church, or synagogue, mosque or temple, but they can also participate in federal programs as long as those are done in a way that is not encroaching on a separation of church and state, is open to the public and is not involved in proselytizing.Strang: Based on emails we received, another issue of deep importance to our readers is a candidate's stance on abortion. We largely know your platform, but there seems to be some real confusion about your position on third-trimester and partial-birth abortions. Can you clarify your stance for us?Obama: I absolutely can, so please don't believe the emails. I have repeatedly said that I think it's entirely appropriate for states to restrict or even prohibit late-term abortions as long as there is a strict, well-defined exception for the health of the mother. Now, I don't think that "mental distress" qualifies as the health of the mother. I think it has to be a serious physical issue that arises in pregnancy, where there are real, significant problems to the mother carrying that child to term. Otherwise, as long as there is such a medical exception in place, I think we can prohibit late-term abortions….
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