Catholics watching tonight’s presidential debate should pay close attention if the topic of health-care reform comes up.

Why?

Not just because Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama has made the issue a central campaign plank.

But Obama may also intend to use health-care reform as a vehicle to mandate abortion access, according to the Weekly Standard’s blog.

The blog cites comments Obama made in July 2007 following a speech to a Planned Parenthood conference.

“In my mind reproductive care is essential care,” Obama said. “It is basic care, and so it is at the center, the heart of the plan that I propose.”

An Obama spokesman subsequently confirmed to the Chicago Tribune that Obama’s definition of “reproductive-health services” that should be covered by health insurance includes abortion.

The Weekly Standard’s John McCormack said Obama’s campaign has refused to clarify whether Obama’s health-care plan would indeed mandate coverage for all legal abortions.

“Apparently the Obama-Biden campaign doesn’t think it needs to provide basic factual information about their candidate’s health care plan,” McCormick said. “Will any one in the mainstream media hold Obama accountable?”

— Tom McFeely