There was a sharp rebuke Wednesday from Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan that put even more pressure on the president to calm a widening election year uproar. The issue at hand was the president's insistence that Catholic institutions provide free birth control to their employees.
 

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Dolan came to the South Bronx to bless a library, but he had no blessings -- just harsh words -- for President Barack Obama, who wants Catholic institutions to pay for birth control, the morning after pill and other services for people who work for them.

"The federal government should do what it's traditionally done since July 4, 1776, namely back out of intruding into the internal life of a church," Dolan told CBS 2's Marcia Kramer.

The leader of the New York Archdiocese picked up support from Speaker John Boehner, who said either Obama reverses the policy or the House will.

"The federal government has drifted dangerously beyond its constitutional boundaries. This attack by the federal government on religious freedom in our country must not stand and will not stand," Boehner said.

The attacks left the White House foundering. It wants to find some way to calm Catholic opposition, but will not back down on the policy, itself.

"I want to be clear today that the commitment to insuring the women have access to these important health care services remains very strong," Press Secretary Jay Carney said.

Source: CBS New York