John Allen, the well-regarded Vatican expert for the National Catholic Reporter, writes an open-letter to President-elect Obama, urging him to make U.S.-Vatican relations a priority, and urging him to avoid the perceived diplomatic mistakes of the Clinton Administration.  The letter is here. An excerpt:

I’m aware that the stars may not seem especially well-aligned for such collaboration. A small number of Catholic bishops in the United States made statements during the campaign that favored your opponent, which may have left a bitter aftertaste among some of your supporters and advisors. It’s also clear to everyone that, barring a dramatic change of heart on your part, the White House and the Vatican will have deep differences during your term over “life issues” such as abortion and embryonic stem cell research.

“I would urge you, however, not to allow those points to obscure four basic political realities.”