Did Obama ask Sotomayor about Abortion?

Reading the tea leaves, no. At least not specifically.

At today's White House briefing, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs refused to go into detail over the private conversations the president had with any of his prospective Supreme Court picks. He would only characterize Obama's conversation with Supreme Court Justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor as, "a general discussion about the constitutional interpretation" and theory of settled law.

"He left very comfortable with her interpretation of the Constitution being similar to that of his, though the bulk of the conversation was about her approach to judging," said Gibbs of the president's sit down.

When pressed if the president took that to mean that Sotomayor, who has been a judge on the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit of New York for the last 11 years, believes in a constitutional right to privacy, Gibbs said the president was "comfortable that she shares his philosophy generally on the Constitution."

During his run for president, then candidate Obama made clear that when it comes to the abortion issue, he would stand up for choice. So why didn't the now president ask his potential nominee directly, who was raised Catholic, about her stance on the sensitive topic? Gibbs noted that Obama was careful, as previous presidents have been, not to ask specifically how nominees might rule in potential cases that could come before the Court.

So do the president and his Scotus pick see eye to eye on abortion? Gibbs would only reiterate that Obama "felt comfortable that they shared a philosophy" on their interpretation of the Constitution and is "comfortable with her judicial philosophy."

The president announced his Supreme Court pick on Tuesday. If confirmed by the Senate, Sotomayor would replace retiring Justice David Souter. She is expected to make visits to Capitol Hill sometime early next week.