epublican presidential candidate Steve Forbes visited the home of Cardinal Bernard Law yesterday for a private meeting with the spiritual leader of millions of New England Catholics.
Although a spokesman for Law said the meeting did not constitute an endorsement, it was a symbolic coup for Forbes as he courts religious conservatives on the weekend before the New Hampshire primary.
Law is a monolithic figure in Boston, but his influence extends to New Hampshire, home to an estimated 300,000 Catholics.
Forbes's bus caravan rolled up to Law's Brighton residence yesterday afternoon for a meeting that lasted more than an hour out of public view. The magazine publisher said that the two men had a ''wide-ranging discussion'' that included the topic of abortion, which both he and Law vehemently oppose.
''It was certainly one of the highlights of the past year,'' Forbes said. ''It was very moving. He is a remarkable man.''
Aides to both men said the visit - first proposed by Forbes in April - was meant to be a casual chat and signified nothing more. ''This is being seen here as a courtesy visit,'' said John Walsh, a spokesman for the cardinal. ''Nothing should be read into this.''
Forbes added that Law expressed no preference among the GOP candidates and was ''not going to immerse himself in the politics of the Republican primary.''
Still, Law's audience with Forbes so close to Tuesday's primary appeared to be a tacit show of support for a candidate who shares Law's strong conservative views on issues like abortion and assisted suicide, if not his liberalism on poverty issues.
Law does not endorse candidates, but he has not been shy about advancing his antiabortion position in the political arena.
Forbes has made abortion a central theme of his campaign, saying he places an even higher priority on the issue than his 17 percent flat tax plan.
Before traveling to Boston, Forbes renewed his criticism of George W. Bush's record as Texas governor. Forbes appeared yesterday with one current and one former Texas education official, arguing that Bush has presided over five years of declining test scores and a growing school bureacracy.
