During his tenure, Carlson was a frequent critic of U.S. Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD), who held certain positions contrary to Catholic teachings. In 1997, before a Senate vote on partial-birth abortion legislation, Carlson denounced a compromise proposed by Daschle that would ban the procedure but allow exemptions for women claiming mental or physical health reasons, calling the proposition a "smokescreen" designed to "provide cover for pro-abortion senators and President Clinton, who wanted to avoid a veto confrontation." In response, Daschle described the Bishops as being "more identified with the radical right than with thoughtful religious leadership."