"This space," he said, "helps to prove that civil discussion is still possible."

"The whole thing is very exciting - just the fact that these groups are having very civil discussions," he said.

When I release your mouth, we will have a civil discussion.

It does not take an official position on abortion, except to support "civil discussion surrounding the matter."

But several people who were there said that what had started out as a civil discussion eventually led to shouting.

Sure, it was a civil discussion between conservatives in nice-looking outfits.

If your goal is to have a more civil discussions you have to be the role models.

And so I think we can have a pretty large area of civil discussion without it breaking down into automatic hostility.

Last week he urged Congress to have a civil, respectful discussion about the issue.