Bernardin's visionary consistent life ethic wasn't "good enough" for the conservatives in the Church, even though it decried abortion. 

Let me suggest two reasons why:

a) It did not declare abortion THE life issue, therefore, it became "diluted" to conservatives when other pro-life issues accompanied it. That prideful issue rigidity was not only proven wrong, it hurt the pro-life--including anti-abortion--cause.  Allies were lost because they added "liberal" issues like health and justice to the life agenda--and were summarily rejected by the Right's purity test,  because "you aren't one of us." 

b) Conservatives were afraid that in Bernardin's paradigm contraception was not an ethics deal breaker, and that in the fight against abortion, contraception might be viewed as acceptable. Those who fiercely conjoined "abortion and contraception" as a singular issue, worried greatly that Bernardin supporters did not agree with them, ergo his "total package" had to be maligned at any cost.