Caught in the Act
-- Part One of Two
National Right to Life’s 2008 national
convention began the morning of July 3. Two days before pro-lifers assembled
in Crystal City Virginia, pro-abortion militant (and all-purpose chameleon)
Sen. Barack Obama used a conversation with “Relevant” magazine as another
forum to hide/fudge/smudge/fine-tune/dissemble both on abortion and
infanticide.
You may have read about some of the fall-out that ensued after Obama
appeared to take a step back from his unswerving support for any and every
abortion and for the denial of medical treatment to babies that miraculously
survive abortion. I’ll talk about, and try to explain, but the bottom line
is this.
In his zig-zag back-to-base position on abortion, Obama confirmed that he is
not retreating an inch and is counting on confusion to nullify what would
otherwise be a gigantic negative in the fall elections. The Abortion
Establishment has never had a candidate so closely aligned with its fondest
dreams to multiply the numbers of abortion at home and around the world. But
if the public understands that to see Barack Obama is to see the militant
wing of the anti-life movement, it would be devastating for the junior
senator from Illinois.
ABC’s Jake Tapper put the interview with “Relevant” magazine ("Covering God,
Life, and Progressive Culture") in the context of Obama’s aggressive
outreach to the religious community. “Obama seemed to be moving rightward on
the issue [of abortion] -- rhetorically, at least,” Tapper wrote.
Tapper then quoted from Obama’s remarks: “I have repeatedly said that I
think it’s entirely appropriate for states to restrict or even prohibit
late-term abortions as long as there is a strict, well-defined exception for
the health of the mother. Now, I don’t think that 'mental distress'
qualifies as the health of the mother. I think it has to be a serious
physical issue that arises in pregnancy, where there are real, significant
problems to the mother carrying that child to term. Otherwise, as long as
there is such a medical exception in place, I think we can prohibit
late-term abortions."
Was Obama really questioning the all-purpose escape clause that allows
abortion on demand: the mental health exception?
Within a couple of days Obama was back-peddling in the “all-I-meant-to-say”
style that has come to characterize his almost daily effort to prove his
status as the most liberal senator is unearned. His head-scratcher of an
explanation was even more convoluted that his original remarks to “Relevant”
magazine but the gist of is was “of course not!”
“He maintains he wasn't discussing any view that runs contrary to current
abortion law,” Tapper wrote. “Some abortion opponents suggest that Obama was
merely trying to muddy the waters and sound more centrist on the issue -- as
if his mind were open to some abortion bans, when in fact he was merely
stating current law wrapped in some triangulating language.” Well, yes.
Two other quick points about Obama. Thanks to National Right to Life’s
Federal Legislation Department and the assurances of the authors of the
“Freedom of Choice Act,” conscientious reporters understand that you can’t
support FOCA’s wide-open assault on any and all protective abortion laws and
claim that you are open to even the most minute restriction on the absolute
right to abortion.
Obama is not only a co-sponsor of FOCA, last year he told Planned
Parenthood’s political action arm that “the first thing I’d do as president
is sign the Freedom of Choice Act.” [You can watch Obama as he speaks to the
Planned Parenthood Action Fund by going to
www.imoneinamillion.com/video.php?candidate=obama. Or you can read the
full transcript at
http://lauraetch.googlepages.com/barackobamabeforeplannedparenthoodaction.]
Second, Obama and the head of his National Catholic Outreach grossly
misstated (to be charitable) Obama’s position as a state senator on
providing medical care to aborted babies that somehow survive the
abortionist’s almost-always lethal assaults. In Part Two, I’ll explain how
Obama worked to make sure every single abortion results in a dead baby.
Please read Part Two and send both Part One and Part Two to friends, family,
and colleagues.
Please send your comments
to
daveandrusko@hotmail.com
Part Two --
Obama’s Infanticide Connection |
