Pro-Abortionists Gore, Bradley
Two of a Kind
By Carol Tobias, NRL PAC Director
The race for President is well underway with two candidates currently seeking the Democratic nomination and eight candidates running in the Republican primary. Those numbers could change as Republican commentator Pat Buchanan mulls a presidential run on the Reform Party ballot and actor Warren Beatty is apparently contemplating a bid for the Democratic Party nod.
Also looking at a run for President are actress Cybill Shepherd and real estate developer Donald Trump.
Gore, Bradley: Solidly Pro-Abortion
Vice President Al Gore and former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley are in a heated race for the Democratic nomination. Although Gore continues to lead in national polls, Bradley is doing well in the northeast part of the country, where he is well known, and he is now about even with Gore in cash on hand for the campaign. Bradley has tried to say that he has a stronger stance in favor of protecting abortion "rights," but both Bradley and Gore are solidly in the pro-abortion camp. During his 18 years in the Senate, Bradley amassed a strong voting record in favor of abortion. He opposed the Hyde Amendment, supporting instead the use of tax dollars to pay for abortion.
Bradley also opposed the Mexico City Policy and supported the use of tax dollars to promote abortion in third world countries, despite those countries' pro-life laws and cultures. He voted to allow abortions to be performed on military bases and to allow the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., to fund abortion on demand.
Bradley voted against requiring that parents be notified before their minor daughter gets an abortion. He voted to keep partial-birth abortions legal and voted to support President Clinton's veto of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act.
In 1983, Bradley voted against the Hatch Federalism Amendment, which would have declared that the right to abortion is not guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. In 1989, Bradley signed a "friend-of-the-court" brief in the Webster case, asking the Supreme Court to reaffirm its Roe v. Wade decision.
Bradley was also a co-sponsor of the so-called "Freedom of Choice Act" which would have nullified virtually all state limitations on abortion.
Unfortunately, Gore's position on abortion is just as extreme as Bradley's. During a rally to generate support among women for his campaign, Gore stated, "I will always, always defend a woman's right to choose. Every time Congress has tried to play politics with that fundamental, personal right, imposing gag rules and attaching anti-choice language to any bill they can think of, we have stood up to them and stopped them. If they try it again, we'll stop them again."
He then added, "And if they try it after the year 2000, with your help, I'll stop them. That hard-won right will be safe with me as your President."
While serving as a member of the U.S. House from 1977 to 1984, Gore had an 84% pro-life voting record but that quickly changed when he was elected to the Senate in 1984. He led efforts to nullify the Mexico City Policy; he voted to allow abortions to be performed on military bases; and he voted against parental notification.
Gore was a co-sponsor of the aforementioned "Freedom of Choice Act" which would have gone even beyond Roe v. Wade to overturn almost every pro-life law passed by the states.
As Vice President, Gore has stated his unequivocal support of Clinton's vetoes of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. He has been very involved in, and has very aggressively pushed for, funding of programs that attack protective abortion laws in developing countries.
On January 22, 1997, Gore spoke at a NARAL-sponsored Roe v. Wade Anniversary Celebration. He proclaimed, "The right to choose is fundamental. And on behalf of President Clinton I vow to you that we will never let anyone take that right away."
In her remarks at the event, NARAL President Kate Michelman expressed her gratitude to the Clinton-Gore team: "We thank Bill Clinton and Al Gore for saving Roe."
Pro-Life Bush Leads for Republican Nomination
Not doing well in the campaign, pro-life former Vice President Dan Quayle dropped out of the race for President. Among the remaining eight candidates seeking the Republican nomination, pro-life Texas Governor George W. Bush has taken an early lead in both the polls and fundraising, making it an uphill climb for any other candidate to catch up to him.
The latest CNN/Gallup/USA Today poll, released September 15, showed Bush with 62% of the vote in a Republican primary, followed by Elizabeth Dole at 10%. The remaining candidates garnered 5% or less. [See below.]
In a Democratic primary, the poll showed Gore leading Bradley 63% to 30%, with Bush beating both of them. Bush's advantage over Gore was 56%-39%. He had a virtually identical lead over Bradley, 57%-37%.
However, polls show that Pat Buchanan, running as a Reform Party candidate, greatly helps Al Gore close the gap on Bush. A recent Newsweek poll shows Buchanan receiving 8% of the vote, to 46% for Bush and 38% for Gore. Buchanan pulled almost all of his vote from Bush.
Pro-life candidates Gary Bauer, Pat Buchanan, Elizabeth Dole, Steve Forbes, Alan Keyes, and Orrin Hatch are jockeying at this time for the number two position behind Bush. Also seeking the Republican nod is Arizona Senator John McCain, who recently appeared to be modifying his previous pro-life position (see September 14 NRL News, page one).
Caution Urged
NRLC often encourages pro-lifers to be very cautious when they read news stories that are unflattering to pro-life candidates or that attempt to depict a pro-life candidate in a negative manner.
The latest pro-life candidate to be a victim of unfounded negative rumors in the press was Gary Bauer. Bauer answered those rumors in a very credible statement which ought to put an end to the rumors. However, this latest episode should serve as a reminder to pro-lifers not to depend on media characterizations of pro-life candidates or their stands, but rather to look at what pro-life candidates actually say and whether or not there are any facts to substantiate negative attacks on, or stories about, pro-life candidates.
Judging from past election years, pro-lifers should brace themselves for continued negative assaults on pro-life candidates in 2000.
CNN/Gallup/USA Today
1,698 adults, released September 15, 1999
margin of error +/- 3%
Republican Primary
Asked of registered Republicans and Republican-leaning voters.
I'm going to read a list of people who may be running in the Republican primary for president in the next election. After I read all the names, please tell me which of those candidates you would be most likely to support for the Republican nomination in the year 2000.
George W. Bush 62%
Elizabeth Dole 10%
John McCain 5%
Dan Quayle 5%
Steve Forbes 5%
Pat Buchanan 3%
Gary Bauer 2%
Orrin Hatch 2%
Alan Keyes 1%
Democratic Primary
Asked of registered Democrats and Democrat-leaning voters.
I'm going to read a list of people who may be running in the Democratic primary for president in the next election. After I read all the names, please tell me which of those candidates you would be most likely to support for the Democratic nomination in the year 2000.
Al Gore 63%
Bill Bradley 30%
General Election Match-Up
If Vice President Al Gore were the Democratic Party candidate and Texas Governor George W. Bush were the Republican Party's candidate, who would you be more likely to vote for - - Al Gore, the Democrat, or George W. Bush, the Republican?
George W. Bush 56%
Al Gore 39%
If former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley were the Democratic Party candidate and Texas Governor George W. Bush were the Republican Party's candidate, who would you be more likely to vote for - - Bill Bradley, the Democrat, or George W. Bush, the Republican?
George W. Bush 57%
Bill Bradley 37%
Newsweek Poll
October 1, 1999
400 registered voters, margin of error +/-5%
George W. Bush 46%
Al Gore 38%
Pat Buchanan 8%