Bush Takes Early Lead in Primaries

By Carol Tobias
NRL PAC Director

Pro-life Texas Governor George W. Bush, endorsed February 9 by National Right to Life, has taken an important early lead in the Republican presidential primaries.

Before the February 19 South Carolina primary Gov. Bush had won in three states - - Alaska, Iowa, Delaware - - but Senator John McCain had won a strong victory in New Hampshire.

Defying media predictions, Bush came roaring back, winning in South Carolina by a 11-point margin - - 53% to 42%. (NRL News went to print before Michigan and Arizona Republican primaries on February 22, and Virginia and Washington primaries on February 29.)

Six Republicans were still in the race going into the Iowa caucuses. But as the primaries have moved along, the field of contestants has dwindled.

After Iowa, pro-life Utah Senator Orrin Hatch withdrew, throwing his support behind Gov. Bush. Following a last place finish in the New Hampshire primary, former Family Research Council President Gary Bauer dropped out of the race. A few days later publisher Steve Forbes withdrew, following his third place showing in Delaware.

That left Bush, McCain, and former Ambassador pro-life Alan Keyes remaining as the field headed to South Carolina for its February 19 primary. Although the national media insisted McCain would likely win the South Carolina primary, or, at a minimum, finish a close second, he was instead soundly trounced by Bush--53% to McCain's 42% with Keyes receiving 4%. Abortion was a huge issue.

Days prior to the South Carolina primary--and much to the shock and disappointment of the pro-life community - - Bauer endorsed McCain. However, as evidenced by his poor showing, Bauer's own candidacy had failed to attract many pro-life voters. His endorsement did little to bring pro-lifers into McCain's campaign.

Some news accounts of Bauer's endorsement of McCain erroneously reported that the pro-life/pro-family Focus on the Family organization had also endorsed McCain. In a sharply worded response, Dr. James Dobson, president of Focus on the Family, explained that Focus does not endorse candidates. Speaking for himself, Dobson then went on to express disagreement with Bauer's endorsement of McCain.

Citing his concerns about McCain's candidacy and his commitment to protecting the lives of unborn children, Dobson stated that "it is difficult to understand how Gary Bauer can support him with 'great pride and with absolutely no reservation.' "

Abortion became a major issue in South Carolina. NRL PAC and South Carolina Citizens for Life (SCCL) PAC worked to educate pro-life voters about contradictory statements on abortion made by John McCain during his presidential campaign and to urge pro-life voters to support George W. Bush. (See "NRLC Endorses George W. Bush For President, page 1 and "How John McCain Threatens The Pro-Life Cause," page 6.)

For example, John McCain had told the San Francisco Chronicle that he did not support the repeal of Roe v. Wade "in the short term or even the long term." A similar statement by McCain made at a campaign event, was reprinted in World magazine.

Commenting on the successful South Carolina primary, David N. O'Steen, Ph.D., NRLC executive director, told NRL News, "South Carolina Citizens for Life President Deborah Bian-Lingle, Vice President "Buddy" Lingle, SCCL Executive Director Holly Gatling, NRLC South Carolina Alternate Director Wayne Cockfield, and SCCL PACDirector Mary Kerr are certainly to be commended for the instrumental role that pro-life citizens in South Carolina played in this most important pro-life victory."

PRO-ABORTION DEMOCRATS DUEL

On the Democratic side, pro-abortion Vice President Al Gore has won both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, defeating his rival for the Democratic nomination, pro-abortion former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley. Democrats have no further primaries until March 7.

Both parties are gearing up for March 7 - - "Super Tuesday" - - as 11 states hold primaries, including the delegate-rich states of California, New York, and Ohio.

Bradley and Gore have been locked in a contentious battle to see which can take the stronger pro-abortion position. Bradley had charged that Gore cannot be trusted because he had an 84% pro-life voting record as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977 to 1984.

But by the time Bill Clinton selected Gore as his vice-presidential running mate in 1992, Gore had established a solidly pro-abortion voting record in the U.S. Senate and had co-sponsored the "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA).

However, knowing how dangerous it can be to be seen as a flip-flopper, Gore insisted his position had not changed. In a 1992 interview with David Frost, he said, "Then and now, I support a woman's right to choose and oppose the overturning of Roe v. Wade."

During the current presidential campaign, Gore has again tried to deny that he ever opposed abortion. However, this time he is faced with an opponent holding him accountable for his record.

Bradley has tried to undermine Gore's support in the pro-abortion community by challenging Gore's contention that he has always supported Roe v. Wade. In speeches and advertisements, Bradley has accused Gore for not being truthful in claiming that he (Gore) has "always been pro-choice."

Gore finally had to acknowledge that his position had changed, saying that he will fight "to make sure that we always protect a woman's right to choose." Bradley, meanwhile, has campaigned that he has never wavered, that he has "always supported keeping abortion legal."

In an effort to shore up Gore's support among abortion supporters, the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) endorsed Gore for President. NARAL board members told CNN that they wanted to stop Bradley from "damaging their multi-million dollar effort to bring a pro-choice majority to the polls in November."

A quarter of the delegates needed to nominate a candidate will be selected on Super Tuesday, March 7. The following week, several other huge states will hold their primaries, including large-delegate states like Texas and Florida.

By the middle of March, the country should know which candidate will receive each party's presidential nomination.

Abortion Major Issue In S.C. Primary

According to the Voter News Service exit poll sponsored by major networks, a remarkable 60% of the South Carolina voters thought abortion should "never" be legal or should be legal only in a few cases. Among voters who believed abortion should be legal only in a few cases - - 44% of all voters - - 57% voted for Bush, 37% voted for McCain, and 5% voted for Keyes. Among voters who believed abortion should never be legal (16% of all voters), 66% voted for Bush, 20% for McCain, and 14% for Keyes.

Voters who said that abortion was the single "most important" issue (5% of all voters) also broke overwhelmingly for Bush over McCain, 62% to 23% (with Keyes taking 15%).

These results were a testament to the effectiveness of the ads and literature produced by NRL PAC and SCCL PAC.

The exit poll also found that 33% of the voters considered themselves to be part of the "religious right," and this group went overwhelming for Bush over McCain, 67% to 24% (with Keyes pulling 10%).