Another interesting item in the NYT highlights the difficulty the pro-lifers have this cycle. They can't afford to lose this election, but the leading GOP candidate is not their friend:
The stakes are historically high, which explains why Republican candidates including Mr. Giuliani have been promising to appoint to the court "strict constructionists," widely considered political code for judges with a conservative agenda.
Mr. Giuliani's allies argue that their candidate is sensitive to the need to reduce abortions, increase adoptions and empower the states to regulate abortion. And the Democrats will inevitably nominate a candidate "who will not be a moderate on those issues, but intensely hostile," said Representative Pete Sessions, Republican of Texas, who describes himself as both "pro-life" and a Giuliani supporter. Moreover, Mr. Sessions and others argued, Mr. Giuliani can beat the Democrats.
It all comes down to whether they can trust Rudy Giuliani to nominate pro-life, er, "strict constructionist" judges. That strategy was all going fine until sometime in a debate last spring, Rudy admitted that the judges he appoints could go "either way" on Roe. And it all fell apart from there.
Now Rudy has to repair the damage. The best way to do this would be to state that Roe vs. Wade was a terrible decision (which it was) and that his judges would not respect it (which they shouldn't) but after his gaffe I'm not sure that's going to be believable.
Rudy's other problem is Fred Thompson. The pro-lifers will more easily trust Fred on abortion, and all he needs is electability to win the rest of the base is over. Fred's almost there, and leaves Rudy with only one card: Electability. That's a lot, but it won't be enough if there's another candidate who has that card too.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 2)
16. Why does ANY MAN, regardless of his position in society, have ANY SAY in this issue? They will never have a baby, and never have to make this decision. I think men should not have any say in this discussion, or in making laws about it - leave this to the ladies guys- you can never understand. Also, I think if you are "pro-life", put your money where your mouth is, and start adopting some of those unwanted babies that women didnt abort- maybe if women thought that their babies would be taken care of (instead of growing up in a state instution) than they would choose adoption as a viable alternative.
KATE at 11:20AM on Aug 18th 2007
17. If women are not ashamed to get an abortion and feel they deserve it, then why are they ashamed to tell anyone about it. Would you take your other kids to the doc with you?... have them wait in the lobby while you have their sibling sucked from your body in small pieces? Show them the pieces? Take it home in a little baggie or display it in a jar on the mantle? I do not think that you should be able or allowed to because I have had to deal with women who have had it done and I do not care to know any more of you.
You will mourn the anniversary of the act every year. You will mourn the would be birthday of YOUR CHILD every year, including the day one. You will always wonder what kind of person it would have become... what was the sound of its laughter... and it will consume you. You might even become a hardened pro-death-er at the same time.
If you ladies are correct and a man should not have an opinion, then I would go further to say that a lesbian should not have an opinion on the subject.
To #2 and others with the same question. The answer is not jail time, might as well save the baby and abort the mother.
Does anyone else remember the time that they learned that there was such a thing? I was very young and the knowledge traumatized me. To have an abortion, you should have to look at it on the ultrasound and tell it why you are going to have it ripped to shreds. You should have to see it and leave with it. YOU SHOULD BE FORCED TO TAKE IT HOME AND FLUSH IT LIKE A PIECE OF SHIT. If you can do that, then do it.
To have an abortion is to allow society to violate the only truly sacred place there is, the womb.
Steve Barnes at 5:05PM on Aug 29th 2007
18. Hey Kate, would you rather grow up in a state institution or be ripped to shreds?
Steve Barnes at 5:07PM on Aug 29th 2007
19. Another thing, is not the fact that there are state institutions proof that we have put our money where our mouth is? Raped? Fear of death? Retarded? Handicapped? They all deserve life. They have life and you take it away.
Steve Barnes at 12:17AM on Aug 30th 2007