Gov. Christie tells anti-abortion activists he is on their side during Statehouse rally

Gov. Chris Christie made brief remarks today before hundreds who weathered bitter temperatures to mark the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, which set the foundation for legalized abortion, 38 years ago. Speaking for five minutes without a coat, Christie told the attendees that "every life is precious and a gift from God."

Christie discussed no changes in policy or altering the judicial system to try to undo standing laws that allow abortions. One of Christie’s few policy moves was to cut funding to Planned Parenthood, which funds abortion services. "What I encourage all of you to do is what I will continue to do, which is to speak calmly and clearly and forthrightly for the idea that this is an issue whose time has come," Christie said.

Christie told the crowd that he has not always been anti-abortion. It wasn’t until his wife Mary Pat Christie became pregnant with their daughter Sarah, who is 14, that he changed his position. "It was at that moment that it became clear to me that being on the sidelines on that issues was not something that I could live with," Christie said. "That child is a life which deserves protection."

Rally organizer Marie Tasy said she was pleased to have Christie accept the invitation to speak, but that it came as no surprise to their supporters to hear the governor speak out against abortion. "Everybody who attended was very happy to hear the governor speak," Tasy said. "It was a wonderful day for the pro life community in New Jersey."

N.J. Gov. Christie: Abortion an issue 'whose time has come'

Governor Christie told anti-abortion protesters who gathered in Trenton on Monday for a rally on the anniversary of the legalization of abortion in the United States that "this is an issue whose time has come." The governor, a Republican, stepped out onto the steps of the State House just after noon to address the rally, which was organized for the anniversary of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade. "Every human being is one of God's creatures and deserves the love and respect that God gives to all of us," he told a crowd that filled the front of the steps to the State House and spilled over into a park across the street. "What we need to do each and every day is to live our lives in a way that encourages everyone to understand why this cause is so important," Christie said.

Christie won the 2009 gubernatorial contest against then-incumbent Democrat Jon S. Corzine, who fully supported abortion rights. Since becoming governor -- the state's first anti-abortion governor in decades -- Christie has generated a national following among Republicans for his generally conservative values. The governor largely stayed away from social issues during his first year in office, but he did cut money for women's health programs that had been funded by the state budget as part of a broader effort to restrain spending. Christie made no specific promises during the rally, but he told protesters "as long as I have the honor of serving as governor of this state, you will know you have someone sitting in that office who understands this issue, who appreciates it, and who will continue to stand up and speak strongly in favor of the protection of human life -- of every human life -- in New Jersey.

The rally was hosted by New Jersey Right To Life, a statewide anti-abortion organization. It was held to coincide with other events across the country, including the national March for Life in Washington, D.C., to protest abortion and the court decision that legalized its practice in the United States. Despite frigid temperatures, the crowd in Trenton stood outside for the entire event, with many carrying signs that read "Abortion Is Not Healthcare" and "Abortion Kills Children." Christie, a lawyer and former federal prosecutor, told the protestors he believes the Declaration of Independence contradicts the legalization of abortion. "We must all stand up for what our Declaration of Independence tells us we must stand up for. The first of those principles was life," he said, drawing applause from the crowd and then chants of "right to life."

"Our founders said that we should stand for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, (and) without life, there cannot be liberty, nor the pursuit of happiness," he said. "If you continue to remain true to that document, you need to continue to speak out strongly and clearly on this issue." But Christie also reminded the crowd that during the early days of his political career he was not against abortion. He said hearing the heartbeat of his oldest daughter in a doctor's office before she was born changed his mind. Democratic legislative leaders used Christie's appearance at Monday's rally to criticize his stance on abortion and highlight his decision to cut the women's health care funding.

“During the campaign, the Governor danced around his support for a woman’s right to make decisions about her body, but after Christie’s attendance at today’s rally, there can be no question left about where he stands," said John Wisniewski, a state assemblyman from Middlesex County who also serves as chairman of New Jersey Democratic Party. "By aligning himself with the far-right in this debate, he is leaving millions of New Jersey women by the wayside," said Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono, D-Middlesex. "Our nation is not too far removed from an era when a woman’s only choice was no choice." "We cannot drag the health and safety of countless women back into the shadows,” Buono said.

Catholics brave cold to support right to life in Trenton

Supporting Life - Rita Duenas of St. Mary Parish, Colts Neck, proudly waves her sign during the New Jersey Rally for Life in front of the statehouse in Trenton Jan. 24. Monitor photo by Scott Alessi Despite the fact that temperatures hovered around 15 degrees in Trenton Jan. 24, a large crowd assembled in front of the statehouse to show their support for human life as part of the annual New Jersey Rally for Life.

The event, organized by New Jersey Right to Life, is a local gathering held each year in support of the national March for Life taking place simultaneously in Washington, D.C. This year, a number of state legislators as well as Gov. Chris Christie took to the podium to voice their support for legislative action that would protect the unborn in New Jersey.

Stay tuned to TrentonMonitor.com for a full story on the statewide Rally for Life, as well as upcoming coverage of the March for Life in Washington.

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