Hatch earns respect of his foe on abortion (Michelman Lauds Hatch)

Deseret Morning News ^ | Tuesday, January 13, 2004 | Lee Davidson

[nickcarraway]

Pro-choice leader and senator trade compliments By

WASHINGTON — Nearing the end of her long career as maybe the nation's best-known abortion rights advocate, Kate Michelman — president of NARAL Pro Choice America — was asked Monday which of her opponents she respects the most.

"Sen. (Orrin) Hatch," she said with only minor hesitation during questions from the audience after a speech to the National Press Club.

She said the Utahn, who is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, "is a thorn in my little side when it comes to judicial nominations."

But, she added, "he and I have had long years of conversation and respect each other's positions. . . . I don't want to characterize all of those who oppose a woman's right to choose as despicable people. They aren't. They're wrong — absolutely wrong."

Michelman added, "As I always tell Sen. Hatch, I don't know why, but I always have this hope that someday a light bulb is going to go off in his little soul."

While praise, such as it is, from a nemesis may have surprised Hatch, he returned the compliments to Michelman through his spokeswoman, Margarita Tapia.

She said, "Sen. Hatch respects everyone who sincerely believes in their position — even if he disagrees with them. He does have a lot of respect for Kate Michelman. She is one who has been courteous and kind — even when she disagrees with him."

Michelman announced she will soon take emeritus status at NARAL (formerly called the National Abortion Rights Action League) after leading it for 20 years, and used a luncheon speech Monday to say the upcoming presidential race is key to the future of abortion rights.

During a question-and-answer period afterward, Michelman was also asked if she agrees with Hatch that abortion (largely because of pushing by NARAL) has become a "litmus test" by liberals for federal judicial nominees — and if it should be.

Michelman said ensuring that "a nominee's views on whether the Constitution protects a woman's right to privacy and freedom of choice . . . is a constitutional question and test, not a litmus test. But it is a legitimate question."

She adds that the legal right to abortion is the "cornerstone of our equality" for women. "I think it is absolutely legitimate (to ask nominees), and I am sorry that Sen. Hatch has a problem with it."

Tapia, however, said, "Sen. Hatch does not believe there should be any single litmus test against any judicial nominee who is otherwise qualified because if we start picking individual litmus tests, then there will be two sides demanding exclusion on a never-ending set of issues."

Michelman said her group plans extensive work to try to defeat President Bush this year. She said a switch by maybe just one of nine justices on the Supreme Court may be enough to reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion on demand. She worries Bush will seek to find someone to do just that.

"And we are likely to have not just one vacancy, not just two, but maybe even three — perhaps even more — in the next four or five years" as justices age. Bush has not yet had the opportunity to appoint anyone to the high court, and the two nominees appointed by former President Clinton are considered pro-choice on abortion.

"The last time we went this long without a vacancy on the court, James Monroe lived in the White House," she said.

She added, "Every candidate on the Democratic side is pro-choice."

Michelman said the election will likely determine for years "under what circumstances do we bring children into the world, and who makes the choice. Should children be brought in by choice, or under the heavy hand of government compulsion."

[WOSG]

R E Tyrrell called it Kultursmog.

It's why Conservatives should be for term limits, even on judges... they seem (with some rare exceptions) to quit being principled conservatives and start quaffing in the bigGovt liberal notions.

How else explain Hatch-Kennedy bills popping up?

They are wearin' Hatch down, bit by bit.

[Mr. Silverback]

ProLife Ping!

If anyone wants on or off my ProLife Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.

[MHGinTN]

I'm afaraid you give Orrin Hatchling too much credit from which to be worn down ...

[hocndoc]

I'm grateful for the anti-abortion stance that Senator Hatch has upheld.

Unfortunately, Orin Hatch is the leader in the clone and kill bills. He doesn't consider the live human being conceived in a petri dish to have the same right to life as one conceived in a woman. He has written a letter to the President, led like minded Senators to sign it, introduced legislation called the "Specter-Kennedy-Feinstein-Hatch Cloning Bill" and spoken publicly in favor of Federal Funds going toward research that would allow the creation of embryonic humans, as long as they were killed and harvested before that human is born.

For more information, here's some links:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Hatch+cloning&btnG=Google+Search

[attagirl]

It failed by a single vote, and Hatch was the man responsible--with the aid of Cardinal Bernardin

Thank you for the history lesson. I see Hatch has been a double-agent longer than I've been paying attention.

As for Bernardin, you mean the cardinal of Centurycity? (If you haven't read Windswept House, do.)