Posted on 05/23/2004 9:23:18 AM PDT by kattracks
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton said Sunday that she would support pro-life Republican Sen. John McCain if Sen. John Kerry tapped him as his running mate."I'm a big admirer of John McCain," Clinton told "Fox News Sunday." "I have the greatest respect for him."
While saying she accepts McCain's denials that he's not interested in the VP slot, Clinton added that a prospective Kerry decision to tap McCain for VP "is such a personal decision for him that I will support whoever he chooses."
"And if he picks John McCain?" asked FNS host Chris Wallace.
"Absolutely, I'll be there supporting whoever John Kerry decides to pick,' Clinton replied, insisting, "We have pro-life Democrats [in our party]."
The comments represent a 180 degree shift for the top Democrat, who is considered a pro-abortion icon. At the 1992 Democratic Party that nominated President Clinton, then-Pennsylvania Gov. Robert Casey was barred from speaking.
McCain has repeatedly cited the Democratic Party's committment to legalized abortion as a key reason why he wouldn't accept a Kerry VP invite.
On another topic, Sen. Clinton said she had no hard feelings against Republicans who turned her husband into the first elected U.S. president ever to be impeached, including her fellow Fox guest, Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was a House impeachment manager.
"You know, I believe in redemption and growth," she told Fox. "And, you know, people who were previously misguided can see the light."
Sen. Graham smiled but didn't challenge her assessment.
Yeah. And I believe that if I rub cheese wiz on my chest and flap my arms I'll be able to fly to the moon.
At least Chris Wallace got something out of the interview.
When she said Pro-life McCain, I was thinking she meant Lucas McCain.
Yah, see. Hillary is a moderate.
Would the Republicans have enough spine to kick McCain out of the party if accepted the vp slot from Kerry? Sometimes I wonder.
"And, you know, people who were previously misguided can see the light."
I believe that to be correct. However, it's generally after they serve the time for their crime!
John McCain Finds Abortion "Necessary"
The San Francisco Chronicle on August 20 reported the following statement from Sen. John McCain: "I'd love to see a point where (Roe vs. Wade) is irrelevant and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe vs. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to (undergo) illegal and dangerous operations."
John McCain thinks legal abortion is "necessary." This statement has caused a strong reaction among pro-lifers who thought he was pro-life. They are shocked. But, when you look at his stated "Commitment to Life" on the John McCain for President website, his lack of interest in overturning Roe is perfectly understandable. He thinks abortion is necessary, because he thinks some babies do not deserve legal protection.
Despite the fact that Sen. McCain calls himself "pro-life," his website definition of that term clearly shows that he is not:
"John McCain is pro-life. He recognizes that ‘all human beings are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. Life is one of these rights.' "
[So far, so good.]
"John McCain opposes abortion with exceptions for rape, incest and at any time when the life of the mother is endangered by the pregnancy."
[Wait a minute! What happened to the "Creator endowed" right to life? How is it that some babies, because of the circumstances surrounding their conception, are excluded from those who have "unalienable rights?" And, since when is it "pro-life" to support the deliberate killing of an unborn baby for any reason? If the mother's life is in jeopardy, why not remove the baby and try to save his life? Unless, of course, you believe that for some reason, our Creator failed to endow him with the right to life.]
Referring to his voting record, Sen. McCain's website statement says, "John McCain has always been a strong supporter of the Hyde Amendment."
[Many people think the Hyde Amendment protects us from complicity in abortions by preventing our tax dollars from paying for them. Not true. Prior to 1993, the Hyde Amendment did allow taxpayer funding for abortions in the case of a threat to the mother's life. In 1993, the language was weakened to include rape and incest, forcing us to pay for abortions through our tax dollars for those reasons as well. In 1995, RNC for Life did a Survey of Members of the House and Senate in which we asked them if they would vote to strengthen the Hyde Amendment by removing the rape and incest language. Senator John McCain's response was "NO."]
McCain's refusal to support the repeal of Roe vs. Wade appears to be based on two things. First, he has made the incorrect assumption that, absent Roe vs. Wade, abortions would no longer be legal. In fact, the repeal of Roe vs. Wade would simply remove the federal courts from the picture and allow the individual states to freely regulate, restrict or prohibit the practice of abortion according to the will of the people. And second, why would he want to do away with Roe, as long as he thinks abortions are "necessary?"
Before lending support to any candidate, pro-lifers would do well to find out if he thinks the deliberate killing of a baby prior to birth is ever justified.
Why aren't the Republicans jumping on this story as further evidence that the Democrats lack qualified individuals capable of serving at the national level?
The pro-life movement is gaining ground, and of course the political whore Hillary is, she is just trying to grab on to the action.
Luckily most people will see through her ruse.
HOW JOHN McCAIN THREATENS THE PRO-LIFE CAUSE
By Douglas Johnson, Legislative Director, National Right to Life Committee
(February 20, 2000) — The presidential candidacy of Senator John McCain (R-Az.) has posed a significant threat to future advances by the pro-life movement.
Earlier this month, the Board of Directors of the National Right to Life Committee — made up of an elected delegate from each state NRLC affiliate — overwhelmingly voted to endorse George W. Bush. That vote recognized Bush's strong pro-life credentials. It also reflected the recognition among many knowledgeable observers that if elected president, McCain would be unlikely to use the office's powers to advance the pro-life cause.
In earlier stages of his presidential campaign, McCain made little effort to conceal his disrespect for the pro-life movement. For example, during an appearance on the Don Imus radio show on November 23, McCain referred disparagingly to "otherwise intelligent people who say that that's the only issue that will determine their vote."
But after his victory in the New Hampshire primary on February 1, McCain began working hard to appeal to pro-life voters in South Carolina and other states.
In response to criticism from NRLC and its affiliates, McCain has relied on two main defenses. First, he declares that his "17-year voting record" in Congress proves that he is "pro-life." Second, he charges that NRLC's criticisms are motivated entirely by opposition to his so-called "campaign finance reform" proposals" — a bill that, as McCain characterizes it, would hurt NRLC's "business." This second defense is basically a diversionary tactic, intended to evade close scrutiny of the inadequacies of McCain's pro-life positions.
Roe v. Wade
McCain joined the House in 1983, and became a senator in 1987. During his 17 years in Congress, McCain has usually voted anti-abortion — but for a presidential candidate, that is not the only important data. After all, Al Gore had an 84% pro-life voting record as a member of the House of Representatives (1977-84), but he embraced the entire pro-abortion agenda once he reached the Senate and began to run for president. John McCain is not Al Gore — but the clearest warnings about what a McCain presidency might entail are found in things that McCain has said and done over the past year, since he started running for President in earnest.
One example is what McCain said when he met with the editorial board of the very liberal San Francisco Chronicle on August 19, 1999:
"I'd love to see a point where it (Roe v. Wade) is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations."
This was no more mere inartful wording. Rather, McCain actually offered a rationale for opposing repeal of Roe — that it would "force" many women to have dangerous illegal abortions. This, of course, is a very familiar argument, voiced often by politicians who support the continuation of legal abortion. In short, McCain embraced the "necessary evil" thinking of the pro-abortion movement.
When ABC's Sam Donaldson recently asked McCain about his statement to the Chronicle, McCain said that he "misspoke." But McCain has yet to explain why he argued as he did to the newspaper's editors. Did he believe what he said? And if he did, has he changed his mind, and if so, why?
On the January 18 Jane Chastain's radio show, Cyndi Mosteller, who serves as "National Policy Advisor for Family & Cultural Issues" for the McCain campaign, was asked about McCain's statement to the Chronicle. Mosteller replied that McCain had "made a mistake" under hard questioning by the newspaper editors. "They ate his lunch," she said, adding, "They were getting on him. And he said [to Mosteller], 'I was not strong when I needed to be strong.'"
In reality, however, McCain repeated similar arguments in at least three other interviews. At a campaign event, he said, "I would not seek to overturn Roe v. Wade tomorrow, because doing so would endanger the lives of women," World magazine reported on August 21. In a written release dated August 22, McCain said, "If Roe v. Wade were repealed tomorrow, it would force thousands of young women to undergo dangerous and illegal operations." And on Cable News Network on August 22, McCain said, "We all know, and it's obvious, that if we repeal Roe versus Wade tomorrow, thousands of young American women would be performing illegal and dangerous operations."
McCain also wrote, "I will continue to work with both pro-life and pro- choice Americans so that we can eliminate the need for abortions to be performed in this country." [emphasis added]
These statements tracked the rhetoric of the pro-abortion movement. The pro-life movement does not believe that there is a "need" to kill unborn children, or that restoring legal protection to unborn children will "force" anyone to violate the law.
In more recent utterances, including appearances in South Carolina, McCain has said that he favors the reversal of Roe v. Wade, and that he believes that states ought to make abortion illegal (except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest). But pro-lifers would be foolish to ignore the evidence of McCain's real inner thinking provided by his earlier statements. It is noteworthy that during McCain's 17 years in Congress, he never had an opportunity to vote on Roe v. Wade until October 21, 1999, when the Senate voted on a resolution-style amendment by Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) to endorse Roe v. Wade. McCain skipped the vote to make an extra campaign appearance in New Hampshire, as documented in a local newspaper. The amendment passed narrowly.
Others Agree
NRLC is hardly alone in recognizing that Bush and McCain would handle the abortion issue very differently as president. Bush has been endorsed by the most prominent pro-life leaders in Congress, including Congressman Henry Hyde, Congressman Chris Smith, and Congressman Charles Canady. "I'm convinced of Gov. Bush's commitment to the pro-life cause," said Hyde, who has criticized McCain for advocating weakening of the Republican Party's pro-life platform plank.
Pro-abortion leaders also see a big difference. Following McCain's win in the New Hampshire primary, the Republican Pro-Choice Coalition said that based on exit polls, "pro-choice Republicans overwhelmingly preferred McCain above all the other candidates."
Moreover, the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) funded TV ads in New Hampshire attacking Bush for nearly a year before the New Hampshire primary, but never a single ad criticizing McCain.
McCain Winks on Abortion
A revealing observation was made on February 8 by Steven Brill, editor of the magazine Brill's Content, which covers the news media.
Speaking on the Fox News Channel program "The Edge", Brill said two reporters covering the McCain campaign told him, 'You know, he really doesn't feel that strongly about abortion and about — he isn't really as pro-gun as he lets on in the campaign. He has to do that because it's a Republican primary, but he's kind of let us know that he's not that hard-edged on those subjects.'"
Brill went on, "The point I'm making is that he was given permission, at least by these two guys [journalists], to pander. One of them actually said, 'At least when McCain panders he sort of lets us know he's doing it, and he kind of winks and kind of enjoys it, so he's a good guy.' Well, he's not letting the rest of the country know he's pandering."
In the same vein, liberal Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen wrote on December 15, "McCain's people whisper, Don't worry. He's not really so anti-abortion."
Voting Record
McCain served in the House of Representatives from 1983-86 and in the Senate from 1987 to date. Throughout that period, McCain did not initiate pro-life amendments or otherwise take an activist role, but he did vote pro-life with a few exceptions. The most important exception was on the issue of federal funding of experimentation using body parts of aborted babies.
This question — usually referred to in the press as the "fetal tissue" issue — became a matter of major controversy during the Bush Administration. The Bush Administration blocked the use of federal funds for certain experimentation utilizing tissue taken from aborted babies.
In a January 7, 1992 letter to Arizona Right to Life, McCain promised to support President Bush's ban on federal funding of such abortion- dependent research. "I have no intention of supporting the use of fetal tissue resulting from artificially-induced abortions for research purposes," McCain wrote.
A few months later, however, McCain began voting to overturn Bush's pro-life policy — a drive that succeeded after President Clinton took office.
The issue surfaced again in 1997, during consideration of a bill to expand federally sponsored research into Parkinson's disease, sponsored by McCain and Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Mn.). Pro-life Senator Dan Coats (R- In.) offered an amendment to prevent the use of the newly authorized funds for abortion-dependent fetal tissue research, but McCain prevailed in defeating the amendment, 60-35. (Sept. 4, 1997, Senate rollcall Vote No. 215.) Recently, McCain has falsely implied that only four senators disagreed with his position on the issue.
[A detailed memorandum documenting McCain's statements and votes on the fetal-tissue issue is available at www.nrlc.org/Whatsnew/McCainrecordbodyparts.html]
Warren Rudman
On January 15, McCain said that if elected president, he might appoint former Senator Warren Rudman (R-NH) — his close advisor and the co- chairman of the national McCain campaign — as U.S. attorney general. As a senator, Rudman voted to preserve Roe v. Wade, and was an active opponent of other pro-life efforts legislative efforts.
The attorney general is the cabinet officer who most often serves as a president's key advisor on Supreme Court appointments, and who oversees the positions taken by an administration on issues before the Supreme Court.
Rudman voted to confirm anti-Roe v. Wade Justice Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, but later wrote in his 1996 memoirs, "If my vote had been the deciding one, I would have voted against Thomas, no matter what the consequences."
Rudman has been harshly critical of the pro-life movement and of Christian conservatives. He wrote, "If someone had told me in the 1960s that one day I would serve in a Republican Party that opposed abortion rights — which the Supreme Court had endorsed — advocated prayer in the schools, and talked about government-inspired 'family values,' I would have thought he was crazy."
Also, "Politically speaking, the Republican Party is making a terrible mistake if it appears to ally itself with the Christian right" — a group that he identified as rife with "antiabortion zealots" and "bigots," among other undesirables.
In a February 15 debate in South Carolina, Bush confronted McCain regarding Rudman, noting that Rudman had described the Christian Coalition as "bigots." Bush asked McCain, "I know you don't believe that, do you?" But McCain refused the invitation to repudiate Rudman's words, responding instead, "George, he's entitled to his opinion on that issue."
Moderator Larry King also invited McCain to "disclaim what Rudman said," but McCain did not respond.
Subsequently, Rudman told Manchester Union-Leader reporter John DiStaso that "he most certainly did call the Christian Coalition bigots," and "he included leaders of other conservative groups in the description, to boot." (Union-Leader, Sept. 17)
When, in the February 15 debate, Bush said that "every child, born and unborn, should be protected in law," McCain immediately attacked Bush for his opposition to adding exceptions for rape and incest to the pro-life plank in the Republican platform.
Free Speech About Political Figures
NRLC has certainly made no secret of its strong opposition to certain key components of McCain's "campaign finance reform" proposals, which would cripple the ability of NRLC and other pro-life groups to communicate with the public about the positions and actions of those who hold or seek federal office.
In some recent communications, McCain has emphasized that the latest version of his bill, introduced last October, did not contain the provisions restricting commentary on politicians by issue-oriented groups such as NRLC. However, at the time McCain made it clear that he was proposing a "stripped-down " bill only for tactical reasons, to try to overcome a filibuster for bill opponents — not because he'd changed his mind. Indeed, when Senate Democrats forced a vote on the House-passed Shays-Meehan bill which contains sweeping restrictions on political free speech by independent groups McCain voted for it. (Oct. 19, 1999)
As recently as December 22, McCain told the Associated Press, "If I could think of a way constitutionally, I would ban negative ads."
[Further information on the how McCain's proposals would cripple pro-life groups, and further empower the institutional news media, is found at the NRLC website, www.nrlc.org, under "Campaign Finance Reform and Free Speech."]
People for Life, Inc. | 1625 W. 26th St. | P.O. Box 1126 | Erie, PA 16512
814-459-1333 | www.peopleforlife.org | pfl@peopleforlife.org
"I just don't happen to be one of them," she added once off microphone.
Thursday, February 17, 2000
OPINIONMAKERS
JOHN McCAIN: Support for Fetal Tissue Research Does Not Suggest a 'Pro-Abortion Leaning'
Fetal tissue research is not an abortion issue, "it never has been, and many 'pro-life' legislators strongly support the research," Joan Samuelson, president of the Parkinson's Action Network, writes in today's Washington Post. Permitting fetal tissue research "does not affect whether or not an abortion will happen," Samuelson asserts. She notes that the "research has produced lifesaving results," but the six-year research ban that was lifted by Congress in 1993 has held back progress. Samuelson also points out that fetal tissue research has won the support of "staunch pro-life senators like Strom Thurmond [R-S.C.], Connie Mack [R-Fla.] and then-Majority Leader Bob Dole," who said that supporting the research was the "true pro-life position." Thus, Samuelson argues, the National Right to Life Committee's claim that Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) support for such research "weakens his pro-life credentials" is unfounded. Though McCain initially was less supportive of the research than some of his Republican colleagues in the Senate, the presidential hopeful began to back it after watching Rep. Morris Udall "waste away" from Parkinson's. Ultimately, McCain became the Republican sponsor of the first Parkinson's research measure, the Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Research Act, which he led to passage in 1997. Samuelson argues, "Nothing in this record suggests a pro-abortion leaning." In fact, the Udall bill "never even mentions fetal tissue," but the Right to Life Committee has linked the two and concluded that McCain is "soft on abortion." Samuelson maintains, "That's a leap that can't be defended," adding, "If McCain suffers politically because of this attack, the real victims will be millions of Americans like me --with Parkinson's, spinal cord injuries, blindness -- who hope for a breakthrough in medical research" (Samuelson, Washington Post, 2/17).
Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report
McCain Urges GOP to Back Off on Pro-Life Platform
WASHINGTON -- March 1999 -- Republican presidential candidate and Arizona Sen. John McCain is calling on his party to alter its platform on abortion.
In a telephone interview Friday, McCain called for the party to revert to its 1980 platform on abortion, which opposes abortion but recognizes differing views on the issue among Republicans.
"I'm for going back to the platform as it was in 1980. I believe we are an inclusive party and we can be so without changing our principles," McCain said. McCain is the first GOP presidential candidate to say the party platform should be changed.
Since announcing his bid for the presidency, McCain has appeared to reteat somewhat from his pro-life position. He had already alienated some pro-life supporters with his hardline stance in favor of some campaign finance reform provisions that would prohibit pro-life groups from being able to speak as freely about candidate's stands on issues and voting records.
In 1996, after a battle with its pro-abortion minority, Republicans adopted a platform that unborn children had "a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed."
The platform went on to call for an amendment to the Constitution that would outlaw all abortions, though it said the party did not favor punishing women who had abortions - only those who carried them out.
The 1980 platform calls for a constitutional amendment to protect fetuses but it also recognizes "differing views on this question among Americans in general and in our own party."
Ann Stone, president of Republicans for Choice, a pro-abortion group, applauded McCain's comments.
Meanwhile the Republicans for Life PAC, a political action committee dedicated to electing pro-life Republicans over pro-abortion GOP candidates, said the real issue of inclusiveness was something the Democrat Party should tackle. "Pro-life Democrats continue to be overtly and covertly ostracized from their party. The same kind of mistreatment Bob Casey suffered in 1992 still occurs," a spokesman said.
Abortion is already emerging as a potent issue in the battle for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000.
Texas Governor Georgue Bush weighed in on McCain's statement. "My attitude is our party is big enough for good people to be able to disagree on the issue. But surely we can agree that there are too many abortions in America," Bush said.
Former American Red Cross President Elizabeth Dole, has said nothing specific about the issue. Her spokesman Ari Fleischer said she would address it at a time of her choosing.
Alan Keyes, a conservative talk radio host who ran for the Republican nomination in 1996 and is considering doing so again in 2000, said McCain was trying to edge the Republican Party away from its pro-life stance. He vowed to fight any change in the platform.
New York Gov. George Pataki, who supports abortion and has been seen as a possible vice presidential nominee, recently called for the party to remove the pro-life plank from its 2000 presidential platform.
Source:The Pro-Life Infonet, a daily compilation of pro-life news and educational information. To subscribe, send the message "subscribe" to: infonet-list-request@lists.prolife.org. Infonet is sponsored by Women and Children First (http://www.prolife.org/wcf). For more pro-life info visit the Ultimate Pro-Life Resource List at http://www.prolife.org/ultimate and for questions or additional information email ertelt@prolife.org
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President 2000: McCain Finds Abortion Question a Dilemma
Source: Pro-Life Infonet
Brought to you by: Pro-Life Infonet
Manchester, N.H. January 26, 2000 -- Sen. John McCain said Wednesday it would be a "family decision" to make if his teen-age daughter were contemplating an abortion.
McCain first said that "the final [abortion] decision would be made by Meghan with our advice and counsel." An hour later, he contacted reporters with a clarification: "I misspoke. What I believed I was saying and intended to say is that this is a family decision," McCain said. "The family decision will be made by the family, not by Meghan alone."
Later yet, he said, "It's a family decision, not her decision and that's pro-life," he said. "I would discuss this issue with Cindy (his wife) and Meghan and this would be a private discussion that we would share within our own family and not with anyone else. Obviously, I would encourage her to know that the baby would be brought up in a warm and loving family."
McCain grew testy when reporters continued to press him during the day. "What's the matter with you, sir," he said at one point. "I've answered your question, sir."
He declined to answer when asked what would happen if his daughter became pregnant as the result of rape or incest.
The abortion issue has flared in recent days, as the GOP presidential field moves through the opening round of primaries and caucuses. Last week in Iowa, George W. Bush was caught in a similar bind when he was asked the same question. "I would hope I would be able to evoke enough sympathy from the rape case that I could help comfort her as a friend," he said.
Candidates Steve Forbes, Gary Bauer and Alan Keyes are firmly opposed to abortion, and favor overturning the court's decision.
During an earlier debate, Family Research Council leader Gary Bauer said under circumstances of rape he would pray for his daughter "and explain to her that she couldn't make right the terrible thing that had happened to her by taking the life of her innocent, unborn child."
"My daughter has been raised to believe that that's God's decision, and that it's already been made," Keyes said Wednesday. "And, therefore, I have no fear of what she would do."
Keyes on Wednesday attacked McCain's comments as too weak. He said the Arizona senator could not succeed as the GOP's presidential nominee because he can not articulate an acceptable position on the issue. He said McCain "doesn't have it in his heart and doesn't have it in his mind," and that he "hasn't thought it through."
Abortion is expected to be less important in New Hampshire, where many independents vote in the GOP primary, than it was in the Iowa caucuses. But Bauer indicated he would press Bush in the debate tonight on abortion, as well as China policy and other subjects. "There is so much work to do with George and so little time to do it," Bauer said in Hollis, N.H., today.
If his 15-year-old daughter became pregnant and believed that she wasn't ready to bear a child, would McCain block her from getting an abortion? "No," the Arizona senator.
The issue dogged McCain throughout the day.
Asked whether his comments amounted to a pro-abortion viewpoint, McCain said: "I don't think it's the choice position to say that my daughter and my wife and I will discuss something that is a family matter and that we have to decide."
Pressed on the matter, McCain, clearly irritated, shot back: "I'm not gonna talk about what I'm gonna do with my daughter in the most personal and painful kind of situation that I can imagine outside of a terminal illness."
The Arizona senator has said that he believes that life begins at conception and that he opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest and when the mother's life is in danger. He pointed out that he has consistently voted against abortion during his 17-year congressional career. McCain also supports parental notification, a law on the books in Arizona where his family lives.
McCain also got caught up in making an incorrect statement about where a pro-life congressional leader stands on abortion.
McCain told a national news program that abortion should be banned except in cases of rape, incest and pregnancy that endangered the life of the mother. Later, on his campaign bus, he said he would seek to change the Republican Party's current, pro-life platform plank on the issue.
McCain also said his position on abortion was consistent with pro-life champion Henry Hyde, an Illinois congressman. However, a staff representative from Henry Hyde's office confirmed that the representative takes only the life of the mother exception and does not favor abortions in cases of rape or incest.
At his first town hall meeting of the day in Sunapee, McCain reiterated his pro-life position, especially after two people in the audience came up to him and said they had received mailings from the National Right to Life Committee saying he was weak on life issues.
One person attending advocated a pro-abortion position.
"We now have the right to have control over our own bodies without the government having anything to say about it. And I want to know what you will do to protect that right that I now have," Pamela Veenstra, a 51-year-old graphic artist, asked, having prefaced her question by expressing concern about the kind of Supreme Court justices McCain would appoint.
"I am pro-life, and I have a position that's the position of my party," McCain responded. "It's based on the belief that life begins at conception."
"I also believe very strongly that we need to work together between pro-life and pro-choice individuals to work on areas on which we agree. We should make adoption easier in America. ... We should improve foster care," McCain said.
McCain added that he would not impose a litmus test of any kind on a Supreme Court nominee but "also would consider their record as far as their adherence to the constitution of the United States."
In August, he surprised his staff and angered pro-life leaders by appearing to suggest that he would oppose repealing Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.
Under pressure, McCain tried to clarify his views with written statements saying he favors working to overturn the ruling while trying to reduce abortions through adoptions, counseling and other efforts. Whenever McCain is asked about the issue at town hall meetings, he says he wants to reduce the polarizing nature of the debate by encouraging both sides to work together on issues to which they agree, such as improving adoption and foster care systems.
This is just more image remaking for the Hillabest.
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