Posted on 07/05/2004 10:38:19 AM PDT by BigSkyFreeper
Dubuque, IA (LifeNews.com) -- In an interview with reporters over the weekend, John Kerry attempted to cover up his pro-abortion position and minimize the damage it causes with voters in the Midwest, who are more likely to be pro-life.
While campaigning with Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, a possible running mate, Kerry told the Dubuque Telegraph Herald, "I oppose abortion, personally. I don't like abortion. I believe life does begin at conception."
The surprising remarks don't match Kerry's record and consistent rhetoric in favor of abortion.
As a member of the Senate, Kerry has compiled only a 2% pro-life voting record since 1984, according to the National Right to Life Committee. Kerry has voted against every piece of pro-life legislation in the Senate recently, including the partial-birth abortion ban, and Unborn Victims of Violence Act, and he supported a measure endorsing the Roe v. Wade decision that struck down laws banning abortions.
The comments came as a surprise also to Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter, who told the Washington Post she couldn't recall Kerry having discussed when life begins at any point in the campaign.
"He's pro-choice and believes that abortion should be safe, legal and rare," Cutter added.
At the same time Kerry tried to minimize his pro-abortion views, he also said he couldn't legislate his alleged position against abortion.
"I can't take my Catholic belief, my article of faith, and legislate it on a Protestant or a Jew or an atheist," he continued in the interview with the Iowa newspaper. "We have separation of church and state in the United States of America."
A spokesman for the Bush campaign pointed to the contradiction in Kerry's remarks and the disparity between his Iowa interview and numerous previous statements backing abortion.
"John Kerry's ridiculous claim to hold conservative values and his willingness to change his beliefs to fit his audience betrays a startling lack of conviction on important issues like abortion that will make it difficult for voters to give him their trust," Steve Schmidt told the Post.
Kerry stopped at a Catholic church for worship during his Iowa campaign stop and, afterwards, many parishioners asked Kerry about his pro-abortion views, in particular his vote against partial-birth abortion.
Kerry told the churchgoers that he would have supported the ban had it contained a health exception. However, many leading doctors and medical groups say that a health exception is not needed and that such abortions are normally performed on healthy mothers and healthy babies.
Should he be selected as the nominee for Vice President, Governor Vilsack won't help Kerry make inroads with pro-life voters.
Vilsack upset the pro-life community when he voted legislation that would have required abortion businesses to provide women with factual information about abortion risks and alternatives prior to performing one.
Women who regret their abortions frequently say that abortion practitioners did not provide them adequate information beforehand that may have prompted them to change their mind about the abortion.
OK. But what about these reports I hear that Catholics vote Dem whether their guy is pro-life or not? I just wonder what the real deomographics are.
No. Nothing of the kind. If someone called you stupid, it wasn't me.
It's reported that Bush made inroads in the Catholic vote in 2000, but most political pundits characterize this as a Dem voting block. Other than you and your neighbors, do you have a reason to believe this isn't true?
Too clever by half.
Come on. This is the kind of misstatement that costs elections.
No, you have only got it half right. It is much more preposterous than that. He believes life begins at conception but instead of doing what you said he is doing "nothing to safeguard" he is actively campaigning FOR infanticide. He was one of the few, if I remember correctly, campaigning actively and passionately FOR partial birth abortion.
Many, many thanks. Yours is the definitive statement on Kerry's calculated "pro-life" position. It's the one we should all be using. Thanks, again.
I doubt if pro-lifers will let Kerry get away with that. His votes on partial birth abortion tell every pro-life Catholic what they need to know about what Kerry says is his position on abortion.
Don't hold your breath.
I personally believe life begins at conception. However, I respect that many of my constituents disagree with me on this and I do not want to force my beliefs on them. I will therefore only try to enact legislation regarding abortion that I know my constituents support.
However, with this latest little pronouncement Kerry is saying the unbelievable:
I personally believe life begins at conception. However, I do not respect that many of my constituents disagree with me on partial birth abortion and I do want to force what I personally do not believe on them. I will therefore actively campaign passionately to enact legislation regarding abortion that I know my constituents do not support.
I don't see it that way. I hope someone catches him on a clear-cut contradiction, but Kerry saying, "I vote for women's right to choose, but I don't morally support abortion" seems to me takes care of the left and the right.
If they are single-issue voters, probably not. If they're are already leaning toward Kerry, they can give him the benefit of doubt on the issue. It doesn't change the status quo.
I won't since I wouldn't dream of doing anything to help him!
his vote against banning partial-birth abortion.
Liberalism is a religion.
It has articles of faith and sacraments. For the past two decades liberals have been tryng to make liberalism the state religion of the US. Under the guise of "separating church and state," they have systematically been removing any reference to (our) God from public view. It is only (our) God that may not be mentioned. Their God (government control of all aspects of our life) is praised continually. We need to tell our friends that the reason we cannot argue with liberals is because it is virtually impossible to rationalize anyone away from the dogmas of their faith.
Since it is their religion, John Kerry, perhaps under the influence of being in an actual church on Sunday, committed a heresy to the religion of Liberalism, when he said Life begins at conception.
We can point out to liberal acquaintances that Kerry is a heretic, who said that he believes the unborn is a "life.". We can also argue that he cannot be trusted to always vote their way, if he is "unclear" on such a primary article of their faith = a fetus is just protoplasm, and the property of the woman carrying it, to be dispensed with as she wishes.
A lot of Catholics do 'overlook' the abortion stance, because they believe in the Dem principle of "helping the poor and needy."
When regular churchgoers are questioned (gently) about voting for dem politicians, they say they are praying for the person to change their heart re abortion.
These, however, are the same people who feel they would be insulting the poor, if they were asked to help in providing for themselves, or cleaning up after themselves, etc.
Whenever you meet a Catholic who puts the highest priority on Social Justice, you have met a pro-abort Catholic. Some have even convinced themselves that the poor deserve (or need) to have the abortion option.
It is a very condescending attitude, and one held by a lot of today's activist nuns.
...for issue file and reading.
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