Posted on 01/23/2007 1:51:41 PM PST by presidio9
Sen. Bob Casey believes that life begins at conception. He supports alternatives to embryonic stem cell research. And he calls himself a proud, "pro-life Democrat."
Yet Pennsylvania's new junior senator quickly drew the ire of a roomful of anti-abortion activists yesterday when he declined to pledge his support for like-minded 2008 presidential candidates.
"I've supported a lot of pro-life candidates, I've supported a lot of candidates who are not pro-life," said Mr. Casey, prompting a chorus of boos and catcalls. "I don't think you could make a determination, in my judgment, about who the president should be based upon their position on that issue."
Tens of thousands of people, including as many as 110 busloads of Western Pennsylvanians, descended on Washington yesterday for the annual March for Life marking the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.
After the march, about 100 participants from Pennsylvania packed a public forum for an opportunity to gauge Mr. Casey, the politician who last year easily defeated Republican incumbent Sen. Rick Santorum, one of Congress' most vocal opponents of abortion.
Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., also spoke. Both senators took dozens of questions.
Mr. Casey's anti-abortion position caused a stir among many Democrats when he first launched his candidacy. But party leaders decided that the son of late Gov. Bob Casey fit a moderate political mold and had a stronger chance of defeating Mr. Santorum than any other candidate.
That formula proved to be successful across the country, helping Democrats win control of both houses of Congress for the first time in more than a decade.
"I happen to be a pro-life Democrat, and I'm proud to say that," Mr. Casey told the crowd yesterday. "The right to life, as Gov. Casey
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
Can you really be pro-life and SUPPORT pro-abortion candidates?
Good question, but the more important one is what Senator Casey does with any abortion-related bills that are tabled while in office. There are a lot of Republican Senators that I would like to be rid of ahead of Casey.
If you are a single issue voter. No.
I don't even know where to start with this. Is Casey pro-life for political gain, or does he actually believe personhood begins at conception? If so, the logical conclusion is that anyone who supports abortion is enabling murders. How can such a person be fit for office?
I agree. The reality of politics is that compromise must be made and each and every voter must decide which issue, or combination of issues, form the criteria for your vote. Anyone who is a single issue voter gives up a lot of options.
Remains to be seen whether he goes against his party when it counts. If he doesn't, he's finished.
Anyone who believed Casey Junior when he said he was more or less pro-life was smoking some sort of janja weed. He's pro life until any time it becomes inconvenient.
I disagree. This is the one issue on which a person cannot support someone with whom they disagree. As I stated above, for pro-lifers who believe personhood begins at conception, abortion means murder. By a pro-lifer's own standards, tghey are supporting a person who enables murder when they support a pro-choice candidate.
We'll see how prolife Bobby is when it comes down to the nitty-gritty on voting for or against any porolife bills that come up.
Probably, but that remains to be seen. If he isn't he's gone at the end of this term.
What did you expect, Casey is just another fake "moderate" and lying Democrat.
I was a strong supporter of Rick Santorum, and sent a little money, although I don't vote there. They had one of the most reliable pro-lifers in the country, so I don't know why they would go with someone's empty campaign promises whose only qualification was that his father was a decent guy.
Do you vote for the lesser of two evils or do you protest and because of the lack of your vote allow late term abortions to continue unabated?
Exactly. For many people the right to life is basic, because other rights mean nothing if you're dead.
Why is it OK that many Democrats are one-issue voters in favor of abortion, because they find it convenient or profitable, but it's not OK to think that the right to life is the most basic right of all?
What would your response be to my post #18?
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