Pro-Life Group: Barack Obama Camp Doesn't Deny Tax-Funded Abortion OK

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A pro-life group that has launched a new campaign highlighting presidential candidate Barack Obama's support for taxpayer-funded abortions says his campaign hasn't denied that's the case. In its official response, the Obama campaign said nothing to refute the contention.

Earlier this week, the Christian Defense Coalition launched a national campaign called, "Barack Obama: The Abortion President."

It features advertisements and a media campaign focused on an imagine of Uncle Sam with Obama's face saying, "I want you to pay for abortions."

The group stressed that Senator Obama would have all Americans pay for abortions both here and abroad under his health care plan and other policies.

In an official response to the group, Obama campaign spokesperson Nick Shapiro claimed the pro-abortion candidate wants to reduce abortions despite making Americans pay for them.

He claimed Obama "understands that the best way to reduce the need for abortions is to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies."

"He is committed to common sense solutions to achieve that objective and to changing the tone of the discourse which for too long has devolved into false and negative attacks such as this that do nothing to accomplish that goal," Shapiro added.

Rev. Patrick Mahoney, the head of the pro-life group, tells LifeNews.com that Shapiro never pointed out any part of the condemnation of Obama's taxpayer-funded abortion position that he considered a "false attack."

"When the Obama campaign had a chance to deny he supported taxpayer funded abortions, they refused to do so," he said. "The reason for that is simple. Senator Obama supports taxpayer funded abortions and has blocked legislation that would have prohibited public funds from being used for abortions."

"It is clear, that if elected, Senator Obama would be the most pro-abortion President in American history," Mahoney added. "His views are so radical and extreme that he would have Catholics, Evangelicals and other people of faith pay for abortions."

"Senator Obama's radical and extreme support of abortion shows he is not a progressive candidate interested in human rights and social justice," Mahoney concluded.

Mahoney said members of his group will be confronting Obama at campaign stops in California over the weekend. They will be asking him to change his position on making people pay for abortions for poor women.

"Obama's record on abortion is extreme. He opposed the ban on partial-birth abortion -- a practice a fellow Democrat, the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan, once called 'too close to infanticide.' Obama strongly criticized the Supreme Court decision upholding the partial-birth ban. In the Illinois state Senate, he opposed a bill similar to the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, which prevents the killing of infants mistakenly left alive by abortion. And now Obama has oddly claimed he would not want his daughters to be 'punished with a baby' because of a crisis pregnancy -- hardly a welcoming attitude toward new life."
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/04/caseys_endorsement_lacks_fathe.html

From OnTheIssues.org: Obama on Abortion

* Ok for state to restrict late-term partial birth abortion. (Apr 2008)
* We can find common ground between pro-choice and pro-life. (Apr 2008)
* Undecided on whether life begins at conception. (Apr 2008)
* Teach teens about abstinence and also about contraception. (Apr 2008)
* GovWatch: Obama's "present" votes were a requested strategy. (Feb 2008)
* Expand access to contraception; reduce unintended pregnancy. (Feb 2008)
* Rated 100% by NARAL on pro-choice votes in 2005, 2006 & 2007. (Jan 2008)
* Voted against banning partial birth abortion. (Oct 2007)
* Stem cells hold promise to cure 70 major diseases. (Aug 2007)
* Trust women to make own decisions on partial-birth abortion. (Apr 2007)
* Extend presumption of good faith to abortion protesters. (Oct 2006)
* Constitution is a living document; no strict constructionism. (Oct 2006)
* Moral accusations from pro-lifers are counterproductive. (Oct 2004)
* Pass the Stem Cell Research Bill. (Jun 2004)
* Protect a woman's right to choose. (May 2004)
* Supports Roe v. Wade. (Jul 1998)
* Voted NO on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP. (Mar 2008)
* Voted NO on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion. (Mar 2008)
* Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007)
* Voted NO on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)
* Voted YES on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
* Sponsored bill providing contraceptives for low-income women. (May 2006)
* Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance. (Dec 2006)
* Ensure access to and funding for contraception. (Feb 2007)

http://www.ontheissues.org/Barack_Obama.htm#Abortion

From OnTheIssues.org: John McCain on Abortion:

* Pro-life and an advocate for the Rights of Man everywhere. (Feb 2008)
* GovWatch: 1999: Don't force women to have illegal operations. (Feb 2008)
* Abortion issue shows what kind of country we are. (Aug 2007)
* Concerned if women undergo illegal dangerous operations. (May 2007)
* Supports federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. (May 2007)
* Prosecute abortion doctors, not women who get them. (Jan 2000)
* “Family Conference” if daughter wanted an abortion. (Jan 2000)
* Abortion OK if raped; and no testing for rape. (Jan 2000)
* Supports fetal tissue research; against over-intensity. (Jan 2000)
* Overturn Roe v. Wade, but keep incest & rape exceptions. (Jan 2000)
* Support adoption & foster care; work together on abortion. (Oct 1999)
* Wants Roe vs. Wade made irrelevant, but would not repeal it. (Aug 1999)
* Opposes partial-birth abortions & public financing. (Aug 1999)
* Nominate justices based on experience, and values. (Jun 1999)
* Restrict abortions; no partial-birth; no public funding. (Jul 1998)

Voting Record
* Supports repealing Roe v. Wade. (May 2007)
* Voted YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP. (Mar 2008)
* Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007)
* Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007)
* Voted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)
* Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
* Voted YES on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004)
* Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003)
* Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)
* Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999)
* Voted YES on banning human cloning. (Feb 1998)
* Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)
* Expand embryonic stem cell research. (Jun 2004)
* Rated 75% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion. (Dec 2006)

http://www.ontheissues.org/John_McCain.htm

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