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Edwards Skips Vote on Partial-Birth Abortion
Edwards Termed Procedure "Gruesome" and Called for a Ban During Election, But in Office Continues to Oppose a Ban or Duck the Issue
(RALEIGH) - The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly today to ban partial-birth abortion in a lopsided bipartisan vote of 64-33, a triumph for President Bush and Republicans, but Senator John Edwards (D-NC), despite his previous claims to support a ban on the abhorrent procedure, has voted against it before and skipped today's vote.
"Once again, John Edwards proves himself to be out of step with North Carolinians and on the far-left fringe of his party. He claims to support a ban on this horrific abortion procedure, but is on the record voting against a ban and now is missing in action. Unfortunately, North Carolinians are getting used to Edwards being anywhere except where he was elected to be - working for North Carolina's interests," said Bill Cobey, Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party.
Edwards Called It "Gruesome," But Voted Against Banning the Procedure in 1999 and Skipped Today's Vote.
During the 1998 Senate Campaign, Senator John Edwards (D-NC) said partial-birth abortion should be banned: "I think partial-birth abortions should be banned,' Edwards said. 'These are terribly gruesome procedures. I think the only exception is where there is a grave, serious threat to the health of the mother.'" ("Edwards Campaigns On An Issue A Week," The Associated Press, 9/19/98)
A CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll conducted January 2003 found 70 percent of those surveyed said that it should be illegal to perform "a specific abortion procedure conducted in the last 6 months of pregnancy known as a 'partial birth abortion,' except in cases necessary to save the life of the mother." (CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll, Conducted 1/10-12; Surveyed 1,002 Adults; Margin Of Error +/- 3%, Released January 15, 2003, As Quoted In National Journal's Hotline, 1/15/03)
But Edwards Has Now Voted Twice Against Banning Partial-Birth Abortion. (S. 1692, Roll Call Vote #340, Passed 63-34: R 49-3; D 14-31, 10/21/99)
"Once again, liberal trial lawyer John Edwards speaks one way at one time, and a different way at another time," said Bill Cobey, Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party.
John Edwards thinks all it takes to keep in touch with "mainstream North Carolinians" is an area code, so you can reach his Washington, D.C.-based campaign at North Carolina area code (919) 785-1900. Of course, he will probably be out traveling in Hollywood, New Hampshire, or Iowa, so we wish you the best of luck. Email contact info for Edwards can be found at http://www.senate.gov/~edwards/mailform.html.
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