Schwarzenegger Criticized for Saying GOP Should be More Pro-Abortion

LifeNews.com ^ | December 20, 2004 | Steven Ertelt

[Ed Current]

Sacramento, CA (LifeNews.com) -- First, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger came under fire from pro-life advocates for backing a $6 billion measure using taxpayer funds to destroy human life in cloning and embryonic stem cell research. Now he drawing criticism for suggesting the GOP should become more pro-abortion.

In an interview with Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily newspaper published Saturday, Schwarzenegger said the Republican Party should move "a little to the left" on issues such as abortion -- a shift he claims would pick up more voters.

Schwarzenegger told the paper that "the Republican Party currently covers only the spectrum from the right wing to the middle."

"I would like the Republican Party to cross this line, move a little further left and place more weight on the center," he said. "This would immediately give the party 5 percent more votes without its losing anything elsewhere."

However, post-election poll of voters shows that a majority of Americans are pro-life and the abortion issue gave pro-life candidates such as President Bush a twelve percent advantage.

Thinking about their own position on abortion, 55 percent said they took a pro-life position and only 40 percent took one of three positions in favor of legal abortions.

That November 2004 Wirthlin poll conforms to others showing pro-life Republican presidential candidates benefiting from that view on abortion.

According to Lydia Saad, Senior Gallup Poll Editor, "national exit polling in every presidential election since 1984 has shown a net advantage to the pro-life side over the pro-choice side, based on the percentage of single-issue abortion voters in the electorate."

Schwarzenegger's comments drew opposition from Karen England of the Capitol Resource Institute, a California group involved in pro-life issues.

"Schwarzenegger's statements that the GOP would not lose its base if it embraces ... abortion rights show extreme arrogance and total ignorance concerning the values and dedication of the party's core constituents," England said.

"Schwarzenegger has spent too much time in Hollywood. He needs to start mingling more with mainstream Californians," she added.

"We are outraged that Schwarzenegger has the audacity to misspeak for the millions of Republicans in this country who believe that abortion is murder," England concluded.

[little jeremiah]

Moral Absolutes Ping...

(Pingify me if you want on-off-or Back On this list!)

Haven't read it yet, didn't want to. AS makes me sick. So what if he has an R next to his name.

As far as I am concerned (AFAIAC), fiscal conservative/social liberals are no better than regular liberals. Their social liberalism requires a lot of money, so they'll turn into fiscal liberals after the dust clears anyway.

[Amerigomag]

he continues to reveal himself as a fiscal conservative

Let me guess. There is no television news in your neck of Montana. Since you've missed so much let me bring you up to speed.

1) Schwarzenegger sponsored Prop 49 which is part of a cradle to grave social system
2)Schwarzenegger promoted and passed the biggest state budget in the history of California when the state was in a a period of negative cash flow..
3) Schwarzenegger promoted and passed the largest increase in State indebtedness involving the day to day operational expenses of running the state government. He had to alter the state constitution to allow such indebtedness.
4) Schwarzenegger vowed to strengthen business in California so as to generate tax revenue for "our (social) programs".Business is still on the downturn in Californioa and Schwarzenegger is still promoting more and bigger social programs.
5) Schwarzenegger sponsored Prop 71, a $3B giveaway to medical research, when the state is in an $8B structural deficit. He planned to barrow the money to fund the research

Oh you bet ... Schwarzenegger is a real fiscal conservative.

[Tailback]

Arnold is merely strengthening his support among Californians. Because California liberals read these things, they'll give him a chance. Meanwhile Arnold will continue to root out corruption on the Dem side and appoint conservative judges. Arnold is merely walking the tightrope that Gordon Smith does as a (R) senator from Oregon. Don't look at what they say, look at what they do.

[Godebert]

"You can call me "baby killer" all you want, but most of us do not believe that a 10-day old glob of cells is human. You do; your preacher tells you so. We don't. So vote."

We? Speak for yourself. You certainly don't speak for the majority of Freepers. Nobody needs a preacher to tell them MURDER is wrong.

[calcowgirl]

Here's a LINK to the google translation of the interview transcript at posted at sueddeutsche.de. I couldn't find any mention of abortion, but the translation is very rough. Below are a few exchanges saying Giuliani and McCain are the future of the party, he is moving the party left in environmentalism, and that the debt should be blamed on the democrats. There are other discussions that I did not copy, including the Iraq war, wanting to reconcile with the "European countries, which were so much against the war," and Burton's foie gras legislation, among others.

Sp : Mr. governor, deplore moderate republicans that America hit a wrong course that the Neokonservativen has the party "kidnapped". To whom does the future belong in the republican party, George Bush and thickly Cheney or moderate republicans such as John McCain and Rudolph Giuliani?

Schwarzenegger :It must move somewhat. The republican party covers to time only the spectrum from right outside into the center; and the democratic party covers the spectrum from left to the center. I would wish myself that the republican party crosses this dividing line, a little more to the left moves and more weights on the center puts. This would give immediately five per cent more voices to the party, without she loses elsewhere somewhat.

Sp :President George Bush occupied its cabinet after the choice victory with its closest familiar ones. Where are the people, which are to hit the new course?

Schwarzenegger :They are everywhere. The question is only whether one hears its voice. During the nominating Party Congress in New York they played an important role. They ensured that the party delivered a balanced picture. Now it depends on the fact that their voices also the next four years are heard and not to go down. One should not forget that Bush won the elections with the help of the moderate ones, with the McCains and Giulianis. They are the future leaders of the republican party. They stand at the point of a movement.

Sp :With which topics you want to move the party to the left. They made California the outrider in the main cell research. What still?

Schwarzenegger :Environmental protection about is an important topic. I had there meaningful laws on the table, which were strictly rejected by the republicans. It was moved.

Sp :In former times California took up always new debts.

Schwarzenegger :Yes. Thus the democrats ruined California. We passed a law, which prevents now that politicians can make new debts.

Sp :President Bush fell the national budget into Washington into a new record deficit. They were selected in California to the governor, because the deficit brought the state to the edge of the ruin. Will you continue to save?

Schwarzenegger :Naturally. The democrats did not understand this message yet, therefore I must say, no, it to them with saving will finally begin now. And no matter, which they say, then it will then also come. We must bring our household structurally under control. In this year we saved in the training system, in the next year are already the health service and the social programs to.

Sp :Do you believe that America for California would be ready von Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Schwarzenegger :I do not know exactly, how the people think in other Federal States from me. California, each quarter, each circle, each district interests me. And there there is a large majority, which supports my politics among the democrats.

[calcowgirl]

>>As it is, he continues to reveal himself as a fiscal conservative with no heart.

REALLY?? Do tell! Last I looked, issuing billions in debt, getting taxpayers to fund pet projects like After-School-Programs and Stem-Cell Research were not fiscally conservative at all. Nor is the utter assault on property rights as evidenced in his promotion of the Sierra Nevada conservancy. Nor are continued increases in fees, all to fund more programs. Please cite examples of things that indicate fiscal conservatism.

[winker]

For SHAME FOR SHAME now a confirmed baby killer but we "ALL" knew that!

[winker]

OK! arnold time to come all the way out of the closet!

[winker]

Show us what you are really are BABEEEEE!

[Ed Current]

Schwarzenegger :It must move somewhat. The republican party covers to time only the spectrum from right outside into the center; and the democratic party covers the spectrum from left to the center. I would wish myself that the republican party crosses this dividing line, a little more to the left moves and more weights on the center puts. This would give immediately five per cent more voices to the party, without she loses elsewhere somewhat.

Sounds just like Ahnold!!!

I can't find where he said; "All the Democrat base are belong to us."

[cpforlife.org]

Arnold Schwarzenegger is an utter disgrace. He should be removed from office and thrown out of the GOP. His citizenship should be revoked and he should be deported. Kalifornia has more than 400,000 murders by abortion each year and the terminator wants more. Now he’s trying to start embryo farms in his land of fruits and nuts.

Schwarzenegger, you are a sick and twisted looser.

A thought from a recent past president of the
Federation of Americans waiting to be born:

"Abortion? I am all for it…
for “certain undesirable organizations”

"Abort N.O.W., NARAL, and Planned Parenthood!
Abort Roe v Wade and all politicians that allow the
MURDER of my unborn friends!"

"Life is Sacred from the moment of conception!"

Click here to read a press release from the current president of the
Federation of Americans waiting to be born.

Pro-Life PING

Please FreepMail me if you want on or off my Pro-Life Ping List.

[Ed Current]

Arnold Schwarzenegger is an utter disgrace. He should be removed from office and thrown out of the GOP. His citizenship should be revoked and he should be deported. Kalifornia has more than 400,000 murders by abortion each year and the terminator wants more. Now he’s trying to start embryo farms in his land of fruits and nuts.

Schwarzenegger, you are a sick and twisted looser.

DITTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Theodore R.]

I presume that you still support Tom McClintock, but this time he is running for lieutenant governor, presumably UNDER Schwarzenegger.

[calcowgirl]

I can't find where he said; "All the Democrat base are belong to us."

LOL. I think it's just a bad translation from google. It must be the last sentence I posted:

And there there is a large majority, which supports my politics among the democrats.

[Lurking2Long]

L2L to Arnold...don't bother coming "back"...

[Lurking2Long]

Baby killer...

[Lurking2Long]

Oh Lord, another Catholic child who can't get over the "sadistic" nuns they were left with by their uncaring parents...you sound like my nutcase sister-in-law...

[kingu]

As I said, there is plenty to criticize Schwarzenegger on, but the headline presented as well as the topic of the article are absent from the interview...

This is California, the land of Jackie Goldberg, Nancy Pelosi and Diane Feinstein. Any 'mainstream' Republican is going to be left of center, it is what passes for conservatism here.

[calcowgirl]

While I agree with you on the contents of the specific article, Arnold's pro-abortion stance is not a secret. And there are plenty of other things in that transcript to scream about. The guy has not embraced a single Republican ideal. Acknowledging it is a first step for voters. Getting a good candidate in office should be the next step.

I strongly disagree that "mainstream" Republicanism must be left of center to be successful nor that it passes as conservatism.

[TheDon]

It is rather ironic coming from a former Austrian in charge of the extermination of human beings. So much for never again!