Over twenty five years ago, the pro-life movement made a decision, collectively, that two of the requirements for us to remain part of the Republican coalition was that 1) The Reagan pro-life platform remain intact, and 2) Both the presidential and the vice-presidential nominees of the party be pro-life.
National Right to Life's platform contains only one so-called 'exception': The life of the mother.
Even so, they, and most pro-life leaders have, grudgingly, accepted candidates like George W. Bush, who make a rape and incest exception that they consider to be philosophically silly and wrong, and, if implemented into law, a grave injustice.
Periodically, the tiny minority in the Party, the pro-choicers, make a run at the nomination and at the platform. Every time, they have been crushed completely and thoroughly, thank God.
Anyway, I don't know why anyone should be surprised if the pro-life movement, the heart and soul of the GOP, continues to stick to its guns. That's all that is going on here.
I think Bob Dole was taken kicking and screaming to the pro life part of the platform. George Bush the I was ambivilant toward it. So being fervent pro life or choice doesn't seem to be the barometer of getting the nomimnation. In addition, it wasn't a pro-lifer who ciphened votes away from these candidates during losing elections. It was pro choice Ross Perot.