'Mildly Pro-Choice' Rice Won't Rule Out Presidential Bid

wash post ^ | March 13, 2005 | Mike Allen

[kevin fortuna]

'Mildly Pro-Choice' Rice Won't Rule Out Presidential Bid

By Mike Allen Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, March 13, 2005; Page A05

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice described herself Friday as "mildly pro-choice" and "kind of libertarian" on abortion, and left the door open for a presidential race in 2008.

Rice, who took office Jan. 26 after four years as President Bush's national security adviser, said she "can't imagine" running to succeed her boss and that she is "not trying to be elected." But she said she knows people are talking about the possibility, and did not rule it out when pressed repeatedly. She spoke in an interview with reporters and editors from the Washington Times, and the State Department released a transcript yesterday.

The Republican platform is strongly antiabortion, and abortion opponents play a big role in many primaries. Rice explicated her views when a questioner from the newspaper told her that the written record was murky.

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

I wouldn't dare to tell you such a thing. In fact, I don't see it that way at all (and, in my opinion you are over-reacting JUST a bit in making such a comparison).

I'll rephrase - the Pro-Life movement has made tremendous gains both olitically and socially in the last thirty years. Choosing to go over the cliff for Hillary in `08 if you do not get a 100% pro-life candidate will allow a Hillary presidency to undo EVERYTHING we have gained in the last thirty years.

It's not Hitler OR Stalin. It's pragmatism (a GOP President will still be nominating conservative judges more amenable to the pro-life movement) OR bullheaded suicide.

Staying home in `08 and allowing Hillary her 5% solution and the White House will kill far more unborn children going into the future than rolling up your sleeves and assisting in an all-out effort to keep the Executive Branch in the hands of Republicans. THAT'S A FACT - those of you going over the cliff for your principles just don't want to acknowledge that.

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

I wouldn't dare to tell you such a thing. In fact, I don't see it that way at all (and, in my opinion you are over-reacting JUST a bit in making such a comparison).

I'll rephrase - the Pro-Life movement has made tremendous gains both olitically and socially in the last thirty years. Choosing to go over the cliff for Hillary in `08 if you do not get a 100% pro-life candidate will allow a Hillary presidency to undo EVERYTHING we have gained in the last thirty years.

It's not Hitler OR Stalin. It's pragmatism (a GOP President will still be nominating conservative judges more amenable to the pro-life movement) OR bullheaded suicide.

Staying home in `08 and allowing Hillary her 5% solution and the White House will kill far more unborn children going into the future than rolling up your sleeves and assisting in an all-out effort to keep the Executive Branch in the hands of Republicans. THAT'S A FACT - those of you going over the cliff for your principles just don't want to acknowledge that.

[Mark in the Old South]

First off I don't see where the pro life movement has gained a darn (its Sunday so I can't say what I am really thinking here) thing in the last 30 years. 30 years ago you never even heard of partial birth abortions. It has been creeping further over the abyss with each election. 30 years ago you never heard of a pro choice Republican. Where on earth did they all come from? 30 years ago the pro life plank was firmly in place on the GOP stage, but today a whole wing of the party has their crowbars out working away. 30 years ago even the Rockefeller Republican claimed to be pro life, but not today. And yet I am being told to be practical once again. For 30 years your way has been the acceptable norm in the GOP but until today I was not being asked to vote for a pro abortion politician. Today you ask too much, it is one bridge too far.

I realize not supporting a pro abortion GOP candidate in 08 may result in a Demoncrat win, I accept that premise, but do you accept that nominating that pro abortion politician is just as much responsible for fracturing the party. That is a fact as well, it is time to face up to it. Which direction will the GOP take? Pro abortion and the loss of millions of votes? Remember the "mildly" pro abortion voter has a place to go and still has a viable candidate to vote for, the pro lifer does not. If we give ground on this issue in the GOP the only other option is accepting the death of millions as routine, revolution or a third party. This country will pay for it sins, I would prefer we do so with contrition rather than attrition. Your way is paved with tears.

[digitalbrownshirt]

Your need to use name calling weakens your argument. I've been a Republican for almost 20 years, I've supported this country even to the extent of wearing it's uniform on foreign soil. I've voted in every election since '86 when I turned 18.I don't need someone preaching moral grey areas telling me how I should vote. If you don't have the moral strength to see black and white, then that's your problem. As for me, I recognize good and evil, and I'm glad I do. If the Republican party wants my vote, they'd better find a candidate I can support.

[tkathy]

Condi Rice, Laura Bush, Barbara Bush, along with countless moderates, all agree that it would be disaster to get the government involved in the abortion thing. Abortion is a unique issue, and should not be confused with other issues.

[notigar]

how is he a murderer? that's silly. a person doing the murder is the murderer.

[digitalbrownshirt]

It's interesting that none of the people you mention have needed to win an election before. A pro-choice candidate will cut the Republicans' throat at the polls. Dividing your base is a lousy way to win an election.

If I wanted to vote for an abortionist, I'd vote Democrat.

[HitmanLV]

There is such a strange fixation on abortion, among people on both of the major sides of the argument.

[Lady Heron]

'Mildly Pro-Choice' Rice Won't Rule Out Presidential Bid

But she just ruled out Christians voting for her if nominated and given herself a loss to the dem.

Bush had the most votes ever in a presidential election because the churches told their members to vote, I guess they will not be doing that the next election. We are the stupid party.

[BibChr]

How is it "different"? Just because you can't see the victim until he is brought out in chunks and pieces? I really cannot guess what you mean.

Dan

[HitmanLV]

Ultimately the conservative base that is fixated on abortion as their sole or major issue has to ask some tough questions and answer them honestly:

1. How has their strategy helped move the status quo in a direction that they want?

2. How has their strategy helped move the status quo in a direction away from where they want?

3. What other ways can they combat abortion, besides making it a legislative issue?

The truth is that in the 30 years since the Roe decision, there have been over 40 million abortions in the USA, and we are at about 1.5 million abortions a year.

I am pro life but it's clear to me the strategy isn't a very good one. I'm afraid the most vitriolic pro life advocates have changed their mandate from stopping abortions (a noble goal) to making a lot of ineffective noise and 'sleeping soundly at night.'

That's a frequency of narcissism that I see more on the political left. It's interesting to see it pop up on our side of the aisle - it's just human nature, I suppose.

In any event, it's obvious to anyone with an ounce of clarity that there is no significant movement amongst Americans to change the basic status quo of abortion in 2005. This is for a number of reasons.

The pro life movement's strategy to doggedly pursue a legislative solution to the abortion problem has got us where we are now - not a good place, as far as the status quo and abortion goes.

The question is do they have what it takes to recognize their failure and change strategy?

[Howlin]

And if Hillary wins in `08 because those pro-lifers (of which, by the way, I am a member) who are single issue slaves stay home, you and I both know who will be among the loudest of those wailing and gnashing teeth when Hillary packs the judiciary with abortion rights fanatics - the very pro-lifers who atyed home in November `08 out of a slavish devotion to their single issue.

Amen.

Sometimes I think they don't care about this country at all -- they only care about "their" issue.

[Lady Heron]

It seems "mildly pro-choice" is worse than having Hillary in office to many FReepers. Go figure.

Christians came to the Republican party because they gave them somebody they could vote for unlike the dems. They will not be doing that this election it looks like not because they do not want to but because they were given nobody they could vote for. They will not come out in big numbers whether you like it or not because they vote principle not one evil better than an other. Belittling them will not change their minds nor do they care if you look down on them, dems already do and it does not change their mind on what is right in the sight of God and what is evil.

Republicans either give them somebody they can come out for or they think they can do this without them (relection of Bush 1 after his wifes little anouncement and lip service Dole), it is not really a hard choice to make. I looks like they think they can go it alone, though past elections show that they are toast with out the Christian right. There is very good reasons history that has given us the name the Stupid Party and we love to live up to it.

[Lady Heron]

Hillary only needs a 5% solution to get the keys to the White House. If 5% of the traditional GOP voters choose to be single issue lemmings and follow their "principles" over the cliff it's "President Hillary!" in `08.

We are willingly going to give her that 15% solution by not giving our base a reason to come out........Brilliant!

[Howlin]

I guess to some around here Laura Bush is a murderer, too.

[Mark in the Old South]

Re: "Condi Rice, Laura Bush, Barbara Bush, along with countless moderates, all agree that it would be disaster to get the government involved in the abortion thing. Abortion is a unique issue, and should not be confused with other issues."

The above is a great example of why the GOP will loose Congress in the next few years, maybe not 06 or 08 but surely by 2012. Life takes a back seat to all "other issues". Only to those who value their own selfish concerns over the life of another. What you need to understand is one day you, like everyone, will be a useless eater. Once the pro life crowded is out maneuvered, with a little help from people such as yourself, they will come after you. You can count on it unless you plan on being one of those who do the coming after.

[denver larry]

I'm sorry, but I just can't see a Prez Condi. Seriously now, does she even date guys or has she ever? Is she just a Washington policy wonk that's happily in love with football and Soviet history? Personally, I find her incredibly attractive and remarkably smart, but she's never run for an office of any kind. It ain't happening.

[Howlin]

Seriously now, does she even date guys or has she ever?

You're showing your ignorance.

[Howlin]

But she just ruled out Christians voting for her if nominated and given herself a loss to the dem.

Take a look at the Latest Posts page; so far, 74 percent of the people on this forum say they would vote for her.

You're not implying that they aren't Christians, are you?

[Enterprise]

While women may have compelling reasons to have abortions, society, in its needs for replenish and continuity, has equally compelling reasons for them NOT to have abortions. The feminists/liberals are basically telling women not to worry, have the abortions and think only of themselves. Conservatives urge caution, and try to educate women that fetuses represent society's destiny.