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Abortion rights advocates warn about McCain

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor October 14, 2008 07:34 PM


Timed with the third and final presidential debate, a major abortion rights group is sending out the latest in its series of videos reminding voters of an issue that hasn't been much discussed so far: the future of Roe v. Wade.

Unveiling the video tonight, NARAL-Pro Choice America said it will be sent to 500,000 activists on Wednesday, just before the debate Wednesday night. “John McCain’s position on choice is extreme and dangerous,” the group's president, Nancy Keenan, said in a statement. “Not only does McCain’s record show that he’s voted against a woman’s right to choose 125 times, but this video allows voters to hear the truth right from the candidate's mouth. John McCain wants to outlaw abortion, even if it means women’s lives will be at risk.”

The video shows snippets of debate appearances and TV interviews, focusing on one on NBC's "Meet the Press" where the late Tim Russert asks McCain about going back to the days of back-alley abortions before the Roe decision legalized abortion nationwide.

"John McCain will fight to outlaw your right to choose. What are you willing to fight for?" it says on screen at the close. "On November 4, vote Barack Obama, the only choice. The only choice who will fight to protect yours."

McCain wants to overturn Roe, return the issue to individual states, then eventually end abortion with more emphasis on adoption and prevention of unplanned pregnancies. Obama supports upholding Roe v. Wade.

This is McCain's official position on his campaign website: "John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench. Constitutional balance would be restored by the reversal of Roe v. Wade, returning the abortion question to the individual states. The difficult issue of abortion should not be decided by judicial fiat.

"However, the reversal of Roe v. Wade represents only one step in the long path toward ending abortion. Once the question is returned to the states, the fight for life will be one of courage and compassion - the courage of a pregnant mother to bring her child into the world and the compassion of civil society to meet her needs and those of her newborn baby. The pro-life movement has done tremendous work in building and reinforcing the infrastructure of civil society by strengthening faith-based, community, and neighborhood organizations that provide critical services to pregnant mothers in need. This work must continue and government must find new ways to empower and strengthen these armies of compassion. These important groups can help build the consensus necessary to end abortion at the state level. As John McCain has publicly noted, "At its core, abortion is a human tragedy. To effect meaningful change, we must engage the debate at a human level."

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Abortion is wrong..

Posted by Dustin Thompson October 15, 08 08:19 AM
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Wow. There are sooooo many videos on Youtube, showing McCain contradicting his positions left and right. There is also a video of Palin pretty much endorsing Obama and calling McCain "more of the same" just before McCain picked her for his running mate!

Posted by Sandy October 15, 08 08:42 AM
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obama for president.

Posted by larissa October 15, 08 09:27 AM
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Im not for John McCain but i think its right for him to try and overturn abortion because abortion is murder!!!!

Posted by Lisa October 15, 08 11:47 AM
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What are these "pro-choice" people thinking? Abortion is murder. Bottom line. How can anyone even think of taking the life of something so innocent and precious? It saddens me to know that this world could be so cruel as to take the life of an innocent child. It's not the baby's choice to be created. Abortionists want to talk about the right to choose. I think they made their choice when they decided to have sex to conceive that child. May God have mercy on them.

Posted by Brittany N. Thomas October 15, 08 12:43 PM
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I support Obama; I abhor McCains's bizarre switch to the right wing; but I think this video is just fuel for the anti-abortion fire. It is equivalent to people citing miscellaneous quotes from the bible out of context to "prove" any number of bizarre and not coherent "conclusions."

Posted by sisteragnes October 15, 08 09:05 PM
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Posted by timothy moriarty October 16, 08 06:04 AM
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helloo!!!! what freakin right does the state have 2 tell any woman what to do with her body especially coming from a freakin man!? r u kidding me?! EFFFF THAT CRAPP..... and wtfff sarah palin is no damn role model for women she doesnt even believe in abortion if u were raped um can we say cruel and pathetic? Yet Mccain doesnt even support more funding for sex ed and contraceptives which is exactly what sarah palins daughter needed since her mom was obviously 2 busy saving alaska! Damn hypocrites!

Posted by brina October 16, 08 06:15 PM
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Abortion is murder and death. As a women, 15 or 50 you take a responsibility for you actions. Our bodies are an incubator for life, we do not have the choice to kill a life, we have the choice to not allow that to happen. Don't have sex, and you won't have to commit murder. Pro-Life and proud of it!

Posted by Sharon Eidens October 22, 08 12:05 AM
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"Abortion is murder and death. As a women, 15 or 50 you take a responsibility for you actions. Our bodies are an incubator for life, we do not have the choice to kill a life, we have the choice to not allow that to happen. Don't have sex, and you won't have to commit murder. Pro-Life and proud of it!"
Posted by Sharon Eidens October 22, 08 12:05 AM

I agree with you 100 % Sharon. Bulls eye!

Posted by Kelly October 23, 08 05:06 PM
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Was Jesus worried about His health when He gave up His life on the Cross to give eternal life to us? No servent is greater than their Master. If Jesus did not refuse to give up His life for us, women have no excuse to kill life, even if it cost their life. Jesus is Pro-life and McCain is Pro-life.

Posted by Sharon F. October 26, 08 12:41 PM
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I am Pro-choice and Pro-life! I'm a life long Republican, but I don't always agree with my party's platform. My daughter just gave birth to my second grandchild. I would have been heartbroken had she aborted either of her babies. I would have NEVER had an abortion. However, I recognize that others don't always feel the same way I do. I would NEVER want Roe v. Wade to be reversed. I'm old enough to remember when teenaged girls were dying from unsanitary, botched illegal abortions in back alleys. Those who want abortions are going to get them no matter what. I have respect for those lives also and would never want a terrified girl to go through such a horrible expereince.

Posted by Debi October 28, 08 11:43 PM
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Abortion is wrong according to the word of God. He is strongly against it .We are all born with a purpose and to have an abortion is to rob that child of its God - given purpose. In Isaiah 49:1 it says "Listen to me O coastlands pay attention you peoples from far away! The LORD called me before I was born, while I was in my mother's womb he named me."
Also in Exodus 21:22 says when people who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage and yet no further harm follows, the one responsible shall be fined what the woman's husband demands, paying as much as the judges determine. If any harm follows then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot burn for burn wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Posted by Stephanie October 30, 08 09:41 PM
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I know this article is out dated, However their is a message here. The message is our forefathers produced the constitution to protect us from this kind of abuse. It is my educated guess that scientists have worked very hard throughout time to prove that Jesus was a false god . Therefore as an educated person, the only one that needs to answer to anyone on the issue of abortion is the person themselfs,no god and no government. The person needs only to answer to themselfs and perhaps thier insurance companies if they disagree with the policy holder ,.

Posted by Mary T Hess May 23, 09 04:23 PM
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