Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Most of the potential GOP candidates for president fall somewhere along the scale ranging from reliably pro-life to opposing abortion but supporting embryonic stem cell research. Rudy Giuliani falls squarely in the pro-abortion camp but he's now trying to reassure pro-life voters he's not that bad. Giuliani has always been in favor of legalized abortion -- even supporting the grisly partial-birth abortion procedure that kills an unborn child halfway through the birthing process. On the Fox news program Hannity & Colmes on Monday night he used some pretty strong language against abortion, though he admitted he still is pro-abortion when it comes to whether it should be legal. "Where I stand on abortion is, I oppose it. I don't like it. I hate it. I think abortion is something that, as a personal matter, I would advise somebody against," he said. "However, I believe in a woman's right to choose," Giuliani admitted. "I think ultimately you have to leave that to a disagreement of conscience and you have to respect the choice that somebody makes." The former mayor tried to reassure pro-life advocates by saying he would appoint judges in the mold of the ones President Bush nominated and pro-life advocates supported. "I think the appointment of judges that I would make would be very similar to, if not exactly the same as, the last two judges that were appointed," Giuliani said. Read the complete story.
Mitt Romney Confirms His Pro-Life Position on Abortion Amid Doubts, Anderson, SC
(LifeNews.com) -- For Mitt Romney, it's the issue that just won't go away. The former Massachusetts governor defended his newfound pro-life position as he campaign in South Carolina on Friday but some skeptics continue to doubt whether he's fully committed to the pro-life cause. "I am firmly pro-life," Romney told about 100 Republicans at a restaurant campaign stop. "I was always for life." "Every act I've taken as governor has been in favor of life," he added. While Romney may have been personally pro-life for much of his political career, his policy position was in favor of legalized abortion. He campaigned for the U.S. Senate in 1994 and for governor in 2002 as a pro-abortion candidate. But, during his tenure on Beacon Hill, he experienced an epiphany on abortion when confronted with the issue of embryonic stem cell research. He converted to the pro-life perspective saying Roe should be overturned and that it "cheapened the value of human life." Romney has won over the support of some pro-life activists, having earned the endorsement of leading pro-life attorney Jim Bopp, who has served as legal counsel for various pro-life groups. But Kathryn Jean Lopez, the editor of National Review Online, finds Romney's conversion story "not very compelling." At the same time, Lopez contends, "It makes sense that, after rising to the position of a state's chief executive, a businessman with a latent pro-life inclination might develop a heightened sense of the dangers posed to humanity when confronted with the possibility of state-funded embryo farming." Read the complete story.
Pro-Life Advocate: Pro-Abortion Barack Obama Shouldn't Be President ,Washington, DC
(LifeNews.com) -- Illinois Sen. Barack Obama plans to make his Democratic presidential bid official on Saturday, but his announcement will be greeted by pro-life advocates and protesters who say he's not fit to become president because he favors legalized abortion. Members of the Pro-Life Action League and other pro-life organizations in Illinois will be present to protest because they oppose Obama's ardent support for abortion on demand. "Barack Obama is on record calling abortion a 'personal tragedy' that he deeply regrets," says Joseph Scheidler, director of the Chicago-based pro-life group. "Yet he was one of the staunchest supporters of abortion in the Illinois Senate." Scheidler said Obama went further than some abortion advocates by voting against the Illinois Born Alive Infants Protection Act, which requires proper medical care and treatment for babies who are born alive after a botched abortion. "Such extraordinary disregard for the lives of the most helpless members of our society disqualifies Obama from serving as our President," Scheidler said in a statement sent to LifeNews.com. Read the complete story.
Poll Shows Clinton, Obama Gaining and McCain, Giuliani Dropping, Des Moines, IA
(LifeNews.com) -- A new poll of likely caucus-goers in Iowa finds pro-abortion Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama gaining among Democrats and Sen. John McCain and pro-abortion former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani dropping among Republicans. On the GOP side, Giuliani fell from 28 to 27 percent from a December to late January American Research Group poll and McCain dropped from 26 to 22 percent. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who recently converted to the pro-life position, appeared to be the recipient of those supporters as he moved up from 6 percent to 11 percent in the poll. Support for former Speaker Newt Gingrich dropped from 18 to 16 percent, as he continues to appear likely not to run for president. Looking at Democrats, Clinton went from 31 to 35 percent in the late January poll. Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards dropped from 20 to 18 percent while Obama rose to 14 percent from 10 percent in the December survey. Read the complete story.
John Edwards Keeps Staffers Who Bashed Catholic Church on Abortion, Washington, DC
(LifeNews.com) -- Presidential candidate John Edwards said Thursday he will retain two staff members who had posted profane messages on their personal blogs bashing the Catholic Church over its positions against abortion and on other issues. Edwards, who backs abortion, said the staff members made the post prior to working for him. The former North Carolina governor said he was offended by the content of the posts -- which included inflammatory and profane attacks on the church -- but said he wouldn't fire them. His comments about the staff members came two days after Bill Donohue, president of the pro-life Catholic League, called for their firing. "I've talked to Amanda and Melissa; they have both assured me that it was never their intention to malign anyone's faith, and I take them at their word," Edwards said. "The tone and the sentiment of some of Amanda Marcotte's and Melissa McEwen's posts personally offended me," Edwards' statement read. "It's not how I talk to people, and it's not how I expect the people who work for me to talk to people." In addition to criticizing the church on abortion, the posts derisively referred to Pope Benedict XVI as a "dictator" and Marcotte wrote that the Catholic Church's teaching against the use of contraception forced women to "bear more tithing Catholics." Read the complete story.
Add Your City to LifeChain Sunday 2007
ADD YOUR CITY OR TOWN TO National Life Chain Sunday 2007 (October 7) and begin preparation early: Life Chain—a peaceful, church-fed, pro-life prayer chain witness across the U.S. and Canada -- changes hearts and saves lives. Over 1,200 cities and towns participated in 2006. Prep materials and personal help are available at no cost. One devoted Christian can enroll your city, town, or hamlet. Please do so today. Contact Royce@NationalLifeChain.org or call 530-674-5068. Year 2007 is Life Chain's 20th Anniversary.
"There is a God in heaven. He will prevail." (St. Gerard Majella)
Deacon John
www.deaconjohn.org
http://deaconjohn1987.blogspot.com/
