Barack Obama and Abortion

Posted May 20, 2008 - 4:15pm by Will Hinton

A friend of mine posed these very thought-provoking questions:

I have a question for any Obama voters from one who is sympathetic to Obama, has defended him on many occasions, voted for him in the primary, but isn't sure that he could ever vote for him in the general election:

Four observations and then a question:

1) Today NARAL endorsed Obama.
2) The New York Times recently reported that the Obama campaign will make abortion an issue in the general election in an effort to draw independent and Republican moderate women who may be uncomfortable with the prospect of Roe v. Wade being overturned.
3) Obama voted against Roberts and Alito. Let me focus on Roberts: eminently experienced, qualified, and respected across the board. In my estimation, there was no reason to vote against him unless you were making abortion a litmus test. Keep in mind that there is a long precedent of giving the president some respect in terms of Supreme Ct. nominees. This explains why John McCain voted for Ginsburg and Breyer despite disagreeing with them on abortion.
4) Obama has never voted against any abortion measure, including partial birth abortion.

So...

How does this fit with Obama's post-partisan political persona? Isn't this just hardball partisan politics because no one could get the Democratic nomination without capitulating to the pro-choice lobby? Wouldn't it be more consistent with his post-partisanship to say: "You know what? 2/3 of Americans are against partial birth abortion. We need to respect that and find some common ground. Etc. Etc."

This is a big, big problem for me. Discuss...

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Comments

I am adding my comment as

by Lorraine (not verified) - 05/21/2008 - 2:09am

I am adding my comment as someone who not only voted for Obama, but knocked on doors for him on Super Tuesday and plans to vote for him in November. I'm also still a registered Republican and personally speaking, I am "pro-life". However, I don't have the same apprehensions as you about Obama. While I do judge the act of an abortion to be murder, the economic and social issues that face the women who make up the majority of the abortion statistics cannot be ignored or minimized. Additionally, in my opinion, the efforts of every Republican Pro-Life elected official thus far have done very little to address BOTH sides of the issue. Maybe the private sector would be more effective...maybe passionate pro-lifers would consider adopting unwanted children in droves, or setting up some sort of scholarship fund that would aid financially challenged women to support their unplanned children for 18 years. Again, though abortion is a major problem, gone are the days for me of one-issue voting. Here's a thought, wouldn't it be something if the Christian Church spear-headed this issue through acts of service and sacrifice, rather than trying to legistlate their beliefs? Just my thoughts.

Here's a thought, wouldn't

by brian (not verified) - 05/21/2008 - 9:57am

Here's a thought, wouldn't it be something if the Christian Church spear-headed this issue through acts of service and sacrifice, rather than trying to legislate their beliefs?

I'm hardly militantly pro-life, but most laws are the legislation of morality and/or beliefs. And if you consider abortion to be murder, how do you reconcile this? I'm not attacking you, but I am curious.

As I said in my other comment, I'm fairly cynical about our political process, and think that both parties represent two sides of the same coin--we really can't win either way. And party machinery is strong enough to resist anyone who doesn't toe the line (see Robert Casey, Sr in 1992).

How do I reconcile it? Well,

by Lorraine (not verified) - 05/22/2008 - 12:42pm

How do I reconcile it? Well, like I said, the Republican, Pro-Life politicians have done little to nothing to improve either side of issue. Why not take a middle ground approach that might actually inch away at the problems. I see no sense in an "all or nothing" approach--especially since the end result for Pro-Lifers has in fact been nothing.

Lorraine: I hear what you

by Will Hinton - 05/22/2008 - 1:55pm

Lorraine: I hear what you are saying. While I'm no big fan of Republicans, I do believe that things haven't gotten worse, and in fact, there have been a few legislative/judicial wins for the pro-life movement that have been pushed by Republicans.

The original point that my friend was making though was that Barack Obama isn't suggesting a middle ground on this issue; in fact he is suggesting a much more pro-choice stance.

oh i know--he's quite

by Lorraine (not verified) - 05/22/2008 - 7:11pm

oh i know--he's quite liberal on the issue. i guess i was just saying (not very well apparently!) that voting straight republican b/c of that one and only issue, in my opinion, is ineffective (or not very effective--per your corrections). there are SO many people in america that have a totally different value system and perspective on abortion that a straight ban will never happen. so, since a straight ban won't ever happen, is voting democrat any different than voting republican (in terms of the abortion issue)? personally, i think if people--no matter what party or religion--approached the issue from the middle and not the far extremes, more lives would be saved. but i don't know any politician running for president or congress (that's probably were it matters more anyway) that is suggesting a middle ground approach...so, i don't forsee any policy change in the matter whether McCain or Obama becomes the next president. plus, suppose mccain wins and somehow abortion does become illegal...could you imagine the other problems that would arise? the country is not at all prepared for that. again just my opinion, i really think the private sector could do a lot as well. i know, at least in my social sphere, more people are starting to adopt--which is AWESOME--but could you imagine if even half of all those people that pulled the republican lever over the last 20 years, SOLELY on the abortion issue (and you know there are A LOT of people that voted republican just b/c their church told them to vote for the pro-life politician), put their money where their mouth was and adopted? or donated to a fund that financially aided mom's for the next 18 years of their child's life? i mean, if people are really and truly passionate about it, why don't they do something a little more than vote for someone who claims to be pro-life and then do very little for the issue once in office (i didn't say nothing this time!)...especially when it means in return we have to deal with things like losing billions of dollars and thousands of lives over a really stupid war that never should have happened :)

anyway, those are my two cents. i re-read my other comment and it was very short and potentially perceived as angry--it wasn't. this is all friendly debate from me! :)

Charles Chaput, bishop of

by brian janaszek (not verified) - 05/21/2008 - 5:49am

Charles Chaput, bishop of the Denver diocese, examines this very issue at the First Things blog (sorry, can't link).

Oh, where have you gone, Patrick Moynihan and Bob Casey?

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