Clinton, Obama Discuss Abortion, Religious Issues At Forum

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 15 Apr 2008 - 5:00 PST

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Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.) discussed abortion on Sunday during a 'Compassion Forum' sponsored by the not-for-profit group Faith in Public Life at Messiah College in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Both candidates were asked whether they believe life begins at conception (Worden, Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/14). Clinton said she believes the "potential for life begins at conception ... but for me, it is not only about the potential life, but the other lives involved" (Stoddard, Reuters, 4/13). She added that "abortion needs to be legal but remain safe and rare" (Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/14). Clinton said that individuals "must be entrusted" to make "profound" decisions regarding abortion "because the alternative would be such an intrusion of government authority that it would be very difficult to sustain in our open society" (Reuters, 4/13). Clinton also said that she will "continue to do what [she] can do to reduce the number" of abortions and would continue to support legislation to prevent unplanned pregnancies (Murray, Washington Post, 4/14).

Obama said he has not "come to a firm resolution on" whether life begins at conception, adding, "I don't presume to know the answer to that question." He added that "adoption is an option" for women who have unintended pregnancies but emphasized his support for abortion rights (Reuters, 4/13). "What I know ... is that there is something extraordinarily powerful about potential life and that has a moral weight to it that we take into consideration when we're having these debates," Obama said (BBC News, 4/14).

Obama also was asked about a comment he made last month that if one of his daughters became pregnant as a teenager, he would not want her "punished with a baby," the Post reports. "All I meant was, we want to prevent teen pregnancies," Obama said in response to questions about the comment. He added, "And what we don't want to do is to be blind to the possibility that kids will screw up, just like ... we as adults screw up sometimes" (Murray/Bacon, Washington Post, 4/14).

The CNN forum was televised nationwide and was moderated by Newsweek editor Jon Meacham and Campbell Brown of CNN, the New York Times reports (Stanley, New York Times, 4/14). The candidates answered questions from journalists and audience members, including several faith leaders (Washington Post, 4/14). Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, declined an invitation to participate in the forum, citing a scheduling conflict, the Inquirer reports (Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/14).

A CNN transcript of the complete forum is available online (CNN, 4/13). CNN video excerpts and expanded coverage of the forum also are available online (CNN.com, 4/14).

CNN on Sunday also included a discussion about the forum with senior political correspondent Candy Crowley, CNN contributor Roland Martin and Michael Gerson, an author and former speechwriter for President Bush (King, CNN, 4/13). Video and a transcript of the segment are available online.

Washington Post Examines Obama Support Among Abortion-Rights Opponents

In related news, the Post on Monday examined support for Obama among abortion-rights opponents, including Sen. Robert Casey (D-Pa.) and former Rep. Timothy Roemer (D-Ind.). According to the Post, some antiabortion advocates believe Obama "could achieve a new consensus" on abortion policy. Roemer said the "all-or-nothing approach" to abortion policy -- which both Democrats and Republicans have advocated -- has caused "gridlock" on the issue. Roemer added that Obama appeals to abortion opponents because he "leaves open the possibility that there are other ways to address" this issue.

Last week while campaigning in Indiana, Obama said, "The mistake pro-choice forces have sometimes made in the past, and this is a generalization, ... has been to not acknowledge the wrenching moral issues involved." He added, "And so the debate got so polarized that both sides tended to exaggerate the other side's positions. Most Americans, I think, recognize that what we want to do is avoid, or help people avoid, making this difficult choice. That nobody is pro-abortion -- abortions are never a good thing." According to the Post, some antiabortion leaders in Indiana and Pennsylvania were "alarmed" that Casey and Roemer endorsed Obama. A 'Pro-Life for Obama' group has surfaced on his campaign Web site and says Obama's "proposed policies" to address abortion and unintended pregnancies "will do a better job of preventing abortion than another four years of Republicans taking half-hearted pro-life positions" (Murray, Washington Post, 4/14).

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