McCain Criticizes Obama For Voting Against So-Called 'Partial-Birth' Abortion Ban

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 21 Jul 2008 - 6:00 PST

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Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) on Thursday in Kansas City criticized Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) for voting against a ban on so-called "partial-birth" abortions, saying the vote is a "great difference" between the two candidates, KSPR News reports (KSPR News, 7/17). Obama has said such legislation should include an exception for cases in which a pregnant woman's health is in jeopardy (Meckler, "Washington Wire," Wall Street Journal, 7/17).

Speaking to an estimated 1,200 people, McCain said, "I am proud of my record of protecting and advocating the rights of the unborn." McCain added, "Life means the rights of the born and the unborn" (Canon/Helling, Kansas City Star, 7/17). "You can count on my active advocacy for the rights of the unborn," McCain said. He added that partial-birth abortion is "a hideous procedure" and "should never be allowed any place on earth."

He also said he supports funding human embryonic stem cell research despite criticism from some antiabortion advocates because the research involves the destruction of human embryos. "At the moment, I support stem cell research (because of) the potential it has for curing some of the most terrible diseases that afflict mankind," McCain said ("Washington Wire," Wall Street Journal, 7/17).

Obama's campaign in a statement said, "John McCain squandered an opportunity to talk with Missourians about solutions to our economic problems and chose instead to launch the same old tired political attacks that the American people are sick of" (Kansas City Star, 7/17).

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