Ballot Measures, Nomination Of Palin For VP Elevate Profile Of Abortion-Related Issues, AP/Google.com Reports

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 11 Sep 2008 - 8:00 PDT

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The AP/Google.com on Tuesday examined how the abortion debate is a high-profile campaign issue this year because of abortion-related ballot measures in California, Colorado and South Dakota, as well as the nomination of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) as Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain's (Ariz.) vice presidential running mate.

Some antiabortion advocates have said they never before have seen the degree of enthusiasm that followed McCain's nomination of Palin, who opposes abortions except in cases where a pregnant woman's life is in jeopardy and recently gave birth to an infant with Down syndrome. Karen Cross, political director of the National Right to Life Committee, said that the group is "thrilled" at Palin's nomination, adding that Obama is the "most pro-abortion candidate ever nominated by a major political party." Connie Mackey of the Family Research Council said Palin "not only talk[s] the talk but walk[s] the walk."

Meanwhile, NARAL Pro-Choice America has reported an increase in donations and volunteers following Palin's nomination. NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan said Palin is a "problem for McCain," adding, "She is not talking about women's freedom of choice and right to privacy. Neither she nor McCain are raising it because they know America finds their position to be extreme." Democratic pollster Anna Greenberg added that Palin's nomination likely will increase support for McCain among social conservatives but that Palin likely will not appeal to "college-educated suburban independents" because she "embodies something they're not comfortable with."

Paul Beck, a political science professor at Ohio State University, said Palin "resonates" with antiabortion advocates who were "lukewarm about McCain" before Palin's nomination." However, Beck added that "most Americans are ambivalent about abortion." Most Americans also "are perplexed" about abortion, Beck said, adding that they "don't like" abortion but "they also don't like what has to be done to eliminate it, outlawing it entirely, denying women the ability to make these choices for themselves" (Crary, AP/Google.com, 9/9).

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