Clinton Sends Mailing To Voters Questioning Obama's 'Present' Vote On Abortion Measures In Illinois

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 08 Jan 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (N.Y.) campaign on Saturday sent out a flier to New Hampshire voters questioning fellow Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama's (Ill.) support for abortion rights because he voted "present" on several abortion-related measures while he was in the Illinois Senate, the AP/Google.com reports (Pickler, AP/Google.com, 1/6). The mailer says Clinton has a record of fighting "far-right Republicans" to defend abortion rights, while Obama has been "unwilling to take a stand on choice." A "woman's right to choose ... demands a leader who will stand up and protect it," the mailer says (Pickler, AP/Google.com, 1/5).

Obama is being criticized because he voted "present" in 1997 on two measures that would have banned so-called "partial-birth" abortion and in 2001 on two measures that would have required parental notification before a minor could receive an abortion. Pam Sutherland, president and CEO of the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council, has said Illinois legislators were encouraged to vote present on the bills to encourage moderate Republicans and Democrats to do the same, thereby defeating the measures (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 12/4/07).

According to the AP/Google.com, Obama's campaign responded by highlighting his support for abortion rights in automated phone calls to state voters. In the call, Wendy Frosh, chair of the board of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, said Obama "has a 100% pro-choice record and has always been a champion for women's rights." She added, "Hillary Clinton's last-minute smears won't protect the right to choose, but as president, Barack Obama will."

Nancy Mosher, president of PPNNE, on Sunday in an e-mail said Frosh was acting as an individual citizen and "has taken a temporary leave from the board." The e-mail included a note from Frosh that says PPNNE has not endorsed a candidate, adding, "I regret any confusion that may have been caused by my actions" (AP/Google.com, 1/6).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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