Christian Leader Rejects Reports Of Plans To Urge Obama To Add 'Abortion Reduction' To Democratic Platform

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 01 Jul 2008 - 6:00 PDT

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Jim Wallis, an evangelical leader and editor of the liberal Christian journal Sojourners, rejected recent reports that indicated he wanted Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) to add a plank to the Democratic Party platform urging a reduction in the number of abortions performed, Newsweek reports. On Wednesday, an ABC News blog reported that Wallis planned to urge Obama to add the issue to the Democratic platform.

"I've been talking to Barack for 10 years and didn't start any new initiative lately," Wallis said, adding, "I've been on record for years supporting a new approach" to reduce the number of abortions in the U.S. He noted that "[i]f either platform discussion moves in that direction, it'll be a big news story for a few days and then the candidates will run on whatever they want to run."

In a recent interview, Wallis said he is not interested in revising Democratic Party ideals, but rather reshaping the debate over abortion, Newsweek reports. "There's a new position waiting to be taken that responds to where most Americans are at," Wallis said, adding, "They want to reduce the number of abortions." He said he is not calling on the Democratic Party to "criminalize abortion. ... They can hold to their pro-choice principles and still commit to abortion reduction." He added that there should be "common ground" for both abortion-rights groups and antiabortion groups, such as "supporting aid to low-income women, preventing unwanted pregnancies [and] reforming adoption to make it easier. All of that would dramatically reduce abortion."

According to Newsweek, NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood, both committed to supporting abortion rights, said their organizations are just as committed to preventing unintended pregnancies. Donna Crane, policy director for NARAL Pro-Choice America, said, "That position actually embraces people who are on both sides of the abortion debate." David O'Steen, executive director of the National Right to Life Committee, disagreed and said, "I have not seen the pro-abortion side agree with the pro-life side on anything that would actually reduce the number of abortions." O'Steen added that politicians who support abortion rights consistently block legislation that he says could reduce the number of abortions, such as requiring women seeking abortions to receive ultrasounds (Kliff, Newsweek, 6/27).

Family Research Council Launches Ad

In related news, the Family Research Council on Friday began airing a 30-second ad that aims to criticize Obama for his support for abortion rights, the New York Times' "The Caucus" reports. The ad -- which will be aired in Cincinnati, Dallas and Atlanta -- features FRC President Tony Perkins.

In the ad, Perkins appears seated with his son. The ad begins with a clip of Obama's recent Father's Day speech in which he said, "We need fathers to recognize that responsibility doesn't just end at conception." Perkins then asks Obama, "If, as you say, fatherhood begins at conception, when does life begin?" He adds, "If I became a father at conception, when did Samuel here become my son?"

Perkins said that the group decided to air the ad because "Barack Obama has made some very important points in his speeches, particularly his speech about fatherhood, but there is a disconnect between [what] he is saying and the political positions he has taken, and if he is going to be pro family he has got to be pro family." The group would not disclose how much it is spending or how long it will continue airing the ad (Falcone, "The Caucus," New York Times, 6/27).

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