Draft Dem. Platform 'Unequivocally' Supports Abortion Rights, Supports Policies To Reduce Unintended Pregnancies

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 12 Aug 2008 - 10:00 PDT

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The 186-member Democratic Party Platform Committee on Saturday adopted a draft platform that states that the party "unequivocally" supports Roe v. Wade and abortion rights and also says that the party supports efforts to reduce the need for abortions through access to family planning, sex education and adoption programs, the Wall Street Journal reports (Chozick, Wall Street Journal, 8/11).

The draft, which will be presented to the party's national convention for approval later this month, says, "The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right." According to the AP/Google.com, the draft platform does not mention a phrase in previous Democratic platforms that abortion should be safe, legal and "rare." The draft also pledges that the party will work to ensure access to prenatal care, postnatal care and income support for pregnant women (Woodward, AP/Google.com, 8/10). "What has been sorely needed is new common ground that focuses on reducing the need for abortions," Jim Wallis, an evangelical leader who has pushed the party to include promotion of alternatives to abortion in the new platform, said (Wall Street Journal, 8/11).

~ ABC News' "Good Morning America" on Saturday examined the debate over the language on abortion in the Democratic Party's platform. The segment includes comments from ABC News analyst Cokie Roberts and Democrats for Life in America Executive Director Kristen Day (Martin, "Good Morning America," ABC News, 8/9).

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