McCain Names Alaska Gov. Palin As Running Mate

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 03 Sep 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) on Friday announced that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) will be his vice presidential running mate, TIME Magazine reports (Thornburgh, TIME Magazine, 9/2). When asked on a recent Eagle Forum questionnaire about her position on abortion rights, Palin said, "I am pro-life. With the exception of a doctor's determination that the mother's life would end if the pregnancy continued. I believe that no matter what mistakes we make as a society, we cannot condone ending an innocent's life" (Paul, "Stumper," Newsweek, 9/1). McCain opposes abortion rights except in cases of rape, incest and when a pregnant woman's life is in jeopardy (AP/Akron Beacon Journal, 9/2).

According to the Wall Street Journal, Palin has said that she does not oppose contraception use but believes that only abstinence should be taught in schools and that students should not be given explicit information about contraceptives (Simon, Wall Street Journal, 9/2). Palin called a 2007 ruling by the Alaska Supreme Court that struck down a state parental consent law "outrageous," but she rebuffed calls by antiabortion advocates to introduce a parental consent measure during a special session on oil drilling (TIME Magazine, 9/2).

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~The New York Times on Sunday reported that McCain had interest in choosing Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), who supports abortion rights, as his running mate, but "outrage" from some Christian conservatives became "too intense to be ignored." Although Palin is relatively unknown on the national stage, the Times reports that the governor has "glowing reviews from influential social conservatives" (Bumiller/Cooper, New York Times, 8/31).

~The New York Times on Monday also reported that advisers to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) said Clinton would become more involved in campaigning for Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) following McCain's selection of Palin as his running mate. According to the Times, although Clinton advisers said they expected a bloc of Clinton's female supporters would give McCain a "second look" because of Palin, Clinton probably would be Obama's "best weapon in response" (Healy, New York Times, 9/1).

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