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McCain Backs Away from Abortion Pledge
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ShareAugust 20, 2008 8:46 PM
ABC News' Teddy Davis and Rigel Anderson Report: John McCain's campaign signaled on Wednesday that the Arizona senator is backing away from his previously stated goal of changing the GOP’s platform on abortion.
"There's a process in place for the delegates to work on the platform and we are going to let that process work itself out," McCain spokesman Brian Rogers told ABC News.
McCain’s plan to take a hands-off approach with the abortion platform stands in stark contrast with the position he took during his first presidential run.
Back in 2000, McCain clashed with then-Gov. George W. Bush over his unwillingness to change platform language that called for a human life amendment banning all abortions.
McCain implored Bush to join him in wanting to add exceptions for rape, incest, and danger to the life of the mother.
Watch the McCain-Bush sparring here.
McCain's desire to change the platform did not end in 2000.
During an April 14, 2007 media availability which followed the Iowa GOP's Lincoln Day Dinner in Des Moines, McCain reaffirmed his support for changing the platform.
But now that he is the presumptive Republican nominee, the McCain camp is making it clear that he has no plans to push for changes to the platform.
McCain's decision to leave the platform untouched follows a warning from a prominent social conservative.
"If he were to change the party platform," to account for exceptions such as rape, incest or risk to the mother's life, "I think that would be political suicide," Tony Perkins, the president of the conservative Family Research Council, told ABC News in May. "I think he would be aborting his own campaign because that is such a critical issue to so many Republican voters and the Republican brand is already in trouble."
While leaving the platform untouched would please many in the GOP's socially conservative base, it could alienate some of the more moderate voters that McCain is hoping to attract.
"If he doesn't change the platform, then he's being the same kind of hypocrite that he accused Bush of being in 2000," Jennifer Blei Stockman, the co-chairwoman of Republican Majority for Choice, told ABC News in May.
"Many people think of him as a moderate," she added. "But when it comes out that he doesn't want to change this extreme, right-wing Republican platform, the word 'moderate' is going to disappear from any description of McCain."
August 20, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (188)
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Is ABC so desperate to make John McCain look bad that you have to go back to 2000. Make a comparison, then put it on the front page.
That is pathetic, you know that don't you.
Why dont you do a story on tha lack of an Obamas birth certificate, that will make for a real good story.
Posted by: Bing | Aug 20, 2008 9:10:03 PM
Posted by: kim | Aug 20, 2008 9:12:37 PM
Sen. John McCain, There is more than one persone who changes like YOU ! Sen. Barack HUSSEIN Obama has a History of Flip-Flops on this issue ! Please look Here ! http://newsbusters.org/blogs/warner-todd-huston/2008/08/18/campaign-admits-obama-lied-about-abortion-vote-media-asleep
Question: Isn't it big news when a leading candidate for president of the U.S. admits that since 2003 he has been lying about a vote he once made? Even more to the point, isn't it big news when the candidate himself was on TV not long before that admission saying that everyone else is the liar? So, why is the media silent on the 180 degree about face that the Obama campaign has just made concerning Obama's BAIP vote? This is why Sen. Clinton is the Best choice to lead this Nation !
Posted by: Jesse Jackson | Aug 20, 2008 9:14:55 PM
Instead of wasting your time on BS like this, asking a known baby killer what she thinks, why dont you ask Obama for a copy of his birth certificate.
I bet you wont get one.
Further Ibet you wont ask for one.
Because you are not news business you are a propoganda network.
Your boy Obama is not going to win, give it up.
Posted by: Bing | Aug 20, 2008 9:15:33 PM
This could be why he is entertaining the idea of a pro-choice VP. It's hard to make everyone happy.
Posted by: ellsbells930 | Aug 20, 2008 9:19:54 PM
OLD McSAME RepubliCON War Monger, BIG SPENDER and BORROWER, FLIP-FLOP and loves bush FAILURES. Hypocrite supreme!
Posted by: m | Aug 20, 2008 9:21:14 PM
LOW CLASS RIGHT WINGERS+++LIE AND THEN LIE AGAIN
Posted by: TIREDOFSTUPIDASSPEOPLE | Aug 20, 2008 9:24:05 PM
I bet McCain has bigger fish to fry. When McCain is elected in November, he can look into this situation.
Posted by: barry | Aug 20, 2008 9:26:50 PM
HEY BING
The porch lite's on , and your mommas calling ya...better get home now...
When you come back bring a brain...
Posted by: oldwhiteguy1 | Aug 20, 2008 9:29:03 PM
So I guess he must be OK with infanticide now, right?
The Base won't mind too much. They are pretty rational about these things
Posted by: The Commander Guy | Aug 20, 2008 9:29:10 PM
C'mon ABC. Your paltry attempt to tag McCain to abortion pales in comparison to Obama's juggling act involving crucifixes and late term aborted fetuses.
Posted by: Drake Eight | Aug 20, 2008 9:29:20 PM
This guy flipps more then the divers I saw last night in the Olympics.
Just pick a position Johnny. You're as bad as Pelosi...
Posted by: GLock | Aug 20, 2008 9:29:33 PM
WHY DON'T YOU ASK JOHN MCSAME TO TAKE A POLYGRAPH ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT HE HAD FORE KNOWLEDGE, ADVANCE ACCESS, PRE-PREPARATION, ETC... TO THE QUESTIONS AT THE SADDLEBACK MCSAME SUPPORT JOHN MCSAME FORUM????? I BET HIS ASS WON'T TAKE ONE. AND FOR GOOD MEASURE, LET RICK WARREN TAKE ONE,TOO. THEN ASK HIS OLD ASS HOW HIS BIGGLEST FAILURE IN HIS FIRST MARRIAGE OCCURRED?? I BELIEVE HE AND CINDY WERE DOING THE JOHN EDWARDS IN EVERY WAY.
Posted by: TIREDOFSTUPIDASSPEOPLE | Aug 20, 2008 9:30:57 PM
This is a very weak story...
Let's look at Obama and the Resko problem. Obama, during the primary debate, stated he only knew Resko a few hours. In reality, Obama knew Resko, a criminal muslim that was convicted on 16 counts, for 17 years. Resko was his friend, supporter, and business associate. Obama owes Resko for the finicial start of his political ambition in the U S Senate.
Posted by: abe | Aug 20, 2008 9:34:56 PM
What does Obama's birth certificate have anything to do with the price of potatoes, as we old timers say.
If you believe the last 8 years of non and bad governing in this country are wonderful and want more of the same, buy all means vote Republican.
Posted by: charles almon | Aug 20, 2008 9:39:56 PM
Quiet day, a "no" story. Is it true McCain is now ahead in some polls. Time for Obama to display more dirty politics, but "the one" would never stoop to dirty politics.
***** McCain is the Man ********
Posted by: Charles | Aug 20, 2008 9:39:58 PM
Fear not, this article will be buried soon enough.
There is GIANT controversy brewing as we speak. We have tape of Obama regarding his view on abortion rights for botched partial birth abortions. He has made statements that were outright lies the last couple days.
This is going to get ugly fast.
Posted by: JA | Aug 20, 2008 9:40:19 PM
Any jerk who feels the need to make some kind of issue of Obama's middle name has already LOST, not made their argument.
Posted by: charles almon | Aug 20, 2008 9:42:08 PM
I am glad to see McCain is thinking, Obama has to wait on the tele-prompter for an idea.
Posted by: Baron | Aug 20, 2008 9:42:12 PM
Yet another example on McCain FLIP-FLOPPING. You conservatives have the nerve to get angry at ABC for reporting this. At least they are sticking to the issues. But I guess that is why you are angry.. you McCain supporters don't like to stick to the issues. i.e. Paris Hilton/Barack Obama Comparison... yeah I guess we should start discussing what a celebrity Obama is rather than stick to the issues. Maybe then your candidate would look better. Nah he would still look like an adulterating flip flopping idiot.
Posted by: Jessica | Aug 20, 2008 9:42:24 PM
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