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DeLay: Unlike Obama, Palin Sees Baby as 'Blessing,' Not 'Punishment'

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September 03, 2008 2:56 PM

ABC News' Jennifer Parker reports: Tom DeLay and Dennis Hastert -- who epitomized the Republican establishment in Congress during much of the Bush administration -- heaped praise on Sen. John McCain's vice presidential pick, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Wednesday, arguing she is changing the image of Republican conservatives like themselves. 

"We are not the image the media has created," former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, told ABCNews.com in an interview at the Republican convention. "People are seeing through her who we really are."

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert said of Palin's speech tonight, "I'm looking for her to be her," he said. "I want the American people to see a real conservative principled leader."

DeLay, who is now under indictment on money laundering charges, was dubbed "The Hammer" for his effective arm-twisting and disciplined whipping of Republican votes in the House of Representatives as majority leader between 2002 and 2006. He blasted "the left" for media coverage of Palin's 17-year-old daughter's pregnancy.

DeLay seized on comments made by Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama when he argued in March that people on both side of the abortion debate can agree on the need to reduce teen pregnancies, noting, "Obama said ... a baby is a punishment. To Gov. Palin, a baby is a blessing. That's a huge contrast that will strike with the American people."

DeLay was referring to comments made by Obama at a Pennsylvania town hall in March when he said,  "Look, I got two daughters — 9 years old and 6 years old ... I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby. I don't want them punished with an STD at age 16, so it doesn't make sense to not give them information."

Obama and his running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, are in favor of comprehensive sexual education that includes information on abstinence and birth control, while McCain and Palin favor abstinence programs, rather than explicit sexual education.

"The American people are seeing the hypocrisy of the left who's trying to force her back into the kitchen," said DeLay, now the co-founder of the Coalition for a Conservative Majority trying to get more conservatives elected to Congress.  "It's an incredible debate that's been going on over the last five days, and we're winning."

DeLay said Palin agrees with Republican conservatives on the "deep philosophical cultural issues" that resonate with the Republican base, including support for gun rights and opposition to abortion.

"It's real life issues, and Gov. Palin represents all of those things," DeLay said. "I mean, she is a woman who lives out her principles.  Frankly, watching the decisions she's having to make with her family over the last few months, and the contrast between her and Obama and Biden, is absolutely amazing."

Hastert argued the Democrats are "deathly afraid" of Palin.

"In her speech tonight, she gets to identify who she is," Hastert said. "I think they're deathly afraid of Sarah Palin because of who she is, who she represents: the American family.

"They would like to lay out that we're a bunch of white men running this party, and all of a sudden, there is a woman who is successful, who is becoming the number two person in the party, and I think they're threatened," Hastert said.

The former lawmakers were swarmed by media today as they walked separately through "radio row" at the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn.

They appeared together on the conservative radio show "The Wilkow Report" for over 20 minutes.

Asked whether Republican support for McCain and Palin is an eschewing of the brand of conservative politics Hastert and DeLay represented, the former House speaker told ABC News, "I think the American psyche has changed, they're looking for something else ... They're looking for reform, and John McCain's going to offer it, and that's what the American people are going to get."

Of his indictment on money laundering charges, DeLay said, "I can't get to court. ... R. Kelly got through his indictment and trial faster than I've been able to."

September 3, 2008 in McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Palin, Sarah, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (103)

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did hastert really call her principaled

has he not seen the facts coming out of Alaska since she was announced...

Posted by: dl | Sep 3, 2008 3:04:18 PM

Does Tom Delay REALLY mean that unwanted babies are a blessing?

What happened to the old rule of "If you don't want an abortion, don't have one?" Why should every woman be forced to make the same choice? That sounds undemocratic to me.

Posted by: Joel | Sep 3, 2008 3:09:46 PM

Many of the "sexist" comments and questions that have come up about Palin and motherhood are coming from McCain/Palin's own far right base. Dr. Laura's BLOG today is a perfect example.
http://www.drlaurablog.com/2008/09/02/sarah-palin-and-motherhood/

Posted by: NMP | Sep 3, 2008 3:16:13 PM

The baby is the one that is usually punished by have a child for a mother. 75% of teenage marriages end in divorce. Not all pregnant teenagers have supportive parents or parents with the resources to help their daughter.

Obama never said he would want an abortion for his daughter. For all the people that are going to repeat the Republican lies:

Obama and 'Infanticide' August 25, 2008

The facts about Obama's votes against 'Born Alive' bills in Illinois.

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/obama_and_infanticide.html

Posted by: Julie | Sep 3, 2008 3:22:10 PM

NMP, yes, but it's YOU guys who have always been opposed to sexism.

So it's odd coming from you guys. Just like when the intolerance comes from your (so-called "tolerant") party.

By the way, almost every rumor about Palin has been debunked. Even the NYT had to issue a retraction today, and WaPo will have to issue one tomorrow.

Fun, fun, fun.

Posted by: Jo | Sep 3, 2008 3:29:51 PM

obama is a baby killer. good spin though.

Posted by: Jo | Sep 3, 2008 3:30:39 PM

Yes, Obama said he wouldn't want his daughters to be "punished" with a baby.

I heard it - we all heard it. Don't bother trying to spin it away.

By the way, the rabid liberal media and Obamabots have ENSURED that the Palin speech will be watched by millions. It will be hilarious if it's surpassed by the ones who saw Obamas!

Thanks libs! :)

Posted by: Jo | Sep 3, 2008 3:32:04 PM

More noise from the Republicans. Instead of looking introspectively to the hypocrisy of their response to the news of Palin's preganancy they choose to attack. That is all Republicans no how to do. And Tom DeLay is the biggest of them all,,,

Posted by: indy_voter | Sep 3, 2008 3:34:42 PM

This freaken baby is not the issue here it is her ,,,,,She is NOT fit to run this country Obama said kids off limits what part of that don't you understand or are you trying to cause trouble???????People like you should not even be quoted...;.

Posted by: indp voter | Sep 3, 2008 3:40:15 PM

You know I would not want my daughter at that age to be burdened with a kid ,they are kids themselves....wowow welcome to the real world how long will this last any one wannnnnna bet?????Won't be long

Posted by: me | Sep 3, 2008 3:42:23 PM

Obama strongly support legislation of infanticide act. What else do you need to know about him?

Posted by: george | Sep 3, 2008 3:44:05 PM

Julie

What in the world do you read and where in the world do you hide. I appears you don't have a clue about what Obama says or doesn't say. Does your mama tell you what you think?

Posted by: dl | Sep 3, 2008 3:46:08 PM

DeLay is such a disgrace.

Posted by: dem in chicago | Sep 3, 2008 3:47:53 PM

obama is a baby killer and wants punish babies

lol what?

it must really suck trying to figure out a way to get off this horrible vp pick story

Posted by: Bhrandon | Sep 3, 2008 3:48:25 PM

Yes, kids and spouses are off limits.

However, it is perfectly OK for the Obama campaign to hammer on the number of houses that Cindy McCain's family owns any time they feel like it........

Posted by: SandyB | Sep 3, 2008 3:48:43 PM

Abortion (code name 'right to choose') is the hallmark of the democratic party any more. They would rather terminate a viable fetus than give it a chance for a potentially rewarding life simply because it's too much trouble to nurture. There's not another characteristic feature of the democrats that defines the party any more than does abortion.

Posted by: Aston | Sep 3, 2008 3:50:03 PM

What really worries me about Palin is her environmental policies (especially in regards to drilling in the ANWR). Given the state of our environment these days I think it is evermore important for us, as consumers to support 'green businesses' that benefit the environment. For example, http://www.simplestop.net stops your postal junk mail and benefits the environment.

Posted by: Clark | Sep 3, 2008 3:50:27 PM

Clark

Maybe aborted fetuses should be buried in green cardboard coffins???

Posted by: Aston | Sep 3, 2008 3:52:41 PM

Meg Whitman, McCain's national campaign co-chair and former CEO of e-Bay, veered off message today in an interview with Fox News, describing the media vetting of Palin as "completely fair" and saying that there hasn't really been any sexism to speak of in the coverage.

Posted by: Bhrandon | Sep 3, 2008 3:55:34 PM

Bhrandon

Are all people from Saint Louis as narrow-minded as you? Or, is it just the way Leo's are?

Posted by: Aston | Sep 3, 2008 3:57:08 PM

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