Q: Thompson and McCain both talk about leaving abortion to the states, the way it was before Roe vs. Wade ever became the law of the land in the first place. Why isn't that good enough?
A: Well, it's the logic of the Civil War.
If morality is the point here, and if it's right or wrong, not just a political question, then you can't have 50 different versions of what's right and what's wrong. Again, that's what the whole Civil War was about.
Can you have states saying slavery is OK, other states saying it's not? If abortion is a moral issue--and for many of us it is, and I know for others it's not.
So if you decide that it's just a political issue, then that's a perfectly acceptable, logical conclusion. But for those of us for whom this is a moral question, you can't simply have 50 different versions of what's right.
No tax funding for organizations that promote abortion
Q: The Mexico City Policy states that as a condition for a foreign organization to receive federal funds, they will neither "perform nor actively promote abortion." Would you work to apply this Mexico City policy to organizations within the US?
HUCKABEE: Are we being asked to apply a Mexican law to the US?
Q: It's the principle of not giving our tax dollars to organizations within our country that actively promote or provide abortions. It's an American law.
BROWNBACK: This is Ronald Reagan'
policy that we wouldn't use federal funds to support organizations that promote abortions overseas.
HUNTER: It's actually a UN policy.
KEYES: Actually, it was a policy of the Mexico City Population Conference. I was the deputy chairman. I actually
negotiated the language into the final resolution at that conference.
Q: I want to know, will you defund Planned Parenthood?
Led Arkansas to human life amendment in state constitution
I would love to see us have in this country what I helped lead in our state in Arkansas, and that's a human life amendment to our state constitution,
Amendment 65, that says that we believe life begins at conception, and that we ought to do everything in the world possible to protect it until its natural conclusion. And that means that we truly value and respect, elevate and celebrate every life.
Source: 2007 GOP debate at UNH, sponsored by Fox News
Sep 5, 2007
Consensus impossible: pro-choice world fundamentally differs
Dr. Joycelyn Elders told Christians they needed to "get over their love affair with the fetus"--a phrase that was often repeated after she became Clinton's surgeon general. The comment particularly offended Christian believers. Clinton asked me how much
of a problem it was causing. I told him it was a serious problem. She had deeply offended many people. It was a slap in the face to those who held pro-life convictions. "I wish you would explain to her how people in the evangelical world feel. Would you
be willing to talk to her," asked Clinton.
I said I would be happy to. Clinton set up a meeting. After talking, I recognized she was absolutely sincere in her beliefs. I realized that the reason her positions on these issues so conflicted with mine was
that our worldviews were fundamentally at odds. Reaching a consensus was impossible. She had her own idea of what a "dash" of salt was--in this case, a "dash" of human life--and recognized no standard that could show her she was wrong.
Hate abortion but allow it is like hate slavery but allow it
Q [to GIULIANI]: You have said that you personally hate abortion but support a woman's right to choose. Gov. Huckabee says that's like saying, "I hate slavery, but people can go ahead and practice it." Tell me why he's wrong.
GIULIANI: There is no
circumstances under which I could possibly imagine anyone choosing slavery or supporting slavery. There are millions of Americans, who are as of good conscience as we are, who make a different choice about abortion. And I think in a country where you
want to keep government out of people's lives from the point of view of coercion, you have to respect that.
Q: Governor, has the mayor persuaded you?
HUCKABEE: He has not. I have great respect for the mayor because he's been honest about his position
Certainly good day for America when Roe v. Wade is repealed
Q: Would the day that Roe v. Wade is repealed be a good day for America?
ROMNEY: Absolutely.
BROWNBACK: It would be a glorious day of human liberty and freedom.
GILMORE: Yes, it was wrongly decided.
HUCKABEE: Most certainly.
HUNTER:
Yes.
THOMPSON: Yes.
McCAIN: A repeal.
GIULIANI: It would be OK to repeal.
TANCREDO: After 40 million dead because we have aborted them in this country, that would be the greatest day in this country's history when that, in fact, is overturned.
Source: 2007 GOP primary debate, at Reagan library, hosted by MSNBC
May 3, 2007
Embryonic stem cell research creates life to end a life
Q: For embryonic stem cell federal funding or not?
GILMORE: We can't create people in order to experiment with people.
HUCKABEE: I would concur. I don't think it's right to create a life to end a life. That's not a good health decision.
HUNTER: No. I'd like to show Mrs. Reagan the alternatives, which are adult stem cells.
Source: 2007 GOP primary debate, at Reagan library, hosted by MSNBC
May 3, 2007
Pro-life includes improving life after birth
Q: South Dakota had some proposed legislation to outlaw all abortion except saving the life of a mother, no exceptions for rape or incest. You said you'd sign that. Why?
A: I always am going to err on the side of life. I believe life is precious. I hav
been in the pro-life camp since I was a teenager. It's because of my view that God is the creator and instigator of life. But those of us in the pro-life movement have to do also some expanding. Life begins at conception but it doesn't end at birth.
And if we're really pro-life we have to be concerned about more than just the gestation period. [My administration] passed pro-life legislation, but we also did things that improved the environmental quality that would affect a child's air and water;
that he had a better education, & better access to affordable health care. So I think that real pro-life people need to be concerned about affordable housing, safe neighborhoods, access to a college education. That, for me, is what pro-life has to mean.
Q: South Dakota had some proposed legislation to outlaw all abortion except saving the life of a mother, no exceptions for rape or incest. You said you'd sign that. Why?
A: I always am going to err on the side of life. I believe life is precious. It's
because of my view that God is the creator and instigator of life.
Q: But if you outlawed abortion, what would happen to the doctor who performed an abortion? What would happen to the woman who had an abortion?
A: Well, I think the question is, Do I
think the South Dakota bill is the best bill that ever could be signed? This is a debate that's been so divisive. What we really need to be doing is having the discussion center around how can we create a culture where people value and celebrate life.
Q: As president, you would seek to ban abortion?
A: I would seek always to promote the view that life is precious and should be protected. But I think it has to be won on a battlefield of one heart at a time rather than pieces of legislation at a time.
Pro-life and pro-death penalty, & sees them as far different
Some wonder how a person so pro-life as me could accept the law of a death penalty. But a death sentence is a result of a lengthy and thorough judicial process applied to a person deemed guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. That's far different from
one person singularly deciding to end the life of a totally innocent and helpless unborn child. In that case, there is no process of justice, no evidence of guilt presented, no defense for the condemned child, and no appeal.
Source: From Hope to Higher Ground, by Mike Huckabee, p. 86
Jan 4, 2007
Even Americans who are pro-choice are pro-life
It would be fair to say that I am in politics because I am pro-life. By no means am I a single-issue person, but on that single issue I am steadfastly consistent. The abortion issue goes to the very heart of what I believe and it is consistent with the
American tradition of giving voice to the voiceless.
The record I am proudest of is having signed numerous pieces of pro-life legislation., including a ban on partial-birth abortion. Another bill established a woman's right to know, ensuring her
consent to an abortion is an informed one, based on the same information she would be given if she were removing her tonsils instead of her baby. Equally important was legislation mandating parents be informed and provide consent before the serious
surgical procedure of an abortion could be performed on a minor. We also pushed through legislation requiring doctors to inform the mother that the unborn child will feel pain, and provide the option to anesthetize the baby prior to abortion.
Eliminate public funding for abortion organizations
Indicate which principles you support concerning abortion.
Abortion should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
Eliminate public funding for abortions and public funding of organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
Source: 2002 AR Gubernatorial National Political Awareness Test
Nov 1, 2002
Supports woman’s right-to-know legislation
[We should] provide for every person who’s contemplating the termination of her child during pregnancy that she has information, knowing fully and completely the procedure that is taking place and what it will mean.
Commonly called the woman’s right-to-know legislation, it really goes back to school, back to educating people.
Source: State of the State address to the Arkansas legislature
Jan 9, 2001
Pro-life, but respects choice as mandated law
I’m pro life, but I know not everyone agrees with me on that particular topic, and I respect that. I’ll probably never change my conviction on that, and some of you won’t change yours.
But in this day in which we talk about choice and the importance of it, surely we can agree that if under the Supreme Court choice is mandated, that choice should be as educated a choice as is humanly possible.
Source: State of the State address to the Arkansas legislature
Jan 9, 2001
