Republican Debate on CNN's "Larry King" Show: on Abortion


John McCain: McCain family decisions on abortion are private

Q: What would you do if your daughter needed an abortion?
A: I’ve seen enough killing in my life, a lot more than you have. I know how valuable and precious human life is, and I will not listen to your lectures about how I should treat this very important issue of the sanctity of human life. So, I hope you’ll give me the respect that I give you and do not bring my daughter into it. It’s a family decision. Thank you very much.
Source: GOP Debate on the Larry King Show Feb 21, 2000

George W. Bush: Supports GOP abortion plank but disagrees on exceptions

McCAIN [to Bush]: Do you believe in the exemption, in the case of abortion, for rape, incest, and life of the mother?
BUSH: Yeah, I do.
McCain: [But you] support the pro-life plank [in the Republican Party platform]?
BUSH: I do.
McCAIN: So, in other words, your position is that you believe there’s an exemption for rape, incest and the life of the mother, but you want the platform that you’re supposed to be leading to have no exemption. Help me out there, will you?
BUSH: I will. The platform doesn’t talk about what specifically should be in the constitutional amendment. The platform speaks about a constitutional amendment. It doesn’t refer to how that constitutional amendment ought to be defined.
McCAIN: If you read the platform, it has no exceptions.
BUSH: John, I think we need to keep the platform the way it is. This is a pro-life party.
McCAIN: Then you are contradicting your platform.
Source: GOP Debate on the Larry King Show Feb 15, 2000

George W. Bush: No Republican will allow partial-birth abortion

Q: What is your opinion on partial-birth abortion?
A: The next president should set this goal for America: Every child, born and unborn, protected in law and welcomed into life. That’s what the next president ought to do. The question is which one of us can lead America to appreciate life. All three of us will sign a ban on partial-birth abortion. Gore will sit there and justify partial-birth abortion. I don’t know how he can justify partial-birth abortion.
Source: GOP Debate on the Larry King Show Feb 15, 2000

  • The above quotations are from GOP Debate on the Larry King Show, Feb. 15, 2000.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Abortion.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by George W. Bush on Abortion.
  • Click here for more quotes by John McCain on Abortion.
2012 Presidential contenders on Abortion:
  Democrats:
Pres.Barack Obama(IL)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)

Republicans:
Gov.Mitt Romney(MA)
Rep.Paul Ryan(WI) 		Third Parties:
Green: Dr.Jill Stein(MA)
Libertarian: Gov.Gary Johnson(NM)
Justice: Mayor Rocky Anderson(UT)
Constitution: Rep.Virgil Goode(VA)
Peace+Freedom: Roseanne Barr(HI)
Reform Party: André Barnett(NY)
AmericansElect: Gov.Buddy Roemer(LA)
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Page last updated: Apr 16, 2013