Mitt Romney Repeats Call for Overturning Roe v. Wade

Politics   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Apr 17, 2012   |   6:44PM   |   Washington, DC

In a Monday night interview with ABC’s “World News with Diane Sawyer,” likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney again repeated his call for overturning the Roe v. Wade decision that has resulted in more than 55 million abortions.

During the interview, Sawyer, with a scowling look on her face, asked Romney what he would tell women about repealing Roe and taking away their so-called right to have an abortion that Sawyer said they have supposedly enjoyed for 40 years. Romney responded saying he wants the Supreme Court to reverse the decision and, again allow states the opportunity to protect women and unborn children from abortions.

“I would love the Supreme Court to say, ‘Let’s send this back to the states,’” he said. “Rather than having a federal mandate through Roe v. Wade, let the states again consider this issue state by state.”

“But I’m pro-life, that’s my view. I believe there is a sanctity of human life,” Romney added.

The pro-abortion group NARAL today attacked Romney over his comments.

If there was any doubt that Mitt Romney would be an anti-choice president, that doubt should now be gone,” its web site said in response. “This is not the first time Gov. Romney has expressed his desire to see Roe v. Wade overturned. I guess in Mitt’s America, a woman’s right to choose safe, legal abortion care would depend on the whims of politicians in her state capital.”

“And as president, Romney could appoint enough Supreme Court justices to make his dream of overturning Roe v. Wade a reality,” NARAL complained.

Earlier this year, Romney called for reversing Roe vs. Wade.

“Today marks the 39th anniversary of one of the darkest moments in Supreme Court history, when the court in Roe v. Wade claimed authority over the fundamental question regarding the rights of the unborn. The result is millions of lives since that day have been tragically silenced. Since that day, the pro-life movement has been working tirelessly in an effort to change hearts and minds and protect the weakest and most vulnerable among us. Today, we recommit ourselves to reversing that decision, for in the quiet of conscience, people of both political parties know that more than a million abortions a year cannot be squared with the good heart of America.”

During a January debate, Romney said the same thing — outlining his opposition to Roe and his support for better judges.

“I don’t believe they decided that correctly. In my view, Roe v. Wade was improperly decided. It was based upon that same principle. And in my view, if we had justices like Roberts, Alito, Thomas, and Scalia, and more justices like that, they might well decide to return this issue to states as opposed to saying it’s in the federal Constitution,” Romney said. “Do I believe the Supreme Court should overturn Roe v. Wade? Yes, I do.”

He added, “And by the way, if the people say it should be in the federal Constitution, then instead of having unelected judges stuff it in there when it’s not there, we should allow the people to express their own views through amendment and add it to the Constitution.”