Gephardt Also Opposes Saving Terri Schiavo’s Life
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 8, 2003
Pinellas Park, FL (LifeNews.com) — Another Democratic presidential candidate has spoken out in the Terri Schiavo case. This time, pro-abortion Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-MO) commented over the weekend at the Florida Democratic convention. He said he disagreed with Gov. Jeb Bush’s (R-FL) decision to ask doctors to reinsert Terri’s feeding tube.
Gephardt thinks the issues in Terri’s case "are best left to the courts."
"I don’t think that legislatures and governors ought to be inserting themselves in these questions," Gephardt told reporters at the convention. "I think the court has a made a ruling in this case and it’s a matter that courts ought to decide."
Those comments come in contrast to those offered by President Bush and some of the other Democratic candidates.
President Bush said in late October that he agreed with his brother’s decision to save Terri’s life.
"Yes, I believe my brother made the right decision,” President Bush said in response to a reporter’s question at a news conference
Among the Democrats running for president, Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT), who is pro-abortion, also expressed support for Schiavo.
"I believe that certainly in cases where there is not a living will…I feel very strongly that we ought to honor life and we ought not to create a system where people are being deprived of nutrition or hydration in a way that ends their lives," Lieberman said.
Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who served on the board of Planned Parenthood, has been the most critical and attacked Gov. Bush for signing Terri’s Law.
"What business is it of the government to interfere with a private family matter with a right-to-die case?" asked Dean. "I am tired of people in the Legislature thinking that they have an M.D. with what they really have is a B.S."
He said Florida residents should be "embarrassed" by Bush’s decision.
Finally, pro-abortion Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) offered a mixed opinion.
”I’m not going to trash anybody on it,” Kerry told the Miami Herald newspaper. "These are some very thorny, legitimate issues.”
Related web sites:
Terri Schiavo’s family – https://www.terrisfight.org
