Abortion Advocates Ready to Defeat Bush, Support John Kerry
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 9, 2004
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Pro-abortion Massachusetts senator John Kerry has won 10 of 12 primary states and seemingly has the momentum to capture the Democratic nomination and challenge President George W. Bush, who has the support of pro-life groups. That would be just fine with leading abortion advocates.
"To my knowledge, there has never been an administration that has been more hostile … to reproductive freedom as a fundamental human right, and has acted on that hostility," Gloria Steinem, a leading abortion advocate, said in a recent interview.
"In addition to their clear drive to criminalize abortion, there has been no opportunity of which I’m aware that they have not taken to restrict women’s rights and to oppose reproductive freedom."
Meanwhile, Kate Michelman vouches for Kerry’s pro-abortion background.
"Even on the most difficult issues, we’ve never had to worry about John Kerry’s position," Michelman, president of NARAL, told the New York Times. ”We applaud Senator Kerry … who pledges to do whatever it takes to protect our fundamental right to privacy and a woman’s right to choose."
Since 1995, Michelman’s group has given Kerry a 100% rating for his voting record to defend abortion.
Steinem now runs Voters for Choice, a pro-abortion political action committee that drives millions of dollars to pro-abortion candidates. The group will partner with Planned Parenthood’s political operation to get out the message that Bush should be defeated in November because of his pro-life record.
"Joining with the Planned Parenthood Action Fund is very important because they have 900 local representatives, so to speak — 900 local organizations. So it will greatly increase the ability of Voters for Choice to reach beyond the media, around the media, and get to individual voters," Steinem explained.
The former Ms. Magazine founder says if Bush is re-elected, "abortion will be criminalized in this country."
A Kerry president would keep abortion not only legal but readily available and funded with tax dollars, pro-life advocates say.
"Five justices on the current Supreme Court said that Roe v. Wade guarantees the right of abortionists to perform even partial-birth abortions, and that is the Roe v. Wade that Kerry … would filibuster to defend,” says Douglas Johnson of the National Right to Life Committee.
