Pro-Life Groups Tell John Kerry To Honor Statement and Have Meeting
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 21, 2004
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Last week, at the NAACP national convention, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry told the audience that he, unlike President Bush who did not attend the highly partisan gathering, would always be available to talk to political groups. Now a couple of pro-life organizations want the Massachusetts senator to make good on his offer.
"I will be a President who, when he is invited into your home, will always say yes," Kerry told members of the civil rights group. "You need to talk to all of the people."
As a result, Kerry has received invitations from the Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America to speak to their supporters.
"On behalf of the millions of families represented by [FRC] I would like to invite you to a roundtable discussion at FRC’s Washington, DC ‘home’ to discuss a number of issues on which you have proclaimed similar positions to those we represent," Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, wrote Kerry in a letter.
"You have proclaimed that you believe in stem cell research and FRC, alongside Senator Sam Brownback, has been a leading advocate for stem cell treatments that have shown great promise. In addition, you have stated that you believe life begins at conception — a view shared by the millions of families we represent," the letter stated.
However, Perkins doesn’t expect the presidential hopeful to show up.
That’s because, "as any political observer knows," Perkins said, Kerry strongly supports abortion and embryonic stem cell research.
Kerry has voted against a ban on partial-birth abortions, for a measure asking the Supreme Court not to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized unlimited abortion, and he has said he will appoint only pro-abortion judges to federal courts.
Meanwhile, Concerned Women for America has invited Kerry to speak at its national convention in September, where the pro-life women’s group will celebrate its 25th anniversary.
CWA is challenging Kerry "to meet his own standard for the presidency as he campaigns."
"Sen. Kerry vowed that this is a prerequisite for the presidency," Michael Bowman, CWA’s director of state legislative relations, told Talon News. "What’s good for the president is good for the candidate. We’re giving Kerry a chance to prove himself just before voters come out for the election."
Calls from LifeNews.com to the Kerry campaign regarding the meetings were not returned.
