Abortion Advocates Blast Pro-Life Democrat Considering Party Chairmanship

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Dec 23, 2004   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Abortion Advocates Blast Pro-Life Democrat Considering Party Chairmanship Email this article
Printer friendly page

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 23, 2004

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Abortion advocates control the national Democratic Party on abortion and they are making it clear they want no part of having a pro-life person becoming its chairman.

Despite support from key Congressional leaders, the president of Planned Parenthood says former Indiana Congressman Tim Roemer should not become DNC chair because he is pro-life.

In an "open letter" to Democrats, longtime pro-abortion activist Gloria Feldt accuses Roemer of rejecting the party’s "core belief that women should have access to the reproductive health care they need."

"The Democratic Party and its leadership should champion pro-choice values, and uphold the platform’s stated commitment to women’s rights and health," Planned Parenthood’s Felt said.

Planned Parenthood’s opposition to Roemer is interesting in light of the support Roemer has received on Capitol Hill.

Incoming Senate Democratic chief Harry Reid and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi both support Roemer and have actively urged him to run for the DNC chairmanship. Pelosi supports abortion and Reid has a mixed voting record on the issue.

Feldt also took issue with Roemer’s condemnation of late-term and partial-birth abortions.

In an interview with CNN’s John King, Roemer said, "I personally don’t think that we should have late-term abortions or partial birth abortions."

"I think that’s a moral blind spot," Roemer, a Catholic, added.

"The real moral blind spot is the one that keeps these lawmakers from seeing how restricting access to needed reproductive health care puts women’s lives in danger," Feldt claimed.

For his part, Roemer acknowledges the gap between his view and most Democrats.

"[O]n the issue of abortion, I fully recognize that our party is overwhelmingly ‘pro-choice,’" Roemer told the South Bend Tribune newspaper. "As someone who personally holds a different view, I believe that there must be a place in our party for those who have alternative positions."

Roemer, a former member of the commission that investigated the September 11th terrorist attacks, admonishes the party to not alienate those who have deeply felt beliefs against abortion.

"We must respect the opinions of others and have a partywide conversation about how we assure Americans that we, too, are people of faith who connect with their values and their everyday lives," Roemer said.

Roemer hasn’t announced an official bid to lead the DNC, but he is seriously enough considering running to mail a letter to all 447 Democratic delegates who will be voting in February to replace outgoing chairman Terry McAuliffe, who backs abortion.

As a member of Congress for several terms, Roemer compiled a strong pro-life voting record according to the National Right to Life Committee.

Several other people are considering or pursuing the DNC chairmanship, including former Vermont governor Howard Dean, former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, and former Clinton aide Harold Ickes. All of the other potential chairmen support abortion.