Leading Democrats Clinton, Obama, Edwards Demand Pro-Abortion Justices 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 16, 2007
Las Vegas, NV (LifeNews.com) — During the Democratic presidential debate last night in Nevada, all the leading candidates for the party’s nomination said they would demand that any appointee to the Supreme Court support abortion. They each said they would only send the Senate nominees who want to uphold the Roe v. Wade decision.
Wolf Blitzer asked pro-abortion New York Sen. Hillary Clinton if "any nominee you name to the Supreme Court would have to share your view on abortion?"
Clinton said they would definitely "have to share my view about privacy" — a term abortion advocates use to refer to abortion.
"Privacy, in my opinion, is embedded in our Constitution," Clinton added, "So it would be absolutely critical."
With Clinton getting away from the buzzword of abortion, Blitzer brought her back to the direct question, asking, "So the answer is yes?"
"Yes, the answer is yes," Clinton confirmed.
Sen. Barack Obama, an Illinois lawmaker and former law professor, confirmed he would only back pro-abortion Supreme Court picks as well.
"I would not appoint somebody who doesn’t believe in the right to privacy," he said.
John Edwards, the former North Carolina senator, was more clear in his answer during the debate.
"I would insist that they recognize the right to privacy and recognize Roe v. Wade as settled law," he said of any Supreme Court nominees.
The other Democratic presidential candidates considered less likely to wind up with the party’s nomination all endorsed pro-abortion judicial picks as well.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, considered by many to be a likely vice-presidential pick, repeated earlier comments that he would only select pro-abortion judges.
"I would also ask my nominee — this is what I would ask: Number one, do you believe Roe versus Wade is settled law? Number two, do you support the right to privacy?" he said. "If the answer is no to those questions that basically say is it settled law or not — you want to call it a litmus test, fine — those would be the judges that I would appoint for the Supreme Court."
Dennis Kucinich, an Ohio congressman who was formerly pro-life, said abortion would definitely be a litmus test in any high court selection.
"A Kucinich appointment to the Supreme Court would have a litmus test on abortion. It’s a — it’s a question of a woman’s right to choose and a right to privacy," he said.
Senator Joe Biden, a pro-abortion Delaware lawmaker, agreed.
"I would not appoint anyone who did not understand that Section 5 of the 14th Amendment and the Liberty Clause of the 14th Amendment provided a right to privacy … which means they would support Roe v. Wade," he said.
