Democrat Bob Casey to Speak at Convention Backing Pro-Abortion Obama
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 13, 2008
Denver, CO (LifeNews.com) — Senator Bob Casey, a pro-life Democrat, will get a prominent speaking role at the upcoming Democratic convention. Media outlets and supporters of Barack Obama are trying to use the speech as a way to moderate his pro-abortion stance, but Casey’s abortion record isn’t perfect.
Party officials said on Wednesday that Casey will speak in one of the prime time slots on Tuesday night, the same night when Obama’s wife Michelle will participate in a pro-abortion fundraiser.
Casey released a statement about the speech and did not say what he will address.
In the statement, Casey again endorsed Obama but did not talk about either the aggressively pro-abortion stance of the proposed Democratic Party platform nor Obama’s stance in favor of unlimited abortions paid for at taxpayer expense.
"Many Americans of all political parties will vote for a change in November. Barack Obama is the only candidate who offers that change of direction we need," Casey said.
Having Casey deliver a key speech to reach out to the majority of Americans who oppose legal abortions is an ironic twist.
Casey’s father, the late former Pennsylvania governor Bob Casey, was denied a chance to speak at the Democratic convention in 1992 because he would not endorse Bill Clinton over his pro-abortion views.
Casey’s endorsement of Obama has upset pro-life advocates and damaged his credentials as a pro-life Democrat. His own voting record on abortion tarnished it further.
Casey voted for the Boxer amendment to a Senate bill that overturns President Bush’s Mexico City Policy protecting taxpayer from funding groups that promote or perform abortions overseas.
Casey spokesman Larry Smar tried to explain away the vote by saying the senator still opposes taxpayer funding of abortions.
But Douglas Johnson, the legislative director for National Right to Life, told LifeNews.com at the time that Casey’s vote couldn’t be interpreted as anything other than pro-abortion.
"If the Boxer Amendment, which Sen. Casey regrettably supported, was enacted, it would force the removal of family planning funds from private organizations that stick to non-abortive methods, in order to give those funds to organizations that are committed to the promotion of abortion," Johnson explained.
Leonard Leo, who directed Catholic outreach for President Bush during the 2004 campaign, told the WashingtonTimes recently that a Casey speech won’t alleviate pro-life voters’ concerns.
“When you look at his opposition to the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act in Illinois and the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban, which many Mass-attending Catholics view as bans on infanticide, Obama’s more extreme than any other Democratic presidential candidate," he said.
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