Democratic Members of Congress Do What Casey Couldn’t, Condemn Abortion
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 28, 2008
Denver, CO (LifeNews.com) — Several Democratic members of Congress on Thursday did what Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey couldn’t do in his convention speech — condemn the party’s pro-abortion position. At a dinner and awards ceremony Democrats for Life held on Thursday, the members of Congress made it clear the party must reform.
Congressman Dan Lipinski of Illinois says he finds it a challenge to be a pro-life Democrat when his party and its presidential candidate take an unequivocal pro-abortion position.
"It’s always a difficult issue for a pro-life Democrat, because the Democratic Party is not going to have a pro-life platform. It’s not going to happen," he told Christianity Today.
Lipinski told the magazine that pro-life Democrats have to work to bring pro-life people into the party to change it, because, with pro-abortion control, that’s not going to happen from the inside out.
"You have to go out and evangelize. We just have to keep working on fellow Democrats," he said.
"Unfortunately, there are still some groups really trying to get rid of pro-life Democrats. I had a tough primary. I people come up to me and ask me, ‘what are you doing in the Democratic Party?’ The pro-choice groups gave funding to my opponent," he added.
Lipinski also complained to Christianity Today about Obama’s pro-abortion views.
"I wish Barack Obama were pro-life. He’s not. I don’t have any expectation that in the future the Democrats are going to have a pro-life presidential candidate. Its disappointing to me, but I am a Democrat and will support the party," he said.
Meanwhile, at the Democrats for Life event, Rep. Heath Shuler, a North Carolina Congressman, told those gathered that the party needs to get the message to protect people both before and after birth.
"The Democrats have it right when it comes from birth to natural death. Whether or not women have access to health care, that’s pro-life," he said, according to CT.
However, that has to extend to unborn children as well, he said.
"We have to make sure all children, unborn or throughout the entire life, that they can count on Congress on this issue," he added.
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