Pro-Life Groups: John McCain’s Picking Sarah Palin Appeals to Catholics on Abortion
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 29, 2008
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Leading pro-life Catholic groups say John McCain’s selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate will appeal to Catholic voters. They say the majority of Catholics who oppose abortion will appreciate the pick and it will encourage them to back McCain against pro-abortion candidate Barack Obama.
“A presidential candidate’s first major executive decision is selecting a running mate," Brian Burch, the president of the pro-life group Fidelis explains.
"And John McCain’s unexpected choice of Sarah Palin inspires real confidence that a McCain Administration will be a strong ally in the pro-life and pro-family cause," he told LifeNews.com.
“The inspired choice of Sarah Palin highlights the radical views of Obama-Biden on life and marriage. Catholic voters couldn’t have a starker contrast this November,’” he said.
Father Frank Pavone, the head of Priests for Life, agrees.
“Now that the presidential candidates have chosen their running mates, it is clearer how the abortion issue will play out in the elections," he told LifeNews.com after the Palin pick.
"We have seen over the last several elections the existence of the ‘pro-life increment.’ Within that segment of the electorate for whom a candidate’s position on abortion matters to their vote (a segment of approximately one-third or more), the voters choose pro-life candidates over those who support legal abortion," Pavone said.
"That margin tends to be two-to-one in favor of pro-life. That means that pro-life candidates have, just on this issue, enough of an increment to win many elections," he added.
Because both presidential candidates chose running mates who share their views on abortion, Pavone says it will be a crucial issue for Catholic voters in November.
“This means we can expect to see the pro-life increment work with full force in this election," he said.
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