McCain, Obama Must Address Differences on Abortion-Infanticide in Debate
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 6, 2008
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The head of one of the nation’s biggest pro-life groups says the upcoming presidential debate on Tuesday should include a discussion of how Barack Obama and John McCain disagree on a significant life or death issue.
Wendy Wright, the head of the Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, tells LifeNews.com, that the two candidates are far apart on whether newborns who survive failed abortions should receive medical care.
While Senator McCain voted for a federal bill to protect the infants, Obama, as a state legislator, opposed a nearly-identical bill that would have made the medical care state law in Illinois.
“Coming on the heels of the highly-watched vice-presidential debate, McCain and Obama need to address one issue that was not discussed — abortion," Wright says.
Wright indicated she has heard rumblings about the possibility of Senator McCain criticizing Obama for his votes against the bills for medical care for babies who survive abortions — which have earned him the ire of pro-life voters.
"The most obvious example that we expect to come up in Tuesday’s debate is the Born Alive Infant Protection Act," she said. "John McCain should explain in clear terms why he voted for this federal law, and Barack Obama should explain why he voted against a state law that was identical to the federal law."
"A candidate with a strong pro-life record should proudly describe what laws he voted for that respect vulnerable human life, and should nail his opponent for opposing laws that treat unborn babies and newborns with dignity," she said, encouraging McCain.
If the candidates have a frank discussion of what should be a commonsense piece of legislation, Wright says that will help pro-life voters know which candidate is more in tune with their values.
That is especially important as Obama, and Obama-supporting groups like Catholics United and the Matthew 25 Network are trying to deceive voters about which candidate will best reduce abortions.
Wright gave LifeNews.com what pro-life voters should use as a map for breaking down that debate.
"The popular phrase in politics now is ‘we need to reduce the number of abortions,’" she said. "But voters need to be savvy and dig deeper."
"Find out if the candidate supports policies that have proven to reduce abortions, or if they support policies backed by abortion providers," Wright added.
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