Catholic Obama Apologists Go Further in Misleading Voters on Abortion Issues
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 23, 2008
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The Catholic Obama apologists are going further in misleading voters into thinking Barack Obama is pro-life and distorting the track record of authentic pro-life candidates on abortion. But, National Review writer Ramesh Ponnuru takes them to task for their mistakes.
Nicholas Cafardi, M. Cathleen Kaveny, and Douglas Kmiec recently wrote a Newsweek column called “Catholic Brief for Obama."
George Weigel penned a piece in response to the article’s claims and Ponnuru expands, saying Weigel "is perhaps too embarrassed on their behalf to point out every shoddy aspect of it."
The pro-Obama authors write, “Center for Disease Control statistics reveal that prosperity directly affects the abortion rate far more significantly than Republican rhetoric pledging to outlaw abortion."
However, the Centers for Disease Control, like the Alan Guttmacher Institute, reports that the number of abortions are at an all-time low under the Bush administration and that abortion rates are at their lowest points since Roe, as well.
The pro-Obama authors claim overturning Roe and ending abortions is "a feat John McCain has failed to accomplish with nearly three decades in Congress.”
Ponnuru responds, "Are the authors seriously holding it against McCain that he has not single-handedly been able to, among other things, reverse a Supreme Court decision? No, they’re not: They’re just taking a cheap shot at him and moving on."
In fact, under the Bush administration, and with McCain’s votes of support, two new Supreme Court judges have been approved who the pro-life community believes will join Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia in overturning Roe someday.
The National Review writer finds it interesting that the pro-Obama authors claim he is pro-life, yet say nothing of his extremely pro-abortion record and positions.
Ponnuru says the pro-Obama Catholics "say nothing about Obama’s support for taxpayer funding of abortion, which the abortion lobby itself suggests will result in many, many more abortions."
Additionally, they say "nothing about his stated commitment to make passing the ‘Freedom of Choice Act‘ the very first thing he does as President; nothing about his opposition to providing legal protection against homicide for all infants; nothing about his opposition to parental consent and notification laws (which have demonstrably reduced the number of abortions)."
Ponnuru says the Obama apologists also say "nothing about his opposition to federal funding for pro-life crisis pregnancy centers that help make it possible for pregnant women in need to avoid resorting to abortion."
He concludes: "All in all, these three professors have given the sort of intellectual performance you would expect of an unscrupulous politician."
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