Bus Tour Promoting Pro-Life Values Kicks Off in Iowa Today

Politics | Steven Ertelt | Aug 9, 2011 | 11:05AM | Des Moines, IA

With Republican presidential candidates debating on Thursday and voters in Iowa heading to the influential Ames Straw Poll on Saturday, pro-life groups are kicking off a bus tour meant to urge the GOP candidates to keep pro-life issues in mind.

The Susan B. Anthony List, along with the Family Research Council and the National Organization for Marriage will stop in Des Moines, Oskaloosa, Washington, Muscatine, Davenport and Iowa City as part of the “Values Voter Bus Tour” that will cover 1,305 miles in four days with events in 22 cities.

“President Obama is the most pro-abortion President in United States history and has threatened individual states for exercising their right to de-fund Planned Parenthood. He’s shown his willingness to shut down the government in order to keep Planned Parenthood funded with our tax dollars and even threatened individual states for exercising their right to de-fund the organization,” says Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser. “SBA List will get the word out to straw poll and caucus goers on which candidates have taken its Pro-Life Presidential Leadership Pledge and can be counted on as a strong leader in defending human life.”

“With more than 4,000 unborn children dying each and every day in this country, we can’t afford another four years of the Obama Administration’s anti-Life policies,” she said. “But with the radical pro-abortion lobby prepared to do anything to defend their most powerful ally, we’re going to need all hands on deck on the road to 2012 victory.”

“It’s time to elect a true pro-life leader to the White House. And that effort begins in Iowa — the “first in the nation” state,” she said.

Tim Pawlenty, the pro-life former governor Minnesota, will join the pro-life advocates today and Republican candidates Rick Santorum and Michele Bachmann are slated to appear with the bus tour as well. Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, a pro-life advocate from Iowa and former Colorado Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave are on the bus tour as well as Connie Mackey from FRC, Brian Brown from NOM and Jenifer Bowen of Iowa Right to Life.

“Over the last several months, we have spoken with countless Iowans, young and not so young alike, who are more determined than ever in their desire to see an end to abortion,” stated Jenifer Bowen, Executive Director of Iowa Right to Life. “This bus tour is an exciting way for our organization to reach many more people with the truth—that for every abortion that takes place, a child dies and a woman is left, feeling alone, with the choice that she made.”

The tour will run August 9th through the 13th, beginning in Des Moines and ending at the Ames Straw Poll this Saturday and the schedule follows:

Tuesday, August 9

9:45 AM – 10:30 AM: Des Moines
Iowa State Capitol, West Capitol Terrace, 400 Finkbine Drive

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM: Oskaloosa
City Square Park, 150 High Avenue East

2:00 PM – 2:30 PM: Washington
Central Park, 190 North Marion Avenue

3:45 PM – 4:15 PM: Muscatine
Riverside Park, Harbor Drive

5:15 PM – 5:45 PM: Davenport
Lafayette Park, 700 West 4th Street

7:00 PM – 7:30 PM: Iowa City
Culver’s of Coralville, 2591 Heartland Place, Coralville

Wednesday, August 10