A national pro-life organization is running a new radio ad across Iowa touting the presidential candidates who signed the pro-life pledge the Susan B. Anthony List put forward last month.
Republican presidential hopefuls Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, Michelle Bachmann, Rick Santorum, Thaddeus McCotter and Ron Paul all signed the pledge while Mitt Romney, Herman Cain and Jon Huntsman did not — even though they each have pro-life positions.
The pledge has the candidates promising to support only judicial nominees who won’t interpret the Constitution in a way that supports Roe v. Wade, select pro-life Cabinet members on positions affecting abortion policy, supporting legislation to stop taxpayer funding of abortions and Planned Parenthood, and to support a fetal pain bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Susan B. Anthony List today announced a three day, $15,000 radio ad campaign in Iowa to encourage Republican voters in the state to cast their vote in the Ames Straw Poll for a Presidential candidate who has signed its pro-life pledge.
“The purpose of the ad is to urge pro-life voters in Iowa to only vote for candidates who are committed to being a leader for the pro-life movement in the White House,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “The candidates who signed our pro-life leadership pledge have demonstrated that mere lip-service to protecting women and the unborn is not enough—it must be backed up by concrete action. It will take this type of strong leader to defeat the most pro-abortion president in history.”
The ads, which will air on 60 Iowa radio stations statewide beginning Wednesday and running through Friday across the state, feature the following script:
Attention Iowa Pro-lifers. Before you vote in the Ames Straw Poll on Saturday, you should know which candidates for President truly stand up for life. The Susan B. Anthony List asked each candidate to sign a leadership pledge committing to key pro-life goals. Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Thad McCotter, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, and Rick Santorum all signed the pro-life leadership pledge.
They are ready to lead the fight against abortion.
When you vote in the Republican Party straw poll, remember which candidates will lead for Life — Bachmann, Gingrich, McCotter, Paul, Pawlenty, Santorum. Make your vote count. Because America needs a pro-life President.
Please join the Susan B. Anthony List in supporting pro-life leaders for President.
During the same week, the Susan B. Anthony List, along with the National Organization for Marriage and the Family Research Council, are traveling to 22 cities in Iowa on their Values Voter Bus Tour which is also designed to bring awareness to the importance of social issues this election cycle.
“We are excited to have a number of Republican Presidential candidates, including Tim Pawlenty, Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum, join us for parts of the tour,” Dannenfelser said. “They, as well as others, have each signed our pledge, and it is our honor to join forces with them in telling not just Iowa, but the rest of the country, that we must elect a pro-life president in 2012.”
Romney did not sign the pledge and his officials said it was because he worried the de-funding legislation would also revoke funding for hospitals, though the legislation currently pending in Congress does not do so. He also said the pledge is “overly broad and would have unintended consequences.”
Romney also released a pro-life statement of position at National Review saying he is pro-life and essentially committing to much of the same pro-life initiatives the SBA List outlined in its pledge.
Cain has released his own statement on why not, saying he can’t advance the pro-life bills de-funding Planned Parenthood as a member of Congress, though he could certainly employ the bully pulpit of the presidency to do so.
