To earn the Republican presidential nomination, businessman and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney must convince pro-life voters that they can trust him to change course on abortion 180 degrees from that of pro-abortion President Barack Obama.
Romney worked on that in his speech before the values Voter Summit on Saturday, where he put forward a more extensive pro-life platform than he typically does in stump speeches.
“Our values must also encompass the life of an unborn child,” Romney told the thousands of pro-life advocates gathered for the Family Research Council event. “There are, of course, strong convictions on both sides of this issue. Yet it speaks well of our country that almost all Americans recognize that abortion is a problem.”
“The law may call it a right, but no one ever called it a good. And in the quiet of conscience, people of both political parties know that more than a million abortions a year can’t be squared with the good heart of America,” Romney said.
The former governor pivoted from a philosophical position to talking about his political views and what he would do if elected president.
“I support the Hyde Amendment, which broadly bars the use of federal funds for abortions,” Romney said, “As president, I’ll end federal funding for abortion advocates like Planned Parenthood. I’ll protect a health care worker’s right to follow their conscience in their work.”
“I will nominate judges who know the difference between personal opinion and law. It is long past time for the Supreme Court to return the issue of abortion back to the states by overturning Roe v. Wade,” he added.
Romney also pressed a pro-life theme on an international level, which is a concern for pro-life Americans especially because of the monumental abuse of human rights in China via the one-child policy and the forced abortions and sterilizations that are a component of it.
“Because the good heart of America knows no boundaries, a commitment to protecting life shouldn’t stop at the water’s edge,” Romney said. “Taking innocent life is always wrong and always tragic, wherever it happens. The compassionate instincts of this country should not be silent in the face of injustices like China’s one-child policy. And if I’m president, you will never hear me or my vice president tell the Chinese government that we understand or won’t second-guess compulsory sterilization and forced abortion.”
Romney speech came after speeches by Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who both pressed pro-life themes as well.
