McCain Poised To Flip On Abortion
By Nicole Belle Sunday May 11, 2008 6:00pmWhat a straight talker, what a maverick...
ABC:
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., faces enormous pressure from social conservatives to ignore his repeated commitment to change the GOP's platform on abortion.
"If he were to change the party platform," to account for exceptions such as rape, incest or risk to the mother's life, "I think that would be political suicide," said Tony Perkins, the president of the conservative Family Research Council, to ABC News. "I think he would be aborting his own campaign because that is such a critical issue to so many Republican voters and the Republican brand is already in trouble."
A senior Republican close to McCain told ABC News that building a more inclusive GOP is a top priority for the Arizona senator. But this adviser does not see changing the party platform to include exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother as necessary for achieving that vision.
The problem for McCain, however, is that he excoriated then-Gov. George W. Bush during a 2000 debate for not being willing to make this change to the platform, and Democrats are salivating at the prospect of arguing, in the words of one strategist, "that another four years of Bush begins with another four years of Bush's platform."
Watch McCain's heated exchange with Bush here.
While McCain has not addressed the abortion platform since becoming the presumed Republican nominee, he reaffirmed his desire to change the GOP's official abortion stance following a multicandidate forum that took place in Des Moines, Iowa, April 14, 2007.
Despite McCain's support for changing the platform in 2000 and 2007, Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., the co-chairman of McCain's Justice Advisory Committee, significantly downplays the possibility that McCain would revise the party's call for a nationwide constitutional ban on abortion with no exceptions.
"I don't think that's going to happen. I think you're going to see a platform process that is going to maintain that plank," said Brownback, a leading abortion rights opponent who endorsed McCain after ending his own White House bid.
"There are going to be a number of people supporting his nomination that want that plank left exactly as it is," he said. "They're going to be a strong majority."
The GOP's platform committee will meet in Minneapolis-St. Paul the week before the Sept. 1-4 Republican National Convention.
While leaving the platform untouched would please many in the GOP's socially conservative base, it could alienate some of the more moderate voters that McCain hopes to woo.
"If he doesn't change the platform, then he's being the same kind of hypocrite that he accused Bush of being in 2000," said Jennifer Blei Stockman, the co-chairwoman of Republican Majority for Choice. "To not accept abortion in cases of rape and incest, give me a break. That's sick. That's inhumane."
Speaking of which, friends active in the reproductive health community have told me to keep a close eye on Bush over the Memorial Day weekend, where he is suspected to reinstate the "Global Gag Rule" domestically. Recently the Family Research Council, as mentioned above, an ardent opponent of Planned Parenthood was received at the White House to deliver their petitions of over 80 right wing organizations calling for the gag rule to be enforced and thus disqualify PP from participating in the program. The "Gag Rule" would limit federal funding to reproductive health outlets that give women information about abortion, as was specified in Rust vs. Sullivan.
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Flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip flop flip…
The DevilHagee made made him do it.Pasty old white men telling women what they can and cannot do with their bodies - when will it ever end?
McFlame/McSame/McMundane... flipflopping yet again?! I can hardly believe it... /snark off
well, that should get him the vote of the self-hating women, especially if they are voting on DIEBOLD.
This may get a little awkward for Senator McLame.
This is where I get pissed as hell. It is no damned politician's business what the fu*k I do with my body. When they stop starting wars and killing people, maybe I might listen to them with their save the embryos bs. It's a sin to abort an embryo but not to send a man or woman to die in a war based completely on fabricated reasoning?
I can't wait for the media to ignore this story too.
The more extremist the GOP is the better....let them implode.
Gooper swine have a place to park their vote too. Bob Barr is there to scoop up the survivors of the GOP Titanic re-enactment.
Make it up as you go along, then do as you were going to anyway. Highlight how evil Myanmar and China are, along the way!!-- (repeat on loop)
More crap from the Bullshit express.
Hmmm, clicked on the link expecting to here Bush and McCain Arguing the abortion point and all of a sudden I'm looking at Jenna Bush getting married.
I thought they were going to keep that crap private. My breakfast is ruined.
McCain is trying to fool moderates. But no one cantrust him since he Flip Flops on almost all issues. Here is a list of things Mccain hopes to do to beat Obama.
McCain's 7 Steps to Beating Obama:
1. Paint Obama as a False Messiah
2. Work, Woo and Win the Referees
3. Meet With the People, and Force Obama to Follow
4. Claim the High Road Without Leaving the Low Road
5. Use A Vice President to Temper The Age Issue
6. Make Inroads Among Traditional Democratic Voters
7. Rely on the Historic RNC Advantage
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1739251-2,00.html
♠Bangkok-Bob♠ @ 13:
hear bush ... HEAR ... Damn I hate when that happens.
You got it. That's the GOP! Sink and inhumane on almost every issue.
Considering the number of dead Iraqi children Republican policies have produced and which John McCain endorses, any protestations regarding the sanctity of life should only be taken as heartfelt if you happen to own a salt mine.
I am all in favour of post natal abortion for Republicans esp self inflicted after a nice juicey scandal,
just not sure what term would be appropriate.
OT, ex-State officials allege corruption in Iraq:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080512/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_corruption
Emma Hussein Goldman @ 16:
Amazingly consistent are they not?
Oh good. Let's hope he's stupid enough to come out in favour of banning abortion. 'Bout time he gave the other two candidates something to savage other than each other.
♠Bangkok-Bob♠ @ 13:
She must have had the baby or an abortion going by the recent photographs, she was rather plump last fall.
Is this where the newest candidate, Bob Barr, can get a jump on him? McCain is going to have to fight Barr for the asshole and idiot vote now.
ferrofluid @ 18:
"Euthanasia"?
Peter G @ 20:
very! it's good to know that they'll say anything. now I would really like to believe that, after four elections cycles, people see through the gop bs and understand that voting gop is voting against their best interests. but that's just me.
On CNN the just had McCain saying that he will act on global warming. No drilling in ANWR? I wonder if he will put it on the same list with abortion.
Al most seems the Cons purposefully want to lose so they can dump the whole mess off on the Dems for 4 years.
pissed off patricia @ 23:
At least they have the same family values. Barr devorced his wife for a newer model as well. I think Barr and Gringrich were doing it at the same time... while bashing Clinton for a blow job.
Blue Lensman @ 24:
Retroactive abortion.
Oh fuck, CNN is going to do a "flag pin" story. I can't wait. Fuck. I'm hoping they mix in a Reverend Wright story before the evening is over. Assholes
pissed off patricia @ 23:
well McCain will get the drooling and senile vote (faux viewers), also the basement dwelling teengopper vote,
he wont get the intelligent military or angry veteran vote, hell will freeze over before that happens.
The xtian types are not too pleased with him, they would prefer somebody else, preferably not an adulterous divorcee.
Its hard to see what his base could be, most republicans are rather dejected at McCain.
The only ones keen on McCain are the VP promoting Reagan 03/30/81 types.
Brad @ 29:
I wouldn't say I'm a huge Kavorkian fan but when I look at McCain I think, "there's a problem for every solution".
Captain Bitter Elitist Husein Kangaroo @ 30:
Time to start wearing folded $20 monopoly bills in place of flag pins to ridicule the repugs
Captain Bitter Elitist Husein Kangaroo @ 26:
tune in later, when the 'clarification' will deny he meant what he said.
L.A. Confidential @ 27:
and during those four years, the msm will blame everything on the dems as if ther never was a bush administration.
Of course he has to flip. That would complete the full circle, making him the rare perfect hypocrite. -The Political Jerk
ferrofluid @ 33:
Think about it for a second, phoney money sent in as campaign donations. Then start wearing the phoney money around.
ferrofluid, you've had a moment of brilliance. Let's do it.
OK, where to find large quantities of play money?
ferrofluid @ 31:
McCain also will NOT get the 3,000,000+ voters that the Obama campaign has registered.
Blue Lensman @ 32:
We should start a sweep stake on how long McCain is for this green and pleasant land.
Every president loses their boyish looks and goes white haired when in office, the stress must be quite something.
Does any sane republican think McElderly would last longer than one or two years as the POTUS !!!!
mudshark @ 37:
photocopy monopoly money or find some web image of it and print it,
its not as if its real money as in green backs, the people who make Monopoly would love the publicity and the extra sales of the board game...
Captain Bitter Elitist Husein Kangaroo @ 38:
The recent voting was four to one Dem to Rep.
mudshark @ 37:
This is a very good idea ferrofluid. Very good. It would show the whole flag pin nonsense is as phony as a $20 monopoly bill. Very good indeed. I'll mail you some Mudshark.
Captain Bitter Elitist Husein Kangaroo @ 42:
Its also the Bob Allen angle, keeps that boiling and amusing for Minneapolis.
Captain Bitter Elitist Husein Kangaroo @ 42:
hehehehehehe, you do that.hehehehehehehe
I even bought a printer a few weeks ago.
oh man, am I gonna have some fun.
I'm gonna have to go out and buy a couple hundred envelopes.
heheheheheheheheh:)
ferrofluid @ 40:
Folded in the shape of a ribbon?
Great idea!
Don't forget the corollary window stickers.
pissed off patricia @ 7:
What do politicians discuss when the economy is in the shitter, their fake war is gone to hell, and oil prices are way beyond their control? They change the subject and attack various things that are none of their damn business!!
fastfeat @ 19:
The State Department's policies "not only contradicted the anti-corruption mission but indirectly contributed to and has allowed corruption to fester at the highest levels of the Iraqi government," Brennan told the Senate Democratic Policy Committee.
Anyone surprised?
Guys, stop calling McCain a flip-flopper. It doesn't work. LESSON IN CHARACTER ASSASSINATION FOLLOWS:
"Flip-flop" was used against Kerry because Rove got to create Kerry's public image in 2004. Nobody really knew Kerry well outside of Massachussetts, so Rove, with the help of the captive media, got to paint Kerry nationally as sort of effeminate, wussy, rich elite liberal with his finger perennially in the wind for something popular to endorse. Think of the photo of Kerry missing a football catch, and the one of him all pastel-jumpsuited up, crawling through a tunnel, at that moronic NASA photo-op. They painted him as a wussy loser who'd couldn't take a stand on anything, and "flip-flop" was the perfect word to fit into that image. The WORDS even sound wussy and weak! "Kerry -- whatta joke! flip flop flip flop!" See?
McCain, however, has a long-established record as an alpha male in DC, one that is just not going to go away, ever. "Flip-flop" just bounces off him, because it doesn't connect at all with the tough-guy image he's successfully cultivated and projected. You can't smear him as a wussy little joke of a man. It just doesn't work. STOP!
McCain you call a LIAR, because that's what he is. That plugs into his big-man image. When this sort of lie happens, AGAIN, you do NOT say "flip flop." Say: "He really will do anything to be President before he dies, won't he?" or the like. The Two McCains meme has some potential for success, as in "Senator McCain had integrity and honor, Campaign McCain will do or say anything necessary to get his lying ass into the White House. I miss Senator McCain."
See? That fits. That will stick. Give McCain his due! He's not a wussy, finger-in-the-wind eunuch who won't take a stand on any issues -- he's a desperate man who will toss his principles overboard, and do or say anything to be President. That's far worse.
ConcernedCanuck @ 47:
It's called pandering to the extreme fringe of your base. In this case, so-called Christians who bomb clinics and terrorize teenage girls.
mudshark @ 44:
The check is in the mail. Check your email.
Captain Bitter Elitist Husein Kangaroo @ 51:
Will do ,gracias mi amigo.
On another note, Last night I saw on the noooz that some of the right wing churches are saying that they want to distance themselves from political activity.
Right.
They smell a new Attorney General coming, and it scares the shit out of them.Of course this doesn't include the twilight zone dimension of the right wing.
Sid @ 49:
That is a good point. McShame is a liar. He said he would support a womans right to chose but he lied and caved in to the Rush Limpdick Right. He's a liar. Liar liar liar liar liar liar liar. I kind of rolls off the keyboard nicely.
McCain enjoyed a reputation for many years as a moderate. Looks like he's trying to reclaim that reputation and woo the independents. First his nod to global warming, and now advocating that women -- gasp! -- be allowed 10 percent control of their bodies.
Gawd help us all, he may win the White House.
Backpeddle Express.
Captain Bitter Elitist Husein Kangaroo @ 54:
See? Much more effective! ;)
I do miss the old McCain, though. The one who wasn't so shamefully and obviously desperate for his one last chance at the top job before he kicks the bucket.
pissed off patricia @ 7:
Don't we abort potential embryos every time we menstruate? And what about all those sperm that never met their egg quotas?
mudshark @ 53:
Can you say 'bye bye tax exempt status' if they continue to dabble in politics.
About time the megachurches were kicked out of politics and back to the gutter they sprang up from.
If the xtains and the megachurches wnat to earn some respect from Liberals, they can go back to the roots of Christianity and practice some compassion and social conscience, and concentrate on improving things the nice way, not the RW thug way.
Straight Shooter @ 55:
If McCain ever did attain POTUs status, his VP would 'Reagan' him PDQ, thats about all hes good for, getting a stealthy VP into the top job.
ferrofluid @ 59:
I think mudshark is out printing up some Monopoly money. lol
It's always fun to watch Republican infighting. May their convention be a complete mess over issues like these.
To wit, it looks like Ron and the Paul Bearers are hoping to disrupt the convention like Yippies as part of a long-term battle to resurrect Libertarian Republicanism. Heh, I wonder what Rush would say if people started dreaming of riots there.
Captain Bitter Elitist Husein Kangaroo @ 61:
YEP!!!!
But I don't have enough paper right now. no worries, I'll get some.
[Lets get this back on topic.Site Monitor]
On the abortion issue, though, I have never fully understood why some people who believe that abortion is murder actually do want to carve out an exception for rape and incest. It's either murder or it is not. That can't change depending on the situation.
Leslie [Hussein] @ 58:
Karen @ 62:
Theres a little thing called the 'Civil Assistance Plan' be very afraid
Karen @ 64:
The fact that they appear to be a lot of hypocritical wackjobs who don't know what's good for them without a daddy figure to spell it out as doctrine comes to mind first. Just spitballing, here.
:)
Bonkers Hussein @ 67:
Sure. And cognitive dissonance hardly bothers them. They'll happily maintain contradictory positions, and either plug their ears or hurl insults if you note the inconsistency.
Leslie [Hussein] @ 58:
It's just so easy when everything is faith-based. God puts a soul into an embryo when the sperm hits the egg, not before. They get to make these rules up as they go along.
Karen @ 68:
Ohhh yeah. For sure.
I spend a lot of time flip-flopping (there's that phrase again) between being irritated with, angry at and often just plain sorry for these people who apparently have so little in the way of critical thinking skills that it has actually managed to bleed over and impair their instincts for basic self-preservation, let alone empathy for their neighbor.
Karen @ 69:
Oh dear, I forgot about the soul thing. But don't they keep changing the soul rules?
How is it that he has secured his parties nomination without having this issue clearly defined for all to see? Why isn't he asked on a daily basis with a very loud voice to stand with his parties moral crusaders and tell the entire country he doesn't believe there is any circumstance in which a woman may be ALLOWED an abortion? Come on John, tell us how if your grand daughter was raped by an insane first cousin and the fetus was developing in her fallopian tube, she must carry this snowflake to term for Jesus. Tell us John, we're waiting!
EMPY @ 72:
Just raped by a first cousin? You've got to be kidding; this is how they expand their party!
fastfeat @ 73:
That was an insane first cousin sir.
C'mon now, the real reason their against abortion is they need the youngsters to go fight their fubar wars.
mudshark @ 75:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24584577
check out the recruitment goals, 2 years ago their goal was 8000.
Now their shooting (forgive the pun) for 5000.
oh yeah, that would be for a month. 5000. and it would appear that their reaching that goal now.
Leslie [Hussein] @ 58:
Don't forget miscarriages. If I'm not mistaken, something like 40% of pregnancies.
I'm not sure how the religious wackjobs reconcile that fact with their beliefs.
Here's something that puts it into perspective:
http://www.obeythefist.com/images/abortion.jpg
I wasn't able to confirm the numbers in a quick google search, but whatever the numbers, it's the height of hyprocisy.
Rusty Shackleford @ 78:
Simple: God is allowed to take lives. And he has control over which embryos have souls in the first place. It's all part of the celestial dictator's master plan, with which we mere mortals may not interfere.
Karen @ 80:
Damn, you were right, Karen. It IS easy when you can just make it up!
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