BUCHANAN SEES `REAL PROBLEMS' IF VEEP BACKS ABORTION RIGHTS.

Byline: Associated Press

Pat Buchanan asserted Wednesday night that if the Republican Party moves toward an abortion-rights stance ``it ceases to be my party.'' He suggested that Bob Dole would have ``real problems'' if he picks a running mate who supports abortion rights.

``I'm not going to walk away from the unborn,'' Buchanan said on CNN's ``Larry King Live.''

The conservative commentator hinted that some anti-abortion activists might walk out of the Republican convention next month in San Diego if the GOP waters down the anti-abortion plank of the party's platform - or if Dole selects a running mate who supports abortion rights.

``If Senator Dole should pick a pro-choice running mate . . . the right-to-life movement, which is a vital part of our party, would likely break, and part of it would leave the convention. I don't think that's even arguable,'' Buchanan said.

Buchanan has not yet thrown his support to Dole even though the former Senate majority leader has a mathematical lock on the GOP nomination. Buchanan urged Dole in strong terms against selecting a abortion-rights running mate.

Asked if he would participate in a convention walkout over Dole's running mate, Buchanan said: ``I'm going to that convention as a Republican. I hope to leave as a Republican.''

But, he added: ``The character of the Republican Party is going to be determined by the convention we run, the platform we write, the ticket we pick. There's a lot of issues in play right now. There's a lot of foment.''

``My belief in the right to life and the innocent unborn is even deeper than my love for the Republican party,'' Buchanan said.

He directed most comments to Dole's choice of a running mate, but voiced indirect criticism of Dole's proposed abortion language for the GOP platform.

``I'm going to stay pro-life all the way. That's one reason I'm remaining active. I'm going out there. We're going to keep a good pro-life plank in there,'' he said. ``We're going to make sure our platform is pro-life and try to encourage our nominee to make it a pro-life ticket.''

Buchanan's sister Bay, who is his campaign manager, has voiced opposition to Dole's proposal that a ``Tolerance Plank'' be added to the GOP platform acknowledging a diversity of views among Republicans.

Pat Buchanan said he would go to the GOP convention and ``lay out platform planks we would like to see adopted by the party.''

Asked about Dole's consideration of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge and other abortion-rights Republicans as a possible running mate, Buchanan said: ``If you picked a pro-choice running mate and set that individual up as the nominee of the party of the future, you'd have real problems at the convention.''

Buchanan said he promised supporters he ``would go out there and keep our party pro-life. If our party ceases to be pro-life, and it moves in the direction of Clinton's party, it will cease to be my party.''