The Candidates in Their Own Words.

This edition of National Right to Life News discusses the upcoming battle between pro-life Sen. John McCain and pro-abortion Sen. Barack Obama in considerable depth. There is the story on page one, two editorials on page two, and a comparison piece on page five.

The contrast on abortion is so stark that pro-abortionists will use it to attempt to gin up their supporters against McCain and the media will hide it so as not to alert the public to Obama's extremist-by-any-definition position.

Bear in mind that should a baby somehow evade the abortionist's best efforts to kill her, Obama has a fall-back position. As an Illinois state senator he stymied (by his votes or by blocking action) a law which would have merely required that an abortion survivor receive the same level of medical care as a baby who is spontaneously born prematurely.

The following are just a few examples of what the two men have said about abortion.

McCain

At the 2008 March for Life rally, pro-life Senator Sam Brownback read a statement from McCain: "If I am fortunate enough to be elected as the next President of the United States, I pledge to you to be a loyal and unswerving friend of the right to life movement."

In mid-April McCain told MSNBC's Chris Matthews, "the rights of the unborn is one of my most important values."

Talking about his pro-life voting record that goes back 25 years, McCain said in an interview last year with National Review, "I have many, many votes and it's been consistent. And I've got a consistent zero from NARAL throughout all of those years. I may have had some other policy differences with some people in the pro-life community, but my record is clear. ... I've opposed [Roe v. Wade] ... because I thought it was a bad decision." On his web page, McCain says he "believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench."

Referring to the 2007 Supreme Court decision upholding the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, McCain said, "Today's Supreme Court ruling is a victory for those who cherish the sanctity of human life."

Obama

Obama opposed that same Supreme Court decision (Gonzales v. Carhart). "I am extremely concerned that this ruling will embolden state legislatures to enact further measures to restrict a woman's right to choose, and that the conservative Supreme Court justices will look for other opportunities to erode Roe v. Wade ... ."

Obama has made many statements pledging his absolute support for abortion: "I have consistently advocated for reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. I oppose any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's ruling in this case."

At a town hall meeting in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Obama brought his own two young daughters into the discussion. "I've got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby." (emphasis added).

Obama also voiced an opinion on starving patients to death, Asked at a debate by NBC News's Tim Russert, "Is there any words or vote that you'd like to take back?" Obama invoked Terri Schindler Schiavo. In March 2005, unanimous consent was needed in the Senate to get a measure quickly passed that would provide Terri's family with one last opportunity to save her. Failing to stop that, Obama told Russert, was a "mistake."