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Democratic Candidates Pledges Support for Universal Coverage of Abortion

Mrs. Edwards says Clinton not strong pro-choice advocate for calling abortions tragedies

By Elizabeth O'Brien

WASHINGTON, DC, July 18, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - On Tuesday leading Democrat presidential candidates slammed the Bush administration and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting abortion in the United States. 

Speaking before the Planned Parenthood Public Affairs Action Fund (PPPAAF) annual conference, leading Democrat contenders Senators Hillary Clinton of New York, Barack Obama of Illinois, and wife of presidential candidate John Edwards showed their determination to promote abortion through their comments on public policy and choices of Supreme Court Justice nominees.

Obama spoke about his intentions to expand people's access to health insurance, which would include universal coverage for "reproductive-health services." An Obama spokesman clarified that this did indeed include abortion.

The Illinois presidential candidate also said that he would appoint Supreme Court Justices with "empathy." Obama then criticized Justice Anthony Kennedy, who penned the partial-birth abortion ban that passed 5-4 in April. "Justice Kennedy knows many things," declared Obama, "but my understanding is that he does not know how to be a doctor."

"We need somebody who's got the heart, the empathy, to recognize what it's like to be a young teenage mom," he said, "And that's the criteria by which I'm going to be selecting my judges."

Dismissing the efforts of pro-life advocates, he continued, "At a time when the real war is being fought abroad, [some] would have us fight Culture Wars here at home. I am absolutely convinced that culture Wars are just so '90's. Their days are growing dark."

Regarding the issue of contraception, he is quoted in the Washington Post as saying, "We must never be willing to consign a teenage girl to suffer because she [lacks] birth control."

Obama's leading rival candidate, Hilary Clinton, attacked the partial-birth abortion ban in her speech before the PPPAAF, reports Reuters. Slamming the Bush administration for its policy on contraception and advocacy of abstinence education, she also said that they "set out from Day One to dismantle reproduction rights around the world."

She stated, "At the top of the list was this effort to try to overturn Roe vs. Wade or at least try to chip away at it."

"They don't just want to wage a war on choice," she continued. "They want to wage a war on contraception."

Referring to her future choice for Supreme Court Justices nominees, Clinton stated, "I would appoint well-qualified judges who really respect the Constitution."

Elizabeth Edwards, speaking for her husband, presidential candidate John Edwards, said that he proposed a "true universal health-care plan," the Tribune Reports. Specifically referring to abortion, she stated that this plan would cover "all reproductive health services, including pregnancy termination."

According to the New York Times, during an interview with Planned Parenthood, Elizabeth Edwards also criticized Clinton, saying she's "not as vocal a women's advocate as I want to see." In addition, she indicated that Hilary had waffled on her strong pro-choice position in the past by saying that abortions are tragedies.  

See related LifeSiteNews coverage:

Bush, Clinton, Obama, Giuliani, etc. React to Partial Birth Abortion Ban Ruling
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/apr/07041902.html

"When I am President …" - Hilary Clinton Promises Pro-homosexual Administration
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jun/07060407.html

Senators Clinton, Obama, say "Homosexuality is Moral" While Brownback Publicly Supports General Pace
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/mar/07031606.html

Hillary Clinton Supported by Big Abortion, Gay Activists and Now the Porn Industry
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/apr/07041906.html

Read a related press release:

Day Gardner, National Black Pro-Life Union Comments on Senator Obama and Epidemic of Violence
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/834383685.html

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