Two Carefully Crafted Messages On Abortion

Both Obama And McCain Gingerly Try To Strike The Right Chord In Reaching Out To Swing Voters

(AP)  Republican John McCain, an abortion rights opponent with a conservative Senate record on the issue, seems content with the public's perception that he's more moderate on the subject.

Democrat Barack Obama, who supports abortion rights, is only too happy to remind voters where McCain stands, but he tries to make his case without attracting too much attention.

Both presidential candidates are gingerly trying to strike the right chord on abortion as they reach out to a critical voting group - independents and moderates, primarily women in swing-voting suburban regions of crucial states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio.

The candidates' carefully targeted ads on abortion and stem-cell research, topics that enflame passions among both abortion-rights proponents and opponents, illustrate how Republicans and Democrats alike are tailoring their messages to specific groups of voters.

Obama criticizes McCain in ads that say the GOP nominee takes an "extreme position on choice" and "will make abortion illegal." That misrepresents McCain's position. The Arizona senator favors overturning the Supreme Court's guarantee of abortion rights but would let states decide their own abortion laws, and he is not seeking a constitutional ban.

Obama is using low-profile radio ads and campaign mailings to make his point about McCain. He hopes to avoid being tagged as too liberal on abortion.

McCain, for his part, is responding with radio commercials promising to support stem cell research to "unlock the mystery of cancer, diabetes, heart disease." He doesn't mention that he supports embryonic stem cell research, which many anti-abortion Republicans oppose.

Cultural issues have largely taken a back seat in this campaign to the frail economy and the Iraq war, as well as questions of character and promises of change.

But with the race close, each candidate is trying to woo voters concerned about particular issues in hopes they will help tip the balance on Nov. 4. As with abortion, the candidates are likely to use radio and campaign mail on other social topics, such as gun control and gay rights.

Independent groups also are getting into the act with TV ads. One is trying to make Obama look out of the mainstream even among abortion rights supporters by casting him as far left. Another is encouraging McCain to "embrace a pro-life agenda."

Unlike Democratic presidential nominees Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004, Obama has not shied away from using abortion to reach out to independents and moderate Republicans.

Democrats say President Bush's Supreme Court selections of conservatives John Roberts and Samuel Alito gave Obama an opening to press the issue.

"Women are more worried now about the future of the court than in either of the last two election cycles, and Obama has been tapping into that and making this issue a big difference between him and McCain," said Democratic analyst Jenny Backus.

Republicans say Obama doesn't understand that people generally are more conservative than liberal and tend not to be single-issue voters on abortion.

"For the Obama people to try to make McCain into this passionate pro-lifer, it doesn't make any sense," said Rich Galen, a Republican operative.

Obama's radio ad, running in Indiana, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and elsewhere, features nurse practitioner Valerie Baron telling voters: "John McCain's out of touch with women today. McCain wants to take away our right to choose."

Glossy fliers with the same messages fill the mailboxes of women in Florida, Virginia and other states.

Countering that effort, McCain rolled out his own radio ad suggesting he's not as far right on abortion as Obama makes him seem - though he never mentions that procedure.

Instead, McCain's commercial focused on stem cell research and said he will invest more money in research to prevent disease and find medical breakthroughs to "help free families from the fear and devastation of illness."

Like Obama, McCain backs relaxing federal restrictions on financing of embryonic stem cell research while running mate Sarah Palin - along with many conservatives in the GOP - opposes that method because human embryos are destroyed.

McCain opposes abortion rights except when the life of the mother is in danger and, unlike Palin, in cases of rape or incest. He has voted for abortion restrictions permissible under Roe v. Wade and has said the 1973 decision that guaranteed abortion rights should be overturned, leaving states to decide.

Obama and his running mate Joe Biden favor federal money for embryonic stem cell research and largely agree on abortion. But Biden was among a minority of Democrats in voting several times in favor of banning the procedure that opponents call partial birth abortion.

[carlyonsue]

Obama is doing a lot of talking and criticizing McCain and the republicans but he is not really saying anything! He is not saying what HE will do to get us out of the current financial crisis and fix the trouble on Wall street. Please don''t trust him! Vote McCainPalin!

[carlyonsue]

Vote McCain/Palin in 2008!

[carlyonsue]

What a lot of people don''t know about Obama is that he voted against a bill that would have made infanticide illegal! In short he is for the killing of babies that are born ALIVE as the result of some abortions! That is nothing but murder! Those babies should be given the same chance to live and the same medical care as other premature babies even if the "mother" doesn''t want them!

[dibs977]

Today I spoke with a lady from Chicago and she went on and on about all the good that Obama did in Chicago to help people. And his money has come from people like me---who has never given money to a campaign before. But I did for Obama--because for the first time, I believe. I shared that with others at work, who also said that they sent money to his campaign----and that it was the first time they had ever given money to a campaign before. Obama is a brilliant, capable man and I pray that he may be allowed to help us come together. I''m a white 63 year old nurse, who has worked 17 years in ICU and 14 years in Recovery. I have worked hard caring for sick people my whole life. I am not wealthy and I just watched my 401K shrink---so I will be working many more years. Trust a nurse---Vote Obama!

[dibs977]

GET THIS! We are not Pro-abortion----we are pro-choice.

[dibs977]

This is a quote from a citizen of Palin''s home town: "Welton says she won''t be voting for Palin, "My car is covered with Obama stickers." She blames the former mayor for politicizing small town elections and says after Palin she would get calls during her school board campaigns from residents asking if she was pro-life. "That never used to happen," she said."
I am a Christian who seeks to love and I do not approve of Bible Thumpers like Palin. She is like the Scribes and Pharisees Jesus condemed, who followed the "letter of the Law" but would "not see the kingdom of heaven."
Vote Obama!

[dibs977]

I am a liberal and a Christian. I do not think abortion is right and I think that there are many moral issues involved in ***. I am not amoral. I''m still appalled that 1 in 3 girls is sexually abused as a child--for one example. But I know that you cannot stop abortion---you can only stop legal abortion. Criminalizing desperate women and girls is not the answer to this issue. Teaching abstinence is something I believe in---but sometimes girls and boys are "acting out" their abuse and neglect issues and get out of control and sometimes they are taken advantage of. Some of us have suffered great traumas and have trouble pulling ourselves together. As we face life with love and concern for all and see all the complexities of faith and life, we come to see that solutions to problems do not come by simple black and white thinking and solutions. We must come together with love. Liberals are moralists who love family values too but we don''t "strain the gnat and swallow the camel." Vote Obama!

[sommertime6]

Palin made the comment and so did Obama in his acceptance speech. The only way the two sides will come together on this issue is to agree to work together to eliminate the need for abortion in the first place.

. . . and now to reveal myself as a right wing nut job as my discenters like to put it so elequently . .

The main reason behind 3 today biggest problems is sexual immorality. Now some don''t believe there is such a thing. Fine. Still, if people would learn to control themselves or at least act responsibly and properly teach their kids how to control themselves or act responsibly AIDS, abortion and teenage pregnancy might not be the problem they are today. Just an observation.

Keep dreaming President Bush has restord American pride to the white house after Bill Clinton disgraced the office and made us a laughingstock around the world and at home. Because of him teens give oral to anyone because it isnt ***. President Bush has returned honor to the office

Posted by gwno1
---------------------
That war in Iraq, all the casualties, the lies around it, all for oil profits makes Bubba look like a paragon of moral virtue!!

[eric-914]

Curiously, the most intriguing new idea I''ve heard in years came from Sarah Palin. If we could lower the need for abortion consideration in the first place, it''s a win-win for everyone.

[rosemari2]

Abortion is not what this all about, it''s about stirring up the massses and pulling the wool over everyone''s eyes about the economic problems.

Any thinking woman knows these things were always out there, my Mother talked about coat hangers and the poor women using Lye to mis-carry and how many of them died. And she was born in 1903, before women could even Vote.

Read a book called ''Spiritual Warfare'' if you really want to know the truth about this.......it was specifically brought up to frighten people and raise money for the RightWingNuts. And it has.

If the anti''s were honest about it, they would be out in the Streets demanding Safe, no side effect, modern Birth Control for women and men. Wouldn''t have any then, would we?

[jetsetter08]

Everyone should have the freedom to believe what they want to believe in, but don''t take away a woman''s choice to choose what''s best for her. That would only promote illegal abortions once again and set our rights of women back decades. Is McSame going to pay for the lifetime cost of raising a unwanted child?

[jetsetter08]

Everyone should have the freedom to believe what they want to believe in, but don''t take away a woman''s choice to choose what''s best for her. That would only promote illegal abortions once again and set our rights of women back decades.

[msobamaishot]

The bottom line is that abortion is a medical procedure that a woman can elect to undergo. Christians and pro-lifers have a right to believe what they want, and they choose exercise that right by not choosing to get abortions. At the same time pro-choicers have a right to believe what they want and exercise that right by deciding whether or not they want an abortion. To legally force any belief on another is unconstitutional. Leaving abortion legal forces no particular group to follow any belief. But outlawing it forces people of different beliefs about life and when it starts, to follow the beliefs of something they might not believe in. This is America, we''re supposed to be free to think and do as we wish under protection of the law.

[jankebenz]

Pro-abortion people have no common sense or reason.

Posted by smebep at 04:42 PM : Sep 18, 2008

It stands to reason that if they don''t care for the unborn,then they also don''t care for anyone else, exept themselves. We need a leader who shows concern for life at all stages,beginning to end.

[jankebenz]

Posted by lwc777

Good posts 1wc, esp. about the source of Obama''s comtributions, hopefully the information you posted will help voters decide with informed logic instead of bias.

[xmanborg]

last121868

George W Bush the IDIOT.

[xmanborg]

McLame is so LAME !

[last121868]

He defended us against the wet backs and the goucks!!!! Ill DEBATE ANYBODY ON WHY GEORGE W. BUSH SHOULD BE PRESIDENT ANOTHER 8 YEARS !!!!!!!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by twalk1122 at 04:07 PM : Sep 18, 2008
+ report abuse

LOL @ twalk1122!!! hahahahahahahahahahaha-that''s a good one! thanks for the best laugh of my day.....

[lwc777]

2008 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE COMPARISON TALKING POINTS


ISSUE

JOHN McCAIN
BARACK OBAMA

Favors new drilling offshore US
Yes
No

Will appoint judges who interpret the law not make it
Yes
No


Served in the US Armed Forces
Yes
No

Amount of time served in the US Senate
22 YEARS
173 DAYS

Will institute a socialized national health care plan
No
Yes

Supports abortion throughout the pregnancy
No
Yes

Would pull troops out of Iraq immediately
No
Yes

Supports gun ownership rights
Yes
No

Supports homosexual marriage
No
Yes
0D

Proposed programs will mean a huge tax increase
No
Yes

Voted against making English the official language
No
Yes

Voted to give Social Security benefits to illegals
No
Yes
=0 A