A Maverick, But He’s No Moderate
Half of the survey respondents said they did not know McCain's position on abortion.
John McCain boasts one of the most consistent pro-life voting records in the Senate, but he doesn't do much boasting about it. Even during the primaries—when touting his anti-abortion credentials could have scored with his conservative critics—he mostly avoided the subject. Why? "My record is clear," McCain said, when asked by reporters earlier this year. "I am a pro-life conservative."
But several pro-choice groups are nervous that his record isn't speaking loudly enough—that, on the contrary, it's been overshadowed by his reputation as a maverick who bucks the party line. Their fears are bolstered by a new Planned Parenthood survey, conducted in 16 likely battleground states, which shows that 23 percent of McCain's female, pro-choice supporters mistakenly believe he shares their views on abortion. An additional half of the respondents said they did not know enough to describe his position. "There's an enormous education gap," says Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, lamenting that most women "have no idea what John McCain's stance is."
Pro-choice groups attribute that gap to voters who confuse McCain-the-maverick with McCain-the-moderate, based on his willingness to split from his party on certain issues. Abortion, though, isn't one of them. "The press describes him as a moderate maverick, so people take that to mean that he's pro-choice, or not as bad on choice," says Ted Miller, a spokesperson for NARAL Pro-Choice America. "But if you look at his voting record, he's nowhere near moderate." In an effort to correct such misimpressions, NARAL recently launched MeetTheRealMcCain.com and has begun buying up Google ads, like one that asks "Is McCain Pro-Choice?" and links to a NARAL site. "We can't take any knowledge for granted," says Miller, "so we're raising the questions." Planned Parenthood, meanwhile, is working on an "aggressive" educational campaign aimed at female voters in battleground states.
The National Right to Life Committee, a pro-life organization that recently endorsed McCain, says it welcomes the efforts of its rivals. "As more people learn of his desire to protect unborn children, that will help his campaign," says executive director David O'Steen. Finally, some common ground: the utility of informing voters about McCain's abortion record could be the one area where pro-life and pro-choice groups are in total agreement.
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Posted By: spatch3 @ 04/30/2008 1:19:40 PM
Comment: I'm glad that both sides believe McCains record on women???s rights should be front and center. Fortunately when moderate republicans get a whiff of his hard line stance against not only abortion but on sensible family planning, I'm sure they???ll have second thoughts about voting for the third W' Bush presidential term. Thank God pro-choice is still the majority opinion in America, and has been in every poll for the last few decades.
Posted By: jlmeal @ 04/20/2008 7:34:08 PM
Comment: John McCain is going to end the war the only way it can be ended. We need John McCain this time around. No other candidate has any viable plan whatsoever to keep taxes down and boost the economy. Going to Green Development, esp with US manufacturing has been a McCain plan for over 20 years. McCain did not start the Iraq war he only voted to defend against the WMD that Hussein had destroyed during the pause of investigations by the UN. Clinotn voted for the same reasons. Obama rode the fence and did not vote at all because he is a trained elitist (Islamic soldier) planning for his jihad. Rev Wright proves the jihad is still alive and in his version of a Kwanza-Christian disguise. McCain is a shoot from the hip 'real guy; and someone we can all relate to. He is the only candidate giving away over 25% of his income to charity and the only one who cares for others. Sure Clinton seems to care, but only by force, not through 'love of others.'
Obama is a vile little man hell bent on the destruction of America and has fooled so many people that it scares me as much as sickens me that people are so easiuly fooled or simply so stupid.
McCain all the way... He's our last good chance at bringing America back to leader status.
www.betterconstructed. How could anyone not know his anti abortion stance? He fought and suffered for his country all of his life. Does anyone really think he is pro baby murder?
Posted By: jlmeal @ 04/20/2008 7:33:57 PM
Comment: How could anyone not know his anti abortion stance? He fought and suffered for his country all of his life. Does anyone really think he is pro baby murder?