The Political Voices of Women

Is John McCain a Pro-Choice Republican? Would you vote for him if he was? – by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at BlogHer)

There seems to be a lot of confusion over whether or not John McCain is pro-choice or pro-life. Why is that? Up until a few hours ago, I would have said I thought he was pro-choice. Maybe it has something to do with Republicans For Choice supporting John McCain?

Our first choice, Rudy Giuliani, did not win. He ran a campaign with a risky strategy and it didn’t work. But our number two choice did win…John McCain. McCain came in second in a survey of our membership.

While he is personally “pro life” he has time and again reached out and worked with people across the spectrum. We know we can work with him to create common ground that will allow moderates and conservatives to come together to rebuild the GOP.

But apparently, there is quite a bit of evidence that he is pro-life. What do you think? Is John McCain a pro-choice Republican? Do Republicans just want Democrats to think McCain is pro-choice? Or, is he attempting to play both sides of the issue? Nooooo, politicians never do that. So then, why does there seem to be a perception that John McCain is pro-choice?

Let’s take a look at some of the evidence that supports the fact that John McCain is Pro-life, and why he would be bad for the pro-choice movement.

The REAL John McCain is not the “moderate maverick” the pundits like to swoon over. The REAL McCain has spent the last 25 years amassing one of the worst anti-choice voting records in Congress.

If elected president, he has pledged to be the anti-choice movement’s most faithful ally, carrying their water and enacting their dangerous agenda: “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.” [Statement by Sen. McCain read by Sen. Sam Brownback at the March for Life in Washington, DC, January 22, 2008.]

On March 27, Elizabeth Shipp, Political Director of NARAL Pro-Choice America, answered member questions about John McCain.

See transcript from NARAL Pro Choice America Choice Chat

This is from a post by Emily Douglas at RealTime – Pro-Choice Group Endorses McCain…

Despite being a vocal opponent of legal abortion, McCain has never cosponsored or supported legislation that would lessen the need for abortion, like a bill expanding access to contraception. As NARAL Pro-Choice America president Nancy Keenan wrote on Bush v. Choice this morning, John McCain is not the “moderate maverick” the media makes him out to be. All the way back to 1987, McCain has never received higher than a 10 percent approval rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America.

“Most Americans don’t know that John McCain is extremely anti-choice,” Keenan wrote in a letter to supporters this morning. Indeed, McCain has bucked the party line on touchy issues like immigration and campaign finance reform. But on choice, he has been consistent — consistently opposed. A spokesperson for NARAL Pro-Choice America added, “We clearly categorize John McCain as anti-choice based on his 25 years of voting against women’s health and privacy. McCain has gone even further than Bush in calling for the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Describing McCain as anything but anti-choice is quite a stretch.”

So, what do you think? Is John McCain a pro-choice Republican? Or, is he a card-carrying pro-life conservative? If elected, would he be a threat to the pro-life movement? Or, would he be a threat to the pro-choice movement? Does his position on women’s reproductive rights affect whether or not your would vote for him?

Also See:

Why I’m Pro-Life by Shannon at BlogHer

and

Why I’m Pro-Choice by Marie Niles at BlogHer

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan CatherineBlogs, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election Blog