Despite growing criticism from the mainstream media and the public outcry over their stances on abortion, both Presidential candidates continue to side-step pointed questions on the subject.

In a recent press release, Concerned Women for America’s Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) called on both the Republican and Democratic candidates to get serious about the deadliest issue facing America.  Wendy Wright, President of CWALAC, had some tough words for the men running for president of the United States.

“These two men need to stop acting like abortion is a game of political theater,” said Wright.  “To treat abortion as they have both been doing over the last few days, as a mere means of manipulating voters, is not acceptable to Americans but especially not to women.  Abortion is no more a political tool today than slavery was 150 years ago.  Today’s paramount human rights issue, the right to live, is not a toy for political cynics.  They need to realize that Americans care too much for women — many of whom have suffered from abortion’s effects — and babies to accept how these men have treated abortion.  Unborn children deserve basic human rights, and their struggling mothers need better options.  Obama and McCain need to get serious.”

Many pro-life conservatives were pleased with John McCain’s recent performance at Rev. Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church Civil Forum in Lake Forest, California.  McCain clearly and firmly established that he believes that life begins at conception.  Those same supporters were equally shocked just a few days later when McCain announced that he was considering a pro-abortion vice presidential pick.  Fox News reports that in an interview on the Laura Ingraham radio show McCain refused to decisively answer whether or not he would choose a running mate that mirrored his pro-life record.  When Ingraham pleaded with him not to choose a candidate who was pro-abortion, McCain responded, “I have not made the decision and we’re in the process, and if I say anything more than that I guarantee you there’s going to be another one of these firestorms.”

McCain went on to assure the listening audience that he has a pro-life record and that, “[M]y administration will have pro-life policies.”  Fox News reports that McCain preempted any questions regarding his vice presidential pick when he arrived at his next interview with Politico, stating, “Let me just begin by saying that to save you some time, I’m not going to comment on the vice president.”  It is evident that McCain is still playing games by dancing around the subject with his supporters and the American public.

CWALAC also called on Barack Obama to clearly state whether or not he voted against critical legislation to protect the lives of babies born alive after surviving an attempted abortion.  After his lackluster showing at the Saddleback Civil Forum, Obama was interviewed by the Christian Broadcasting Network’s David Brody.  During the interview, Brody addressed accusations made by National Right to Life that Senator Obama had misrepresented his voting record on the Born Alive Infant Protection Act (BAIPA) in the Illinois State Senate.  Not only did Obama accuse pro-life critics of lying, he claimed that there was already a law in place in Illinois that protected babies born alive as a result of an attempted abortion.  He states:   

“Well and because they have not been telling the truth.  And I hate to say that people are lying, but here’s a situation where folks are lying.

I have said repeatedly that I would have been completely in, fully in support of the federal bill that everybody supported — which was to say — that you should provide assistance to any infant that was born — even if it was as a consequence of an induced abortion.

That was not the bill that was presented at the state level. What that bill also was doing was trying to undermine Roe v. Wade.  By the way, we also had a bill, a law already in place in Illinois that insured life saving treatment was given to infants.” (From David Brody’s CBN interview)

Unfortunately, Senator Obama was wrong.  There was no law already in place in Illinois on this issue.  In fact, Concerned Women for America (CWA) of Illinois asked Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan to investigate the reports of Christ Hospital nurse Jill Stanek that babies were born alive following abortions and were left to die.  Attorney General Ryan found no violation of Illinois law and said as much in a letter to CWA dated July 17, 2000.

The Obama campaign responded to the allegations in a statement to the Christian Broadcasting Network saying, “The bills Senator Obama voted against in Illinois were crafted to undermine Roe v. Wade or pre-existing Illinois state law.”  They claim that Senator Obama would have voted for the federal BAIPA had he had the opportunity, since it contained a neutrality clause that protected Roe v. Wade. 

In stark contrast to this statement, spokesman Hari Sevugan from the Obama campaign admitted to the New York Sun that Obama “had voted against an identical bill in the state Senate.”  In an interview with Hannity & Colmes, whistleblower Jill Stanek stated that, “if Barack Obama continues to deny that he voted for this — what we say he voted for — then he has to come forward and either accuse somebody in the Illinois General Assembly of forgery and command an investigation or say that he made a mistake and … didn't mean to vote the way he did.”  

Wendy Wright notes that, “This revelation that Obama voted against protecting babies who are born alive and lied about it comes days after the new Democratic platform was touted as reaching out to pro-lifers. Obama’s support of post-birth abortion, better known as infanticide, is the most hardcore and cruel position any politician has ever had.”  Wright recently had the opportunity to sit down with Susan Muskett, the Legislative Counsel for the National Right to Life Committee, to discuss and compare the evidence against Senator Obama’s statements.  To hear their discussion, please click here.

CWA has been on the forefront of the fight to uncover the truth behind Senator Obama voting record and was one of the first pro-life organizations to cover Jill Stanek’s story.  A member of CWA of Illinois’ Steering Committee at the time, Jill and CWA of Illinois played a critical role in getting the Born Alive Infant Protection Act passed at the federal level.  

CWA recently sat down for an interview with Jill to discuss the background behind this situation and to hear how Senator Obama undermined efforts to pass this vital legislation in Illinois.  To read Jill Stanek’s narrative of the situation and to access links to the original documents that prove Senator Obama is being less than forthcoming about his voting record, please visit her website.  For more information on the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, please click here.