John McCain on Abortion

The AP/Boston Herald reported yesterday:

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain did some grass-roots campaigning in a grand setting Sunday, attending a house party at a mansion built for one of his predecessors in the U.S. Senate....

A question about abortion provided an opportunity for McCain to separate himself from other Republicans seeking the nomination.

    ”I am a pro-life person. That’s been a solid 24-year record,” he said. ”I have not changed my position.”

    ”I have been an advocate for human rights -- having been deprived of them for a period in my life -- from Burma to Bosnia to China to Cuba, and I believe human rights also extend to that of the unborn,” said McCain, who endured years of torture and deprivation as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.

Read McCain emphasizes anti-abortion stance at mansion party.  Here are some quotations that further illustrate Senator John McCain's (evolving?) views on abortion (via OnTheIssues.org):

On “Meet the Press,” McCain said he had “come to the conclusion that the exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother are legitimate exceptions” to an outright ban on abortions. “I don’t claim to be a theologian, but I have my moral beliefs.” If Roe v. Wade is overturned and abortion outlawed, McCain said he believes doctors who performed abortions would be prosecuted. “But I would not prosecute a woman” who obtained an abortion. Source: Boston Globe, p. A9 Jan 31, 2000

McCain was asked whether he would reinstate the Reagan era rule that prevents international family planning clinics that receive federal funds from discussing abortion. “I don’t believe they should advocate abortion with my tax dollars,” McCain said, adding that he opposed abortion except in cases of rape and incest. He was then asked how he would determine whether someone had in fact been raped. McCain responded, “I think that I would give the benefit of the doubt to the person who alleges that.” Source: New York Times, p. A17 Jan 25, 2000

McCain was asked how he could be anti-abortion and still vote to support fetal tissue research. He supports fetal-tissue research, McCain said, because it has helped make progress against Parkinson’s disease. McCain concluded that abortion rights and anti-abortion activists should cooperate on issues of foster care and adoption. He had made his decision on abortion, he said, “after a lot of study, consultation, and a lot of prayer.” He added, “I’d like to have less intensity on this issue.” Source: Boston Globe, p. A11 Jan 22, 2000

McCain said, “I’d love to see a point where Roe vs. Wade is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe vs. Wade, which would then force women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations.” A spokesman said that McCain “has a 17-year voting record of supporting efforts to overturn Roe vs. Wade. He does that currently, and will continue to do that as president.” Source: Ron Fournier, Associated Press Aug 24, 1999

McCain apparently has changed his mind about whether Roe should be overturned and has since asserted that it should be, although he denies flip-flopping on the issue.  See related post: McCain on Roe v. Wade; Romney on Embryonic Stem Cell Research.

For other posts on the 2008 presidential candidates, see 2008 Presidential Campaign in the Topical Archive of this blog.