Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Obama Addresses Pregnancy Prevention and Abortion at Press Conference
Washington Wire blog (Wall St. Journal): Live-Blogging Obama’s Press Conference, by Susan Davis:
...8:33: Eighth question on abortion, and his support of legislation easing state and local restrictions. “My position on abortion has been very consistent,” he says. His goal is to reduce pregnancies, particularly among teems. Notes he has a taskforce that is working with groups that support and oppose abortion rights to reach consensus. The Freedom of Choice Act “is not my highest legislative priority,” he said. We need to focus on areas where we agree.
The transcript of this portion of the news conference is available here.
https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/reproductive_rights/2009/04/obama-addresses-pregnancy-prevention-and-abortion-at-press-conference.html
I think it's smart for President Obama to convey a more neutral position on the abortion issue. As a pro-choice activist, I understand, like my sisters at NARAL and Planned Parenthood, that while President Obama is actively fighting to advance the availability of abortion for all women and girls, he really needs to come across as more of a moderate on the issue.
I think his efforts to keep the focus on the "moral and ethical issue" side of the abortion debate, rather than the scientific side, where we stand a greater chance of losing support, is also very important.
The time for the Freedom of Choice Act will come. Those of us fighting for abortion rights and reproductive health and freedom need to be patient. Once President Obama has pacified the right-wing pro-lifers and smoothed their ruffled feathers, then he can proceed with the things he needs to do.
I think he's doing a great job and he has my full support.
Posted by: Mom4Choice | Apr 30, 2009 4:36:24 AM