Huckabee vs. Santorum on abortion
As did my esteemed colleague from Flower Mound, I caught the “extreme” characterization of Santorum in this morning’s editorial. I spent a train ride to work today puzzling over that. (Full context was we put him in the party’s “extreme-right flanks,” but it was the one word that counts.)
Perhaps, I said, that stems from the former senator’s position on abortion. That is often singled out as one thing that differentiates Santorum from the pack on contentious issues.
Then I wondered what that means about our editorial view of the Catholic church. Do we consider my church an extremist institution on this matter?
And then comes the comparison with Huckabee, your editorial board’s GOP pick in the 2008 GOP presidential primaries. Was Huckabee in the extreme right on abortion? Read on.
From the On the Issues website, here are two exhanges with Huckabee on a Meet the Press program in January 2007:
First one:
Q: South Dakota had some proposed legislation to outlaw all abortion except saving the life of a mother, no exceptions for rape or incest. You said you’d sign that. Why?
A: I always am going to err on the side of life. I believe life is precious. I hav been in the pro-life camp since I was a teenager. It’s because of my view that God is the creator and instigator of life. But those of us in the pro-life movement have to do also some expanding. Life begins at conception but it doesn’t end at birth. And if we’re really pro-life we have to be concerned about more than just the gestation period. [My administration] passed pro-life legislation, but we also did things that improved the environmental quality that would affect a child’s air and water; that he had a better education, better access to affordable health care. So I think that real pro-life people need to be concerned about affordable housing, safe neighborhoods, access to a college education. That, for me, is what pro-life has to mean.
Second one:
Q: South Dakota had some proposed legislation to outlaw all abortion except saving the life of a mother, no exceptions for rape or incest. You said you’d sign that. Why?
A: I always am going to err on the side of life. I believe life is precious. It’s because of my view that God is the creator and instigator of life.
Q: But if you outlawed abortion, what would happen to the doctor who performed an abortion? What would happen to the woman who had an abortion?
A: Well, I think the question is, Do I think the South Dakota bill is the best bill that ever could be signed? This is a debate that’s been so divisive. What we really need to be doing is having the discussion center around how can we create a culture where people value and celebrate life.
Q: As president, you would seek to ban abortion?
A: I would seek always to promote the view that life is precious and should be protected. But I think it has to be won on a battlefield of one heart at a time rather than pieces of legislation at a time.
Here’s the thumbnail from the same website of all Huckabee’s abortion positions as governor:
– Signed legislation allowing motorists to purchase “Choose Life” license plates, with the proceeds going to crisis pregnancy centers
– Signed the ban on partial-birth abortion (1997)
– Signed legislation banning human cloning
– Signed the fetal protection act (1999)
– Passed a Woman’s Right To Know bill (informed consent for abortion, 2001)
– Signed the Safe Haven Act, protecting newborns from being abandoned and killed (2001)
– Signed a bill requiring parental consent for abortions for minors (2005
Created a clearinghouse in the Department of Education for character education curricula (1997)
– Issued proclamation for Month of Prayer to End Abortions
– Signed legislation banning human cloning
A thumbnail of Santorum’s abortion positions:
–No abortions even in cases of rape; one violence is enough. (Aug 2011)
–Plan B morning-after pill is abortion, and dangerous. (Sep 2006)
–Exception for rape incest ok, even though they take a life. (Sep 2006)
–Partial birth abortion is not used only for abnormalities. (Apr 2006)
–There is no federal right to privacy. (Apr 2003)
–Voted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)
–Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
–Voted YES on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004)
–Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003)
–Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)
–Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999)
–Voted YES on banning human cloning. (Feb 1998)
–Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)