Reply #128: Clinton lied about Obama's Abortion Record

[Anouka]

http://www.counterpunch.org/donnelly01072008.html

In the ABC New Hampshire Debate, Sen. Ratched went off on a rant where she uttered the word "change" ten times in one minute, never once noting any real change she's ever brought about. Though, she did steal credit for others' health care efforts--a paltry effort at that, in which she claims to have brought minimal health care to just 9700 New Hampshire residents. At the same time, she stuck to the script that she has "thirty-five years of experience"--a canard Iowans had little trouble rejecting; with New Hampshire residents weighing in Tuesday.

A day before, Sen. Inevitable slammed rival Sen. Barack Obama on Abortion. (Now there's a change for you: a Democrat in trouble playing the abortion card!) A Clinton mailing sent to New Hampshire voters accuses Obama of failing to take a position on abortion bills seven times while in the Illinois Legislature. The missive claimed that Clinton has a record of fighting "far-right Republicans" to defend abortion rights, while Obama has been "unwilling to take a stand on choice." Yet, during his eight years in the Illinois legislature, Obama garnered a 100% rating from the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council.

On Saturday, the New York Times published a 1300-word essay on "Comeback Kid: The Sequel," noting that "One longtime adviser complained that the campaign's senior strategist, Mark Penn, realized too late that 'change' was a much more powerful message than 'experience.' " Hence, the stilted NH debate performance.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/06/hillary-hits-obama-on-abo_n_80013.html

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton criticizes rival Barack Obama's record on abortion rights in a mailing sent to New Hampshire voters _ her first direct attack on the Illinois senator since his victory in Iowa.

The mailer says that seven times during his time in the Illinois state Senate, Obama declined to take a position on abortion bills, while Clinton has been a defender of abortion rights.

During his eight years in the legislature, Obama cast a number of votes on abortion and received a 100 percent rating from the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council for his support of abortion rights, family planning services and health insurance coverage for female contraceptives. He voted against requiring medical care for aborted fetuses who survive, a vote that especially riled abortion opponents.

The articles don't mention them, but the seven times the Clinton hatemail mentions are probably those 'present' votes that Planned Parenthood backed him up on. That's different from not taking a stand.

Clinton lied by twisting the truth. You can't call someone who has a 100% rating with Planned Parenthood, a person who refuses to make a stand on a woman's right to choose.