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Presidential Candidates Comparison Flier - Keeping track of the candidates can be a daunting task. National Right to Life offers the comparison piece to help you sort them all out. Please be sure to visit our ACTION ALERT page for the latest pro-life perspectives on California state laws, elections, legislation and current issues by clicking here. In addition, TKRL desires to keep you abreast of the latest pro-life news, developments, and breakthroughs in medial, social, legal, and international fields. To find out more general pro-life information and news, please visit LifeNews.com. To get a downloadable version of the Sanctity of Human Life Handbook, click here then click on the word Download. September 27, 2008 YouTube Pulls Video of Eduardo Verástegui Denouncing Obama on Abortion -- No sooner had the video gone up of popular Hispanic actor Eduardo Verástegui denouncing presidential candidate Barack Obama on abortion than YouTube officials took it down. The video sharing site removed the full version of the video, which showed graphic images of abortions. It did, however, leave an edited version in place that contains the Bella actor urging Latinos to vote against Obama without the footage of babies who have died from abortions. The Verástegui video has already caught fire across the Internet with more than 8,000 people viewing it in only two days. It features the former Mexican pop singer and telenovella actor telling Hispanic Americans that Obama is pro-abortion and wants to pay for abortions with their tax money. In the new video, conducted in Spanish, Verástegui, says Obama is out of step with the overwhelming majority of Hispanics who are pro-life. “We need to put an end to abortion and political candidates play a very important role in this matter,” he says. Full story at LifeNews.com Pro-Life Pastor Ready to Challenge IRS on Endorsements by Backing McCain -- With the urging of a pro-life law firm wanting to topple the regulations, a pro-life pastor in Minnesota appears ready to make a presidential endorsement from the pulpit in an effort to challenge IRS regulations prohibiting that. The Alliance Defense Fund, a pro-life law firm, is recruiting several dozen pastors in the effort. The law firm hopes to have the endorsement occur this Sunday despite a federal ban on political endorsements by tax-exempt houses of worship. Rev. Gus Booth, pastor of Warroad Community Church, says he plans to be one of the pastors involved in the effort and he indicated he's already getting calls from interested media. Booth already made news for himself earlier this year when he spoke out against both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, saying their pro-abortion views run contrary with the Biblical teachings of a respect for human life. Booth plans to endorse McCain, who is says is pro-life on abortion. The effort is intended to elicit an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service that ADF would then challenge in federal court, with the ultimate goal of persuading the Supreme Court to overthrow the 54-year-old ban called the Johnson Amendment that restricts tax-exempt non-profits, such as churches, from engaging in political campaigns. Full story at LifeNews.com. Planned Parenthood Email Using Sarah Palin's Name Brings Money for Abortion - Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A Planned Parenthood spokesman has admitted that an email using Sarah Palin's name to generate anger within the pro-abortion movement and donations for the abortion business is paying dividends. While Planned Parenthood may not have started the email blitz, it is raking in the dough from it. During the last two weeks, abortion advocates have been circulating an email across the Internet that encourages pro-abortion voters to make a donation to Planned Parenthood in the name of Sarah Palin. The email suggests donating to the abortion business and sending an acknowledgement to Palin at the John McCain campaign headquarters saying the donation was made on her behalf. The email is the latest attack on the Alaska governor over her pro-life views from backers of the campaign of abortion proponent Barack Obama. Planned Parenthood spokesman Tait Sye told the ANI news service the email is bringing in big bucks for the pro-abortion group, which has endorsed Obama. "We have seen an increase in donations," Skye admitted. "People are responding to how out-of-touch McCain and Palin are on women's health and they wanted to do something about it." Sye said Planned Parenthood, which does 25 percent of the 1.25 million abortions done annually in the United States, is still tallying the donation totals and will release a figure next week. Full story at LifeNews.com. Duty to Die: Why British Govt Advisor Wrong on Killing People With Dementia - by Ken Conner Supreme Court Asked to Decide Whether Abortion Kills Human Being -- The Supreme Court on Monday will decide whether or not it will hold a hearing on an appeal in a case involving an abortion practitioner who misled a woman. Abortion practitioner Sheldon Turkish told potential abortion patient Rose Acuna that her unborn baby was "nothing but some blood." Abortion Survivor Jessen Responds to Obama Calling Her "Despicable Liar" Medical Societies Oppose Proposal to Protect Doctors From Forced Abortions -- On the last day the public can submit comments to the Department of Health and Human Services about a proposal to protect doctors from being forced to do abortions, two medical societies have come out in opposition. They include the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Bush administration has learned that three existing civil rights laws that offer conscience protections for doctors, medical personnel and hospitals, have not been followed or fully enforced. The health department has proposed a new rule to enforce the laws by requiring employers to certify in writing that they are not discriminating against medical staff who refuse to participate in abortions. The two medical societies issued comments opposing the rule. “Implementation of this regulation would effectively allow health care providers’ personal beliefs to override patients’ right to full disclosure of accurate information and available health care resources,” the associations claim. The groups said that medical professionals are required to inform patients of their treatment options -- indicating they may support the right of medical personnel to opt out of doing abortions but believe they must be forced to inform women how to get an abortion. ACTION: Contact the medical societies with your complaints about their opposition to protecting medical professionals. Contact the American Psychiatric Association at apa@psych.org or 1-888-35-PSYCH. Contact the American Academy of Pediatrics by going to http://www.aap.org/visit/contact.htm. Full story at LifeNews.com House OKs Bill to Reduce Abortions on Down Syndrome Babies, Heads to Bush -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- After recent Senate passage, the House of Representatives on Thursday approved legislation to help reduce the number of abortions on babies who have Down syndrome or other conditions. The legislation is headed to President Bush, who is expected to sign it into law. Senator Sam Brownback, the lead sponsor of S 1810 in the Senate, told LifeNews.com he's elated by the news. “Passage of this bipartisan bill in both the Senate and House is a great victory for expecting parents who learn that their unborn child may be born with a disability,” he said. “Currently, 90 percent of children prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted, and that percentage is similar for children prenatally diagnosed with other conditions such as spina bifida and cystic fibrosis," Brownback explained. "These numbers are much too high and suggest that we as a society are not doing everything we can to protect every human life, at every stage.” S.1810 now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law, and Bush is expected to do so soon. Full story at LifeNews.com.. California Parental Notification on Abortion Leads in Poll, San Diego Paper OKs -Sacramento, CA (LifeNews.com) -- The measure that would try for the third time to allow parents to know when their minor daughters are considering an abortion is leading in a new poll. Meanwhile, the San Diego Union Tribune has endorsed Proposition 4 as a common sense proposal to reduce abortions and help parents. A Public Policy Institute of California poll finds Proposition 4 finds almost half of likely voters indicate they will support it on the November ballot. Voters defeated similar measures in 2005 and 2006 but support this one by a 48-41 percentage point margin. California residents were more closely divided in August when a similar survey showed a 47-44 percent lead for the measure. Meanwhile, a San Diego Union Tribune editorial on Tuesday slammed critics of the parental notification measure. Questioning the oppositions' "adamant objection to requiring parental notification or family notification in the few cases of parental abuse," the editorial asks, "Under what other circumstance would these critics contend that the suspected abuse of a child by her parents should not be reported to authorities?" Full story at LifeNews.com A black man's dilemma —During the Democratic National Convention this year, Clenard Childress attended a pro-life protest that took a humorous turn. An African-American pastor from Montclair, N.J., Childress and the other protesters left their signs against a gate at Denver's Planned Parenthood while they prayed in the Martin Luther King Jr. Park across the street. "And all of a sudden I hear Alan Keyes, who had been driving away, running down the street, yelling at the top of his voice, 'Thief! Thief!'" Childress remembered. Keyes rushed onto Planned Parenthood's grounds and wrestled two of their signs away from a security guard. The other protesters followed. "There was a standoff now: security and us," said Childress. "Flip Benham steps out on the grounds, points his finger at security and says, 'We can do this two ways. Either you can go get the signs and give them back to us or we're going to get the signs.'" The security guard backed down. Why is a 55-year-old black clergyman protesting the convention that nominated the first black candidate for president? Childress said opposing Barack Obama is one of the most difficult decisions his pro-life principles have required him to make. While a recent poll found that 76 percent of black voters support Obama, other African-American pro-lifers have joined Childress in vocal opposition to Obama, including Day Gardner of the National Black Pro-Life Union, and Alveda King, pro-life activist and niece to Martin Luther King Jr. (Click here to return to the top of the page) September 24, 2008 Study Shows Parental Involvement Laws Reduce Abortions From 19-31 Percent - by Dr. Michael New Top United Nations Official Wants More World Population Control Programs -- Despite the fact that underpopulation plagues much of Europe, Russia, Japan and elsewhere, a leading United Nations official is clamoring for more population control programs. At United Nations headquarters last week, the director of the UNFPA made the announcement. UN Population Fund executive director Thoraya Obaid called for more funding for population programs, including reducing fertility, by promoting “reproductive health services." Susan Yoshihara, of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, a pro-life group that monitors international issues, noted the announcement in the group's Friday Fax. Obaid began her remarks by commemorating the 40th anniversary of Paul Erlich's book, The Population Bomb, which alarmed readers about the supposed threat of “overpopulation” and justified the establishment of UNFPA. According to Yoshihara, "While she admitted the book’s prediction of 'massive starvation on a large scale has not come to pass,' she nonetheless called for renewed commitment to boilerplate population control policies. Full story at LifeNews.com. University of Minnesota Prof Attacks Pro-Life Pharmacist, Gets Students Involved -St. Paul, MN (LifeNews.com) -- P.Z. Myers, professor of Biology at the University of Minnesota Morris, turned his sights this week to pro-life pharmacist Mike Koelzer of Kay Pharmaceuticals in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who had stopped selling contraceptives in 2002 due to their abortifacient nature. Myers instructed his readers to take action against the pro-life pharmacist, by emailing him, boycotting the pharmacy, and picketing and protesting his speaking engagements. "I think Mike Koelzer is a contemptible, sanctimonious ass, and I hope he goes out of business," said Myers on his blog on Monday. "If Mike Koelzer comes to your town to speak in some demented fundagelical [sic] church, feel free to picket and protest, and feel free to attend and grill him with difficult questions." Koelzer confirmed that he had received over 400 emails in the 36 hours since Myers' post, but he remarked that the 'difficult questions' Myers wanted his readers to grill him with were nowhere to be found. "I had to read all of the messages," Koelzer told LifeNews.com. "They were quite boring. None of them offered up any real argument, and they were all demanding I give them their choice while denying my own choice." ACTION: Contact Mr. Myers at myersp@morris.umn.edu. Full story at LifeNews.com. Hillary Clinton Joins Planned Parenthood to Force Doctors to Do Abortions -- Hillary Clinton lost out on the Democratic nomination and that has given her more time to advocate abortion. She's doing just that with a new editorial appearing in the New York Times co-written with Cecile Richards, the head of the nation's largest abortion business, Planned Parenthood. The editorial blasts the Bush administration for a new proposal meant to enforce three existing civil rights laws that protect, doctors, hospitals and medical personnel who don't want to do abortions. Congress previously approved the laws but better enforcement is needed because medical staff and medical centers are still coming under pressure to do abortions. Clinton and Planned Parenthood disagree with the laws and the Bush administration's efforts to enforcement and Clinton wrote a letter to supporters of the pro-abortion group urging them to join her in condemning them. "The Bush administration is at it again — threatening reproductive freedom and women's health. Their latest new proposal from the Dept of Health and Human Services could jeopardize health care for millions of women," Clinton claims. Full story at LifeNews.com. Advocates Want Montana Courts to Legalize Assisted Suicide by Judicial Fiat -- Not able to get their way in the legislatures or voting booths in most states, assisted suicide advocates are increasingly turning to the courts to push their agenda. Montana is becoming the latest battleground and language in its state constitution calling for a right to privacy could help their cause. Assisted suicide backers filed two lawsuits last October on behalf of two terminally ill patients -- Robert Baxter of Billings and Steven Stoelb of Livingston -- who both want the right to get a doctor to help them kill themselves. The patients and four doctors supporting it are headed to the Montana First Judicial Court in Helena on October 10 and they are seeking a declaratory judgment and injunctive relief to prevent them from being prosecuted should they move ahead with the suicides. They have based their lawsuit on the right to privacy in the Montana Constitution. Originally meant as a means of protecting citizens from governmental snooping, state courts, including the Montana Supreme Court, have misused the clause to create an unlimited right to abortion. Pro-life advocates fear the same problem will occur vis-a-vis assisted suicide. Full story at LifeNews.com. Oregon Paper: Washington Residents Should Oppose Assisted Suicide Vote -- The Portland, Oregon newspaper has urged voters in Washington state to oppose the measure that will appear on the November ballot to legalize assisted suicide. The following are excerpts from the Oregonian editorial: “Even though Washington's initiative closely parallels Oregon's law, we won't be endorsing it. Our fundamental objection is the same it has always been -- that's it's wrong to use physicians and pharmacists to hasten patients' deaths. Washington voters should be aware, however, that this state's experience has been mixed. Oregon's physician-assisted suicide program has not been sufficiently transparent. Essentially, a coterie of insiders run the program, with a handful of doctors and others deciding what the public may know. Our basic unease with physician-assisted suicide has not changed, and we cannot exhort Washington voters to take the same path.” Denver Post Opposes Abortion Vote, Misstates Science on When Life Begins -- The Denver Post came out against Amendment 48 with an editorial on Monday that challenges the personhood amendment. However, the newspaper gets its facts wrong when it attempts to make the case that scientists say human life begins at implantation, rather than conception. The amendment would define the beginning of human life as the point of conception and have potential ramifications for abortion and embryonic stem cell research. But the Post is urging Colorado votes to oppose the measure on the November ballot. The newspaper goes on to say that people can disagree about when human life begins but claims the amendment "doesn't fit with good science." "Medical and scientific experts set the start of pregnancy at the point a fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterus," the paper contends. However, that's not the case. ACTION: Send a letter to the editor to the Denver Post at: openforum@denverpost.com. Full story at LifeNews.com Steamboat Springs, Colorado United Way Raises Money for Abortion Business -Steamboat Springs, CO (LifeNews.com) -- The Routt County United Way in Steamboat Springs, a northern Colorado community, is getting heat because it is raising money to fund 40 charities, one of which is an abortion business. The United Way chapter funds 40 programs for health and human services in Routt County. That includes Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, which does thousands of abortions annually on women from Colorado and Wyoming. The UW chapter recently announced its 26th annual campaign that goes until mid November and it hopes to raise $600,000 after bringing in slightly under that amount last year. Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains does about 8,800 abortions annually on women from Colorado and four surrounding states. ACTION: Contact the Routt County United Way with your complaints about its donations to the Planned Parenthood abortion business at: PO Box 774005, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477. You can also call (970)879-5605, fax (970)879-1185, or email caring@unitedwayroutt.com. Full story at LifeNews.com New Report Finds Black, Older, Poor Women More Likely to Have Abortions -- A new report from the research group associated with Planned Parenthood expands on its previous report showing abortions at their lowest point since 1974. The new Alan Guttmacher Institute report finds abortions are more likely to be done on women who are black, older, or lower-income. The good news for pro-life advocates is that the rate of abortion in the United States is at its lowest level since 1974, having declined 33% from a peak of 29 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44 in 1980 to 20 per 1,000 in 2004. The new report, which focuses on the trends in the abortion data, presents some concerns. Although abortion rates have declined among all racial and ethnic groups, large disparities persist, with Hispanic and black women obtaining abortions at rates three and five times higher, respectively, than non-Hispanic white women. Between 1994 and 2004, the abortion rate for Hispanic women fell by 20% and there was a 30% decline among non-Hispanic white women. But black women saw the lowest decline -- at 15 percent during the same time period. Black women account for 37% of abortions, white women for 34%, Hispanic women 22% and women of other races 8%. Full story at LifeNews.com Leading Embryonic Stem Cell Researcher Shifts Focus to Ethical Alternatives -- Wisconsin scientist James Thomson is considered the father of embryonic stem cell research for isolating the first embryonic stem cell in 1998. Now comes the news that Thomson's two research companies are merging and planning to focus their energies on stem cells that don't involve the destruction of human life. Thomson's team made headlines last year when he and a separate group of researchers from Japan were able to reprogram adult stem cells into an embryonic-like state. The work with the induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, has been so exciting within the scientific community that some researchers suggest the use of embryonic stem cells, which have never helped human patients, may become obsolete. Wesley J. Smith, a leading bioethics author and attorney, said he was excited by the news that Thomson is moving in a more ethical and effective direction. "We know why, of course. Cloning hasn't exactly panned out, besides which it would be far more contentious, dangerous for women due to egg procurement, complicated, and expensive. But IPSCs have really changed the paradigm," he explained. Full story at LifeNews.com. (Click here to return to the top of the page) Election News September 24, 2008 Bias: ABC's Good Morning America Questions McCains, Not Obamas, on Abortion Parental Involvement Study Shows Obama Not Serious About Reducing Abortions -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The results of a landmark new study showing that parental involvement laws successfully work to reduce teen abortions are leading one pro-life women's advocate to the conclusion that presidential candidate Barack Obama isn't serious about his claims to reduce abortions.Obama mentioned finding common ground on abortion and reducing abortions in his Democratic nomination acceptance speech. But Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser tells LifeNews.com his opposition to either parental notification or consent makes it so Obama is not supporting laws that actually lower abortions. “The results of this study reveal what millions of Americans already know in their hearts – parental consent measures make sense. And they work,” she said. “Barack Obama claims he wants to ‘reduce abortions,’ yet he refuses to embrace the most practical, loving legislative remedy – requiring teen girls to have their parents’ consent before making the tragic decision to have an abortion." Full story at LifeNews.com. Ad Attacks John McCain on Abortion, Falsely Claims He Wants Women in Jail -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Another pro-abortion ad is heading to television stations in key battleground states and it contains several inaccuracies. This new commercial attacks Senator John McCain on his position in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade and says 21 states will protect women and children if that happens. McCain has repeatedly said he favors overturning Roe, which allowed virtually unlimited abortions for any reason throughout pregnancy. The Winning Message Action Fund, an arm of the pro-abortion National Institute for Reproductive Health, doesn't want that to happen. "If that happens, 21 states will immediately move to ban abortion," the ad complains. "We have questions, John McCain," it continues. "Will you stand by as states put women in jail? If women are forced back into back alleys? Making abortions illegal won't stop them. It will just make them extremely dangerous." The ad contains a number of flaws and inaccuracies. Though it contends state laws banning abortions would put women in prison, no law prohibiting abortion before Roe v. Wade ever called for putting women in jail as the statutes target abortion practitioners who break the law. The ad also claims that making abortions illegal will make them dangerous, yet it doesn't mention the recent legal abortion death of 22-year-old Laura Smith, a Massachusetts resident. Full story at LifeNews.com New Obama Ad Calls Abortion Survivor, John McCain "Sleazy Despicable Liars" -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A new commercial from the Obama slams a survivor of a botched late-term abortion and presidential candidate John McCain as "sleazy" for promoting a "despicable lie" that calls Obama into question for his votes against providing medical care to babies who survive failed abortions. As LifeNews.com reported, Gianna Jessen, a young woman who survived a failed saline abortion in the late 1970s, cchides Obama for voting repeatedly against bills in the Illinois legislature to stop infanticide. She released an ad about Obama's votes against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. The Obama campaign has just released a scathing new ad in response. "John McCain's attacks -- the sleaziest ads ever -- truly vile," a female narrator says. "Now, votes taken out of context accusing Obama of letting infants die. It's a despicable lie." "Even the bill's Republican sponsor says it's untrue. Obama's always supported medical care to protect infants," it continues. 'McCain? He's running on a platform to ban abortion, even in cases of rape and incest," the Obama ad concludes. "Sleazy ads. Anti-choice. That's John McCain." Jessen responded to the ad and told LifeNews.com: "Obama is clearly blinded by political ambition given his attack on me this week." "All I asked of him was to do the right thing: support medical care and protection for babies who survive abortion – as I did 31 years ago," she said. "He voted against such protection and care four times even though the U.S. Senate voted 98-0 in favor of a bill identical to the one Obama opposed." Full story at LifeNews.com Email Urges Planned Parenthood Abortion Donations on Sarah Palin’s Behalf -- Abortion advocates are circulating an email across the Internet that encourages pro-abortion voters to make a donation to Planned Parenthood in the name of Sarah Palin. The email is the latest attack on the Alaska governor over her pro-life views from backers of the campaign of abortion proponent Barack Obama. The email takes the same approach as have top pro-abortion groups, which have said Palin doesn’t represent women because she supports protecting women and children from abortion. “We may have thought we wanted a woman on a national political ticket, but the joke has really been on us, hasn't it?” the email asks. “Are you as sick in your stomach as I am at the thought of Sarah Palin as Vice President of the United States?” The email, which created an Internet buzz over the weekend, goes on to say, “None of you, however, can be happy with Palin's selection, especially on her positions on women's issues.” It appears to be targeted at Hillary Clinton supporters who aren’t wanting to back Obama’s campaign with their financial support. “So, if you feel you can't support the Obama campaign financially, may I suggest the following fiendishly brilliant alternative? Make a donation to Planned Parenthood. In Sarah Palin's name,” it says. The email gives a link to the Planned Parenthood web site and says the abortion business will send someone a note saying the donation was made “in Sarah Palin’s honor” and suggests having it sent to the headquarters of the John McCain campaign. ACTION: Donate to LifeNews.com (email us for info) or your favorite pro-life group! Full story at LifeNews.com Columnist Suzanne Fields: NOW Hurts Women's Cause by Endorsing Obama -- The following is an excerpt from a weekend editorial column from columnist Suzanne Fields: “The National Organization for Women endorses the Obama-Biden ticket. NOW ought to change its name to WOW. Such stunning independence. A working woman with five children, the governor of a sovereign state, isn't a sufficient accomplishment. Who knew? Sarah Palin presents a different psychological portrait. We can put aside the pit bull and the lipstick. She's comfortable balancing femininity and toughness. We hear jokes about her hunting and fishing prowess, as though she had been nursed on the milk of wolves, like Romulus and Remus. She actually did learn to shoot a gun at age 8. Palin doesn't have to cultivate her femininity or demonstrate toughness by chasing a shot of Crown Royal with a mug of Old Styles. She's not one of the boys, but knows how to take them on. She's more like Annie Oakley, who likes ‘doin' what comes naturally.’ I think women everywhere can agree, that no matter your politics, it's time for a woman to make it to the White House.” Hillary Clinton Supporters Bash Pro-Abortion NOW for Endorsing Barack Obama -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A group of supporters of Hillary Clinton blasted the pro-abortion National Organization for Women for endorsing her former rival Barack Obama. The New Agenda, a non-partisan women’s advocacy organization, said it recognizes the decades of worthy work and achievement by the National Organization for Women but is concerned that “NOW’s recent endorsement of Barack Obama leaves many women in this country out in the cold.” The New Agenda co-founder Amy Siskind says, “We find it quite perplexing that NOW has chosen this moment to endorse an all-male ticket.” The group said the endorsement seems all the more puzzling given the fact that the Republican Party is running its first female candidate for Vice-President, Gov. Sarah Palin, and the Green Party is fielding its first all-woman presidential ticket with Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente. “Women need to stand together and help one another,” says Siskind. "We find it quite perplexing that NOW has chosen to endorse an all-male ticket after not endorsing recent candidates such as Gov. Bill Clinton, Sen. Al Gore, or Sen. John Kerry.” Poll: Women Not Turned Off Over Palin's Abortion Views, Split on McCain-Obama -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A new poll finds only a handful of women are turned off to voting for John McCain because of his running mate Sarah Palin's abortion views. The survey also finds women split on the McCain-Barack Obama contest and 23 percent of Hillary Clinton backers supporting McCain. The press and political pundits make much of the supposed gender gap in each election, but the new Lifetime Network poll finds the Alaska governor is helping McCain run even with his pro-abortion rival. In a dramatic reversal since late July, when the women's television network conducted its previous poll, McCain and Palin are now virtually tied with Obama and pro-abortion running mate Joe Biden. Obama/Biden garnered 47 percent of the women's vote to McCain/Palin's 45% in the survey -- within the margin of error -- and another 7 percent are undecided. The poll also looked at women's views on Governor Palin and found that a majority (52%) of women had a mostly positive view while 29% were mostly negative and 13 percent neutral. Of the women who had negative views, 48 percent said it was because of the governor's position on the issues. Of that 48 percent, just 18 percent pointed to her pro-life position as the main position they opposed. That means just 2.5 percent of all women surveyed in the poll indicated they disagree with Palin on the issues and say abortion is the reason why. Full story at LifeNews.com John McCain Campaign Calls Barack Obama Stem Cell Research Ad Misleading -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The campaign of John McCain is calling a new radio ad the Barack Obama camp is airing "incredibly misleading." News of the radio ad, which is airing in a handful of battleground states, first surfaced on Monday and now more details about the ad are coming to light. McCain strongly supports stem cell research and has repeatedly voted for it while serving in the Senate, but listeners of the new Obama ad wouldn't know it. "Stem cell research could unlock cures for diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer's too. But John McCain has stood in the way...he's opposed stem cell research," the ad appears to falsely claim. The Obama ad goes on to say that McCain "picked a running mate who's against it" -- referring to pro-life Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who opposes embryonic stem cell research but strongly supports the use of adult stem cells and other alternatives that are ethical and more effective. A report from the web site Politico notes that "McCain has historically supported the research" and indicates the Obama campaign's only proof that McCain opposes it is a Los Angeles Times article from June indicating he discussed the research with pro-life leaders. Full story at LifeNews.com. Barack Obama Faith Tour Flops With Pro-Life Voters in Jerry Falwell's BackyardLynchburg, VA (LifeNews.com) -- For the new Barack Obama "faith tour" to have any success, it needs to be able to draw young and evangelical voters. Yet, at its first stop in the Virginia back yard of well-known pastor Jerry Falwell, just 15 people showed up for the event. The Obama campaign has signed up evangelical author Donald Miller, Pepperdine University professor Doug Kmiec and former Indiana Congressman Tim Roemer, for the "Barack Obama: Faith, Family and Values Tour." The trio made a stop at Liberty University, which is home to over 10,000 evangelical students from across the county and a conservative bastion in a state Obama is targeting heavily in this election. Yet, his "faith tour" failed to resonate with people there. Billy Valentine, director of Catholics for McCain, a grassroots organization of young Catholics not affiliated with the McCain campaign, told LifeNews.com he's not surprised the event flopped. "Young Evangelicals and Catholics alike can't be deceived by Obama's empty rhetoric, and instead realize that an Obama administration would laugh in the face of the human rights issues they passionately fight for, such as the right to life," he said. Full story at LifeNews.com. Pro-Life Advocates Nationwide Excited About Next 40 Days for Life Campaign -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Pro-life advocates across the country are excited about the upcoming 40 Days for Life prayer campaign. The event, which takes place in communities and at abortion centers nationwide, doesn't officially start until this Wednesday yet thousands of people have already begun to get involved. David Bereit, the head of the campaign, tells LifeNews.com that he went to Indiana to meet with hundreds of people getting started at a kick-off rally. "Yesterday afternoon, I was blessed to join more than 200 people at the 40 Days for Life kick-off in Indianapolis -- which concluded with a two-mile procession to the Planned Parenthood abortion center where the campaign will be focused," he said. "I then drove up to Fort Wayne where 300 people packed a Lutheran school gymnasium for an electrifying kick-off event," he added. "At the end of the rally, the attendees collectively committed to hundreds of hours of participation in their local 40 Days for Life vigil." Bereit says he is getting similar reports from other cities across North America and many locations are still gearing up for their kick-off events which will be held over the next three days. Full story at LifeNews.com (Click here to return to the top of the page)September 18, 2008 Group Condemns Sarah Palin for Not Killing Disabled Baby in Abortion -- A writer for a libertarian group has written perhaps the most scathing attack on pro-life vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin since the Alaska governor was announced weeks ago as John McCain's running mate. Nicholas Provenzo condemns Palin for the birth of her baby Trig, who has Down syndrome. Provenzo, who writes for the Center for the Advancement of Capitalism, not only bashes her for allowing Trig to be born, but says she should have made the so-called morally justifiable decision to kill him in an abortion. The Center for the Advancement of Capitalism bills itself as a group "dedicated to advancing individual rights and economic freedom through Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism." "Like many, I am troubled by the implications of Alaska governor and Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's decision to knowingly give birth to a child disabled with Down syndrome," Provenzo writes. "Given that Palin's decision is being celebrated in some quarters, it is crucial to reaffirm the morality of aborting a fetus diagnosed with Down syndrome (or by extension, any unborn fetus)—a freedom that anti-abortion advocates seek to deny." ACTION: Contact the Center for the Advancement of Capitalism with your condemnation of his remarks at http://www.capitalismcenter.org/Feedback or info@capitalismcenter.org. Full story at LifeNews.com More Pro-Abortion Women's Groups Back Barack Obama, Slam Sarah Palin -- More pro-abortion women's groups are getting behind Barack Obama and they're simultaneously attacking John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin. The endorsements are as much an attack on the Alaska governor because of her pro-life position as they are an endorsement of Obama. Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, is one of the leaders of six pro-abortion groups to back Obama. She told the Associated Press that she doesn't think having the nation's first female Vice President is a help to women. "We don't think it's much to break a glass ceiling for one woman and leave millions of women behind," she alleged of Palin's pro-life views. Palin's spokeswoman Maria Comella said she wasn't surprised the pro-abortion groups were backing Obama. But she was disappointed at how they attacked someone who could become the first female Vice President. "It's extremely disappointing that an organization that purports to be an advocate for all women not only opposes, but feels compelled to go out of its way to criticize and make negative comments, about the only ticket in the presidential race with a woman on the ticket," Comella said. Obama also won the support of the National Organization for Women, which hasn't officially weighed in on a presidential contest since 1984, when abortion advocate Walter Mondale picked pro-abortion Sen. Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate. Full story at LifeNews.com. John McCain: Let's Build a Culture of Life on Abortion, Help Pregnant Women -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- In a Wednesday interview with Good Morning America, the ABC News lifestyle program, Sen. John McCain again clarified his pro-life views on abortion. He said he wants to build a culture of life and work to help pregnant women who are confronted with unexpected pregnancies. Host Diane Sawyer asked John and Cindy McCain about abortion and the Arizona senator spelled out his beliefs. "Well, let me just say this is all about courage and compassion. It's about changing the culture of America," he said. "I am pro-life and I support that position, and I know that Cindy does too." McCain went further than he has before in talking about how the pro-life community helps women who are pregnant. "We need to tell young American women who are faced with this terrible decision that we will help them have the courage to bring a baby into this world and we'll have the compassion and help them in every way that they can address it," he said. McCain indicated that the compassion for pregnant women in difficult circumstances won't end if Roe v. Wade -- the Supreme Court case that allowed virtually unlimited abortions throughout pregnancy -- is overturned. Full story at LifeNews.com. New McCain Statement on Stem Cell Research Shows More Pro-Life Movement -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The campaign of presidential candidate John McCain has released a new statement on his position on stem cell research funding that has some observers saying it shows the senator continues to move in a pro-life direction on key bioethics issues. The campaign sent comments on Monday to the ScienceDebate2008 web site on the issue of stem cell research and federal funding. The statement indicates McCain still breaks with the pro-life movement on embryonic stem cell research funding, but it includes disclaiming language that one pro-life leader says is hopeful. "While I support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, I believe clear lines should be drawn that reflect a refusal to sacrifice moral values and ethical principles for the sake of scientific progress," McCain says in the statement. The comments also back up previous LifeNews.com news articles showing McCain saying that embryonic stem cell research funding may soon be unnecessary. "Moreover, I believe that recent scientific breakthroughs raise the hope that one day this debate will be rendered academic," it says. McCain also indicates his support for ESCR alternatives, which some say he will prioritize as president instead of, as pro-abortion candidate Barack Obama wants, dumping more money into unproven and unethical embryonic research. "I also support funding for other research programs, including amniotic fluid and adult stem cell research which hold much scientific promise and do not involve the use of embryos," McCain says. Full story at LifeNews.com. Catholics United False Ad Claims John McCain Not Pro-Life on Abortion -- A so-called Catholic group that supports Barack Obama is running a new television ad in battleground states claiming Sen. John McCain is not pro-life on abortion. The ad doesn't mention any abortion-related votes but claims McCain voted against supporting pregnant women. Catholics United is a 527 special interest group that is airing a new television ad in Pennsylvania and Ohio that challenges his pro-life views. "John McCain, it's not enough to say you're pro-life, actions speak louder than words," the ad says. "You voted against one of the largest support programs for pregnant women." The ad is misleading because it never mentions what votes McCain supposedly cast that are against pregnant women. Catholics United appears to be targeting McCain for voting with most pro-life advocates against a bill to expand the SCHIP program, which provides health insurance for poor children. He did so because the program was expanded to such a level that the federal government couldn't afford it. The new television commercial also fails to mention that some lawmakers objected to the bill because it originally reversed a Bush administration policy helping poor pregnant women avoid abortions. Full story at LifeNews.com. Democratic Strategists Urge Donations to Planned Parenthood to Attack McCain -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Democratic Party platform promotes unlimited abortions paid for at taxpayer expense and Barack Obama's convention featured speeches from leading abortion advocates. Providing further evidence the party is linked to the abortion industry, leading Democratic strategists are telling large donors to give money to Planned Parenthood to bash John McCain. With polling numbers trending in McCain's direction thanks to his selection of pro-life Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate and donations to the Obama machine lagging somewhat, Democratic strategists are worried about the financial competition. According to the liberal Talking Points memo web blog, several top party strategists held a private phone conference last week with about 50 top donors across the country capable of spending millions to attack McCain and Palin. Instead of creating a new 527 group or political action committee to funnel the money through to advertising, the strategists told the donors to give to existing organizations. At the top of the list? Planned Parenthood. Full story at LifeNews.com. Douglas Kmiec Defends Barack Obama's Vote Against Abortion-Infanticide Bill -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Catholic attorney Douglas Kmiec, who claims to be pro-life, is continuing his defense of presidential candidate Barack Obama's pro-abortion position. In a new piece, Kmiec says he would have voted for a bill to protect newborns who survive botched abortions, but he can understand why Obama didn't. The debate comes on the heels of a new television ad running in battleground states that features a woman who survived a late-term abortion criticizing Obama for opposing the bill for medical care for infants who survive like her. In the article, Kmiec says he would have voted for the Illinois bill to protect born-alive infants had he been in the legislature, but he does not fault Obama for voting against it. Ramesh Ponnuru, a writer with National Review Online, says, "None of this is true." "First of all, it bears repeating that the Illinois bill was always very similar to the federal born-alive statute and, when Obama killed it in committee, nearly identical to it," he explains. "That law has never been held unconstitutional. I am not aware of any pro-abortion groups that have even tried to advance the claim." Full story at LifeNews.com. Catholic Bishops Invite Barack Obama, John McCain to Mtg to Discuss Abortion -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The nation's Catholic bishops have invited presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama to a meeting prior to the November elections. They hope to talk with the candidates about a number of political issues such as abortion. The meeting invitations were extended in August, prior to the recent controversies involving Obama running mate Joe Biden, who indicated human life begins at conception but he would never make that public policy. Catholic bishops corrected him at the time and said that "personally opposed, but" position stands outside the pro-life teachings of the Church. Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, the chairman of the bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, told the Wall St. Journal that the bishops want to have a chance to give input on policies including abortion and other political issues. Bishop Murphy told the newspaper the meetings are private and off the record, and they are not meant to excoriate any candidate about views contrary to the Catholic teachings. Full story at LifeNews.com. (Click here to return to the top of the page) September 16, 2008 Jane Fonda to Give Keynote for Arizona Planned Parenthood Abortion Business -Phoenix, AZ (LifeNews.com) -- Actress turned political activist Jane Fonda will continue her abortion advocacy next month when she headlines an event for Arizona Planned Parenthood. Fonda will deliver the keynote address for the abortion business at its annual Founders' Celebration, an event to honor volunteers and raise money. The event will be held on October 18 at the J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix and proceeds benefit the pro-abortion group. When Jane Fonda reportedly converted to Christianity in 2001, some pro-life advocates hoped the political activist would part ways with her radically pro-abortion former husband Ted Turner. However, Fonda continued to trumpet abortion and her Arizona appearance follows a keynote address at a Planned Parenthood of Greater Orlando fundraiser in May. "I am a big believer in the work that Planned Parenthood does," she told the Sentinel newspaper before that event. Though Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion business in the United States, breaking $1 billion last fiscal year in revenue thanks to more than 250,000 abortions, Fonda says it's the organization's sex education that attracts her. Full story at LifeNews.com. Supreme Court Justice Scalia: Nothing Qualifies Judge to Create Abortion Right -Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Justice Antonin Scalia is one of the most outspoken jurists on the Supreme Court when it comes to talking about abortion. Scalia repeated the mantra on Monday that he's presented to college students and community forums about how the high court doesn't have the power to declare a right to abortion. During a speech at Utah State University's Taggart Student Center, where 1,700 people came to hear the respected judge tell it like it is, Scalia criticized those jurists who engage in what he called "abstract moralizing." In addition to faulty decisions like Roe v. Wade, Scalia said it results in a corrupt political process where citizens and politicians expect new judges to "rewrite" the U.S. Constitution and make policy decisions normally reserved for legislatures. "These are social preferences that can only be handled in a political process," he said. Scalia touted his "originalist" views whereby he says the Constitution has a fixed and knowable meaning established at the time of its drafting. "I'm questioning the sanity of having value-laden decisions being made by unelected judges," he said. "Nothing I learned at Harvard or in my practice of law qualifies me to decide whether there is a right to abortion or to assisted suicide." Full story at LifeNews.com. Maryland Man Gets Life in Prison for Killing Girlfriend and Her Unborn Child -Towson, MD (LifeNews.com) -- A Maryland man is headed to prison for killing his pregnant girlfriend and her unborn child after she had hoped to excite him about the impending birth of her baby. David Miller met Elizabeth Walters at a shopping center parking let and Walters told Miller he is the father even though he is currently married to someone else. This is the first time the Maryland unborn victims law came into play, which makes the state one of 36 that protect pregnant women and unborn children and offer them justice in these kinds of violent crimes. The laws allow criminals to be held accountable for killing or injuring both mother and child. According to WJZ-TV, Miller shot Walters to death and killed her unborn child after getting in her vehicle at the shopping center. As a result of the crime and the involvement of the unborn victims law, Miller will serve a life term in prison without the possibility of parole. Scott Shellenberg, Baltimore County State's Attorney, told the TV station the unborn victims law was appropriate for Miller’s crimes. "In this case the intent was to kill the child, so he wouldn't have to be responsible and because of that we felt the facts all fit perfectly," he said. Walters’ adoptive parents say they're glad Miller’s is getting a stiff prison term for killing their daughter and grandchild. Full story at LifeNews.com. Judge Tells Woman Who Neglected Child No Kids, May Encourage Abortion -- A judge in Travis County, Texas has handed down a unique sentence for a woman convicted of child neglect. District Judge Charlie Baird told Felicia Salazar, 20, who admitted to failing to provide protection and medical care to her then-19-month-old daughter last year, that she can’t have any more children. Though the decision makes sense in terms of not giving the young woman more parental responsibilities some pro-life advocates say there is a concern it could encourage Salazar to have an abortion should she become pregnant again. Baird sentenced Salazar, who had no criminal history, to 10 years of probation after she reached a plea bargain with prosecutors. In Texas, judges set conditions of probation. In addition to requiring Salazar to perform 100 hours of community service and to undergo a mental health assessment and setting other typical conditions, Baird told Salazar not to have any more children. Baird told the Statesman newspaper that Texas law gives judges the discretion to set any conditions of probation deemed reasonable. He also said that neither Salazar nor her lawyer, Kent Anschutz, objected. "When you look her background, the circumstances of this case," he said, "a reasonable condition of her probation was that she not conceive or bear any children." But Anschutz told the newspaper he is worried how this decision will play out. "Although I fully understand the sentiment and perspective of the judge in this matter, I question the enforceability of that particular condition," he said. Alliance Defense Funds Challenges IRS on Pastors Not Making Endorsements -- The Alliance Defense Fund, a pro-life law firm, is recruiting several dozen pastors to endorse political candidates on September 28 despite a federal ban on political endorsements by tax-exempt houses of worship. The effort is intended to elicit an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service that ADF would then challenge in federal court, with the ultimate goal of persuading the Supreme Court to overthrow the 54-year-old ban. ADF attorney Erik Stanley said, "For so long, there has been this cloud of intimidation over the church. It is the job of the pastors of America to debate the proper role of church in society. It's not for the government to mandate the role of church in society." Stanley also said, "We're not encouraging any congregation to violate the law. What we're encouraging them to do is exercise their constitutional right in the face of an unconstitutional law." A pro-abortion group of Christian and Jewish clergy, led by United Church of Christ pastors Eric Williams and Robert Molsberry, will petition the IRS to stop the protest before it starts, calling the political endorsement effort an attack on the law and the separation of church and state. The group, which is backed by three IRS officials, wants the agency to determine whether ADF, a not-for-profit organization, is risking its own tax-exempt status by organizing an "inappropriate, unethical and illegal" series of political endorsements. Stanley said three dozen church leaders from more than 20 states have agreed to deliver a political sermon that will endorse a political candidate despite the risk of losing their churches' tax-exempt status. He added, "The sermon will be an evaluation of conditions for office in light of scripture and doctrine. They will make a specific recommendation from the pulpit about how the congregation would vote." Stanley added, "They could oppose a candidate. They could oppose both candidates. They could endorse a candidate. They could focus on a federal, state or local election." Oregon Pregnancy Center Was Victim of Arson, Police Now Confirm -- An Oregon pregnancy center was an apparent victim of arson in a possible attack on it from an abortion advocate. That’s what local police confirmed on Friday. Officials say the cause of a fire at the Pregnancy Alternatives Center in Lebanon was arson. They told AP the FBI has joined the investigation along with the Oregon State Police, the Oregon Fire Marshal's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The fire caused heavy damage to the attic and roof of the building, which is located in the downtown area of this small city. Pregnancy Alternatives Center of Lebanon, Oregon offers free, confidential help to women with unintended pregnancies. Information is available on all options, including parenting, adoption, and abortion. Abortion advocates have launched numerous legislative attacks on pregnancy centers with bills to regulate the content of information they hand out to pregnant women. The pro-abortion activists complain that pregnancy centers are telling women about the medical and mental health risks associated with an abortion such as the link between abortion and breast cancer, and the numerous mental health concerns such as depression and an increased risk of drug or alcohol abuse following an abortion. Man Drowns Saving Son with Down Syndrome - In a moving example of paternal love and sacrifice, a man drowned earlier this week after attempting to save his disabled son, who had fallen into a septic tank on the family's Virginia property. 66-year-old Thomas VanderWoude and his 20-year-old son Joseph, who has Down syndrome and who is the youngest of seven sons, were working in their yard in Nokesville, VA when Joseph fell through a septic tank cover that had suddenly collapsed. VanderWoude immediately jumped in after his son and managed to hold his son's head above the surface, saving his life. By the time two men finally pulled Thomas out of the tank, he had been underwater for as long as 20 minutes. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. VanderWoude's son Joseph was in critical condition at Prince William hospital as he fought infection for several days, but recently began to improve. News of VanderWoude's death devastated the Prince William County community, where he was widely known as a devoted Catholic father and excellent coach. A retired Navy pilot and Vietnam veteran who was still "in greatshape," VanderWoude coached basketball and soccer at Seton School in Manassas and, until recently, when one of his sons took over the job, served as athletic director at Christendom College in Front Royal. Anne Carroll, Director of Seton School and longtime friend of the VanderWoudes, said the sacrifice Tom made for his son matched his reputation for generosity. Man Drowns Saving Son with Down Syndrome New Liturgical Guide Helps Priests Preach Pro-Life Perspective on Abortion -- A new liturgical guide written and distributed by the head of Priests for Life aims to help priests preach the pro-life perspective on abortion. Fr. Frank Pavone, the head of the Catholic group, says the guide is the culmination of a three-year project to assist pastors. “For the past three years, I have written homily hints on how to take the readings assigned to each Sunday and preach on abortion,” Father Pavone told LifeNews.com. “The lectionary has a three-year Sunday cycle, and today we completed the reflections for each Sunday of each of the three years. Now, these homily hints can be used as each cycle continues to repeat through the years," he explained. Pavone tells LifeNews.com that many priests do not preach on abortion because they are not sure how to go from the Sunday readings into that topic. "However, every line of Scripture is about life," Pavone says. "These weekly guides to preaching on abortion show how that is true and provide the insight and suggestions the priests need to address the issue in light of the readings." Pavone also says the liturgical guide helps priests stay within the confines of the teachings of the Catholic Church and its leaders. Full story at LifeNews.com. Brother of Jailed China Forced Abortion Opponent Threatened Over Interviews -Beijing, China (LifeNews.com) -- The brother of a blind attorney who is one of the leading figures against forced abortions in China has been threatened for giving interviews to Western media outlets. Meanwhile, the family of Chen Guangcheng was prohibited from visiting him in jail recently. Chen is a lawyer from Linyi who was preparing to file a class action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of women who were forced to have abortions or be sterilized in a massive family planning campaign. After Chen exposed the brutal forced abortion campaign in Linyi in interviews with American media outlets, local officials imprisoned him on trumped up charges. Chen's family hoped to visit him during the Beijing Paralympic Games, but they were denied permission even though Chinese officials had promised media interviews during the games. According to Radio Free Asia, Chen’s eldest brother, Chen Guangfu, hoped to visit on September 11 and his elderly mother and daughter, Kesi, came along. When they arrived at the prison, officials told them the family visitation day had been postponed. “The family visit days at the prison were scheduled to be September 11 and September 12. While waiting in line and registering, we found out that the visit days have been changed to September 27 and September 28," Chen Guangfu told RFA. "It seemed that most other people had received the notice of the change, but we did not.” After leaving the prison, Chen Guangfu's neighbor called him and said reporters had stopped by his home to interview him about Chen's imprisonment. However, some of the 40 local police who are stationed outside his home and that of Chen's wife Yuan, scared them off. Full story at LifeNews.com. Pro-life pharmacy owner explains his no-contraception policy Appeals Court: Chinese Woman Can Challenge Forced Abortion Asylum Ruling -Atlanta, GA (LifeNews.com) -- A federal appeals court panel ruled last week that a woman who is escaping the forced abortion policy in China can appeal a decision denying her political asylum in the U.S. The woman could have been forcibly sterilized had she not escaped persecution from family planning officials in her home land. A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Shao Yu Yuan can challenge her denial of asylum under the Convention Against Torture. China has a coercive family planning policy prohibiting most couples from having more than one child and officials there subject violators to forced abortions and sterilizations. They also target the families of violators with political persecution, prison, loss of job, or denial of basic rights. According to an affidavit submitted in her case, Shao Yu Yuan said family members had told her that many pregnant women in her hometown in China's Fujian Province were taken by authorities and forced to undergo forced abortion and/or sterilization. The panel ordered the U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals to give Shao a hearing on her request and her attorney, Ted Cox, told AP the ruling would likely allow the mother of two daughters to stay in the U.S. Full story at LifeNews.com. (Click here to return to the top of the page) Election News Ad With Late-Term Abortion Survivor Bashes Barack Obama on Infanticide -- A new pro-life group that features a late-term abortion survivor is running a national television advertisement against presidential candidate Barack Obama. The ad takes Obama to task for his votes against a bill to care for survivors of such abortions when he was in the Illinois legislature. The new group, BornAliveTruth.org is a joint effort between Gianna Jessen, who survived a saline abortion decades ago, and pro-life blogger Jill Stanek. Stanek is the former Chicago-area nurse who exposed the practice of live-birth abortions, where doctors purposefully cause the premature birth of an unborn child for the sole purpose of letting her die. Her exposure of the practice led to the Illinois bills Obama opposed and a national law President Bush signed requiring medical centers and personnel to provide such babies with adequate medical care after birth. "I'm a survivor, as are many others...but if Barack Obama had his way, I wouldn't be here," Jessen says in the ad. "Four times, Barack Obama voted to oppose a law to protect babies left to die after a failed abortion. Senator Obama, please support born alive infant protections. I'm living proof these babies have a right to live." Stanek tells LifeNews.com that Obama's campaign is not officially responding to the ads. Full story at LifeNews.com (including ad). Barack Obama Campaign Puts Out Faith Merchandise Despite Abortion Support Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Barack Obama couldn't be further away from the Christian position on abortion, yet his campaign is rolling out new "faith merchandise" targeting Catholic and evangelical voters. However, pro-life advocates say a bumper sticker with a Christian message won't be enough to persuade voters. The Obama campaign announced the new merchandise in an email to the BeliefNet web site. The merchandise makes Obama look as if he is moderate on issues that are of concern to Christians, like opposing abortion, even though he backs unlimited abortions throughout pregnancy and financed with taxpayer dollars. “Check out the Believers for Barack, Pro-Family Pro-Obama, and Catholics for Obama buttons, bumper stickers and signs," Obama Deputy Director of Religious Affairs Paul Monteiro says. “Believers for Barack rally signs and bumper stickers, along with all Pro-Family Pro-Obama merchandise, are appropriate for people of all faith backgrounds," he adds. "We'll soon be rolling out merchandise for other religious groups and denominations, but I wanted to get this out to you without delay." "Clergy for Change" and "Pro-Israel Pro-Obama" merchandise will soon be offered. Full story at LifeNews.com. Media Outlets Disclaimer Abortion Survivor Gianna Jessen's Story in Obama Ads Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Gianna Jessen survived a botched saline abortion decades ago and now appears in a television commercial attacking Barack Obama for opposing a bill to protect newborns in similar situations. However, the mainstream media reporting on the ad has questioned Jessen's bona fides. ABC News's Jake Tapper reported on the new ads and wrote that Jessen "says she survived an failed abortion" making it appear Jessen is making up the story. He said Jessen "claims" to have survived the abortion her 17-year-old mother had. Politico's Jonathan Martin called into question the veracity of Jessen's story as well, by calling her a "self-proclaimed abortion-survivor." Jill Stanek, the former Chicago-area nurse who exposed the practice of her hospital leaving infants who survive abortions to die without medical care, comments on the reporting on her blog. "I suppose speculation is warranted," she said. "So in answer to that, here are documents proving Gianna is indeed an abortion survivor." The first is Gianna's birth medical record (see story), indicating she was "Born during Saline abortion"... Next is Gianna's birth certificate, listing infamous abortion practitioner "Edward C. Allred, M.D.," as the physician who delivered her after the abortion went awry. Full story at LifeNews.com. Pro-Abortion Women's Group Says Sarah Palin Making it Support Barack Obama Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A leading pro-abortion women's group says John McCain's selection of pro-life Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is forcing it to endorse Barack Obama. However, the so-called National Organization for Women (NOW) has already met with Obama and heaped words of praise on his running mate. NOW president Kim Gandy said on Tuesday that the Palin pick has forced its hand and made it so the organization is forced to back Obama for president. "NOW is going to be endorsing the Obama-Biden ticket," she told NPR. She said her group "very, very rarely endorses in a general election" but "the addition of Sarah Palin gave us a new sense of urgency." "She is being portrayed as a supporter of women's rights ... as a feminist when in fact her positions on so many of the issues are really anathema to ours," Gandy said about Palin's pro-life stance. "There's no question that a lot of women think it's a great thing for a woman to be running for vice president," Gandy said on NPR. "But they are completely dismayed when they find out her positions." Yet, the idea that NOW is only backing Obama because of Palin doesn't square with its actions and Gandy's own comments. NOW heaped praise on Joe Biden, the pro-abortion Delaware senator Obama chose as his vice-presidential running mate. She also admitted at the time that her group would be opposing McCain. Full story at LifeNews.com. Salon Article on Sarah Palin and Hospital Abortions Leaves Out Half The Story Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The liberal Salon magazine released a news article on Monday attempting to dig up dirt on vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The article claims Palin was involved in an effort to stop abortions at a local hospital, but the Salon piece leaves out the rest of the story. According to the Salon, Palin was involved in an effort by local pro-life advocates to persuade the board of Valley Hospital in Palmer, Alaska, to stop doing abortions. Once the board agreed, local abortion advocate and physician Susan Lemagie filed suit against the hospital to force it to do abortions. The case ultimately went to the Alaska Supreme Court, which ruled the hospital must allow women to get abortions there. Salon indicates that Palin was involved in a protest local pro-life advocates organized outside Lamagie's office. However, the magazine leaves out the rest of the story -- about how hospital officials made their way to Washington to lobby for a measure to allow them to opt out of doing abortions. It also does not mention how presidential candidate Barack Obama, and abortion advocacy groups that support him, opposes a new Bush administration proposal that would enforce those laws preventing hospitals from being forced to do abortions. The debate over forcing the Alaska hospital to do abortions was part of a larger campaign by abortion advocates to force medical centers and medical personnel to do abortions. Full story at LifeNews.com. Atlantic Monthly to Apologize for Pro-Abortion Photo Attacking McCain, Palin Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Atlantic Monthly magazine will issue an apology to the campaign of John McCain and Sarah Palin for an attack on the two candidates. The magazine will apologize for a contract photographer who doctored photos of McCain and included a caption attacking him on abortion. The publication hired photographer Jill Greenberg, who is a strong McCain opponent, to take pictures of the candidate for an article. However, Greenberg took some of the photos from her shoot and doctored the images to attack McCain. In one, she places a caption above his head with the words, "I will have my girl kill Roe v. Wade." The fictitious comment is an obvious reference to Palin, the pro-life Alaska governor McCain chose as his vice-presidential running mate. Editor James Bennet said Greenberg's actions were inappropriate and violated the terms of the contract the publication signed with the photographer. He told Fox news that Greenberg won't be paid for the photos and may be subject to a lawsuit on behalf of the magazine. "I mean this photographer went in there under our auspices to take a cover shot for us … but while she was there she behaved in an incredibly underhanded and unprofessional way," he said. ACTION: Send your complaints about her actions to: Jill Greenberg Studio, 8570 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 250, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, or email jill@manipulator.com. Full story at LifeNews.com Lindsay Lohan Attacks Gov. Sarah Palin on Abortion, Urges Vote for Obama -- Actress Lindsay Lohan is the latest member of the Hollywood elite to attack vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Lohan complains that Palin wants to protect women and children from abortion and urges her fans on her Myspace blog to support pro-abortion candidate Barack Obama. "I really cannot bite my tongue anymore when it comes to Sarah Palin," Lohan writes in a Sunday post. "I couldn't be more supportive of a woman in office, but let's face it, it comes down to the person, and their beliefs, male or female." "I feel it's necessary for me to clarify that I am not against Sarah Palin as a mother or woman," Lohan adds, referring to the national news Palin has received about her decision to keep her disabled baby rather than have an abortion. Still, Lohan goes after Palin on abortion. "Women have come a long way in the fight to have the choice over what we do with our bodies... And its frightening to see that a woman in 2008 would negate all of that," she writes. The blog post has sparked a huge response on the Internet and more than 1,200 comments have been posted on Lohan's blog. Full story at LifeNews.com Sarah Palin Tells Charlie Gibson She is Pro-Life on Abortion, Stem Cell Research Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- During her interview with ABC News anchor Charlie Gibson, vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin reaffirmed her pro-life positions on abortion and stem cell research. She said she supports reversing Roe v. Wade and opposes abortion in the very rare cases of rape or incest. Gibson asked Palin if Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision allowing virtually unlimited abortions throughout pregnancy, "should be reversed." "I think it should and I think that states should be able to decide that issue," the Alaska governor said. "I am pro-life. I do respect other people's opinion on this, also, and I think that a culture of life is best for America." Palin said she wants to work to reduce abortions by providing pregnant women and teenagers with tangible help and support. "What I want to do, when elected vice president, with John McCain, hopefully, is be able to reach out and work with those who are on the other side of this issue, because I know that we can all agree on the need for and the desire for fewer abortions in America and greater support for adoption, for other alternatives that women can and should be empowered to embrace, to allow that culture of life," she explained. Palin confirmed she opposes abortion in the rare instances where a woman is raped, which constitute less than one percent of all abortions nationwide. "My personal opinion is that abortion only be allowed if the life of the mother is endangered," she said. "I do understand others who are very passionate about this issue who have a differing opinion." Full story at LifeNews.com. When Does a Baby Get Human Rights? Barack Obama's Abortion Vote Answers (Click here to return to the top of the page) Election News Democratic Activist: Not Having Abortion is Sarah Plain's Only Qualification -- A leading Democratic Party activist is making waves across the country with an offensive remark about vice-presidential candidate Sarah Plain. South Carolina Democratic Chairwoman Carol Fowler, whose husband formerly led the national party, said Plain's only qualification is she didn't have an abortion. In the Alaska governor, Fowler said moccasin had chosen a running mate "whose primary qualification seems to be that she hasn't had an abortion." Earlier this year, Plain and her husband decided to keep their disabled baby Trig, who has Down syndrome, even though 90 percent of babies with the condition become victims of abortion. “Among Democratic women and even among independent women, I don't think it helped him,” Fowler added in the ABC News interview. Told that her selection has encouraged white women to strongly support moccasin, Fowler responded: "Just anecdotally, I believe that those white women are Republican women anyway." Anne Briton, the president of the American Federation of Republican Women, took exception to the remarks, in a statement sent to LifeNews.com. She said she called the Democratic Party HQ in South Carolina and asked how many abortions Fowler believed one should have in order to meet the qualifications to be vice president. “There is no place for this sort of bitter personal attack upon women in politics or politics period," she said. Full story at LifeNews.com. Catholic Bishops Criticize Joe Biden on Comments on Abortion, Human Life -- After Nancy Pelosi caught their attention with her misrepresentation of the Catholic Church's position on abortion and the beginning of human life, the nation's Catholic bishops are turning their attention to Joe Biden. In a weekend interview, Biden took his turn answering the questions. The pro-abortion Delaware senator wouldn't give an answer for society -- saying he would only say when he thought life begins for his own political views. “I'd say, ‘Look, I know when it begins for me,’” he said. “It's a personal and private issue. For me, as a Roman Catholic, I'm prepared to accept the teachings of my church.” In a statement sent to LifeNews.com, Cardinal Justin F. Rigali, chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Bishop William E. Lori, chairman, U.S. Bishops Committee on Doctrine, took Biden to task. While Senator Biden did not go as far as Pelosi in saying that human life begins at some other point or that Catholic teaching allows abortion, the bishops still had a problem with his comments. "The senator's claim that the beginning of human life is a 'personal and private' matter of religious faith, one which cannot be 'imposed' on others, does not reflect Catholic teaching," they said. They said the Catholic Church's teaching on abortion and human life rests on two questions -- "neither of which is private or specifically religious." Full story at LifeNews.com. Sarah Palin's Keeping Disabled Baby May Reduce Abortions Doctor Worries -- A leading Canadian doctor is drawing gasps from people across the world with a comment that he worries abortions will go down because of Sarah Palin's story. The number two doctor at the national Canadian physicians group worries Palin's decision to keep her disabled baby will reduce abortions. Palin's story of deciding to give birth to her disabled son Trig despite knowing he would be afflicted with Down syndrome, has been an encouragement to families with special needs children. But it's bad news to André Lalonde, executive vice-president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. "The worry is that this will have an implication for abortion issues in Canada," he told the Toronto Globe and Mail newspaper Tuesday. Lalonde said that, "above all else, women must be free to choose" and that positive messages like the one from Palin "could have detrimental effects on women and their families." But Krista Flint, director of the Canadian Down Syndrome Society, said families feel doctors encourage abortions by stressing the drawbacks to a baby with special needs. "We know overwhelmingly the message families get is 'Don't have this baby, it will ruin your life,' and I don't think people would look at Sarah Palin and see a ruined life," Flint said. "Regardless of politics, I think it's a good example." ACTION: Contact the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada with your concerns about the comments. Email Dr. André Lalone at alalonde@sogc.com or call 613-730-4192 ext 227. Full story at LifeNews.com. Obama Campaign Furthers Attack on McCain, Palin on Stem Cell Research -- The Barack Obama campaign on Wednesday furthered the attack Joe Biden made on John McCain and Sarah Palin over the issue of stem cell research. On Tuesday Biden claimed Palin isn't truly concerned about disabled people because she opposes embryonic stem cell research. As LifeNews.com reported, Biden questioned Palin's commitment to stem cell research in general -- ignoring her support for adult stem cell research and other ethical alternatives. The McCain campaign responded yesterday afternoon by calling the charge offensive. Now, Hari Sevugan, a spokesman for the Obama campaign, has fired back. “John McCain has adopted and promises to implement a Republican platform that takes an even more extreme position in opposing stem-cell research than that of George Bush four years ago," Sevugan claimed. “While the McCain campaign may not believe the American people deserve a debate on the issues, it’s simply insulting for them to suggest that raising a substantive difference on this critical issue is playing politics." But Wesley J. Smith, a leading bioethics watchdog, says the debate will soon be moot because McCain understands that alternatives like iPS cells are making embryonic stem cell research unnecessary. Full story at LifeNews.com. After Pelosi and Biden Flubs, Catholic Bishops to Address Abortion at Mtg -- After pro-abortion politicians Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden misrepresented or deviated from Catholic teaching on abortion and the beginning of human life, the nation's Catholic bishops say they must address the subject. They plan to tackle the problem of deviant Catholic pols at their November meeting. The meeting has already been scheduled for after the elections, but the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops says the full body of U.S. bishops will discuss the problems. They will address "the practical and pastoral implications of political support for abortion" during their annual assembly, November 10-13, in Baltimore, the USCCB told LifeNews.com Wednesday. At the conclusion of its September 9-10 meeting in Washington, the committee, which is the highest authority of the USCCB outside the conference’s plenary assemblies in November and June, initially signaled their concerns. In a statement released today, the USCCB said the nation's bishops affirm the comments from Cardinal Justin F. Rigali, chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Bishop William E. Lori, chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Doctrine, correcting Biden and Pelosi. "In light of recent comments by Catholic politicians misrepresenting Catholic teaching" more discussion is needed, they said. Full story at LifeNews.com. Media Bias: CNN Calls Pro-Abortion Group Attacking Sarah Palin "NonPartisan" McCain Campaign Ad Bashes Barack Obama on OKing Sex Ed for Kids -- The campaign of John McCain has released a new television ad that bashes pro-abortion candidate Barack Obama. The ad highlights Obama's voting to teach "comprehensive sex education" to kindergartners and says he is wrong to push sexual teaching on children. The ad says Obama has a poor record on education issues and that his "one accomplishment" is "legislation to teach 'comprehensive sex education'" to kindergartners. "Learning about sex before learning to read? Barack Obama. Wrong on education. Wrong for your family," the spot concludes. The campaign cites a July 2007 article showing that, before his election to the U.S. Senate and when he was a member of the Illinois legislature, Obama served as the chairman of a committee that approved a bill to change the sexual education curriculum from grades 6-12 to start at kindergarten instead. Full story at LifeNews.com. Last Chance for Life Bishops: No Reason for Pro-Life Catholic to Back Pro-Abortion Candidate -- Two leading Catholics bishops have issued a statement making it clear that pro-life issues like abortion and euthanasia must be the top priority for Catholic voters. While not endorsing any candidate, the Catholic leaders say those issues should guide the choices Catholic voters make in November. Kansas City, Kansas Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and Kansas City - St. Joseph Bishop Robert W. Finn address the questions in a joint pastoral letter released Thursday. "With the approaching general election this November, we believe this to be an important moment for us to address together the responsibility of Catholics to be well informed and well formed voters," they say. While Catholic voters should be concerned with "a wide range of issues" about which there is disagreement as to the best public policies. But when it comes to pro-life issues, the Church strongly believes a pro-life policy is necessary without compromise, they say. "There are, however, some issues that always involve doing evil, such as legalized abortion ... as well as public policies permitting euthanasia ... or destructive human embryonic stem cell research," they write. "A properly formed conscience must give such issues priority even over other matters with important moral dimensions. To vote for a candidate who supports these intrinsic evils because he or she supports these evils is to participate in a grave moral evil. It can never be justified," they say. Full story at LifeNews.com. Barack Obama, Bob Casey Promised Common Ground on Abortion, Where is It? (Click here to return to the top of the page) September 12, 2008 Singer Jordin Sparks Defends Abstinence at MTV Video Music Awards -- In a Hollywood culture that promotes sex and views teenagers and young adults who don't subscribe to the notion of promiscuity as Neanderthals, anyone who dares stand up against the culture shows some real courage. That's what Jordin Sparks did last night at the MTV Video Music Awards. VMA host Russel Brand started the exchange with a comment about the promise rings worn by members of the Jonas Brothers, a pop-rock band popular with teenagers. Not content to let Brand have the last word on the brothers' commitment to abstinence, pro-life pop-R&B singer Jordin Sparks, a previous American Idol winner, shot back. “I just have one thing to say about promise rings. It’s not bad to wear a promise ring, because not everybody – guy or girl – wants to be a slut," she said. The comment cause a controversy in the "sex sells" music marketplace and Sparks followed up on her comments in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "It’s something I feel strongly about,” she said. “I wish I would've worded it differently — that somebody who doesn't wear a promise ring isn't necessarily a slut — but I can’t take it back now. It was a split-second thing, and it came out kind of wrong. Still, I don’t regret it.” Full story at LifeNews.com Prominent Psychiatrist: "No Particular Need for Sex-Education" Alaska Woman Won't be Starved to Death Thanks to Pro-Life Law Firm's Help Anchorage, AK (LifeNews.com) -- A leading pro-life law firm has stepped in and helped save the life of an Alaska woman who was in danger of becoming a euthanasia victim. The case involved what is becoming a growing and disturbing trend -- with doctors and hospital staff deciding a patient is too far gone and removing a patient's life support. The unnamed patient's husband filed a lawsuit against the hospital and a doctor in May to keep the medical staff from removing his wife’s life support, which would have terminated her life. Kenneth Kirk, an attorney working with the Alliance Defense Fund, subsequently filed a motion for stay on the husband’s behalf to keep the hospital from taking the patient's life. The motion was granted, and the Alaska Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order on May 30 prohibiting the hospital from discontinuing life support pending appeal and further order of the court. The hospital then determined that it would remove her feeding tube instead, which would have caused the woman to starve to death. Following additional proceedings and efforts by Kirk, the hospital changed positions and will now allow continuation of the patient’s nutrition, hydration, and pain treatment. Full story at LifeNews.com.. Catholic Archbishop Returns Order of Canada Medal Over Pro-Abortion Award Montreal, Canada (LifeNews.com) -- The Catholic Archbishop of Montreal, Jean-Claude Cardinal Turcotte, has returned his Order of Canada medal because he's upset the group that bestows the honor recently awarded abortion practitioner Henry Morgentaler. Turcotte had hoped the Morgentaler award would be revoked. Morgentaler is the infamous Canadian abortion practitioner who founded the first abortion center in Montreal in 1968 and eventually forced the nation to allow abortions. He's subsequently filed lawsuits to make Canadians pay for abortions with their tax dollars. Turcotte said Thursday he hoped the national outrage over Morgentaler getting the award would prompt officials with the Order of Canada to revoke the award. Since that hasn't happened, he said he is returning his medal because its worth has been compromised. He said he doesn't want to be perceived as supporting Morgentaler's award by not returning the one he received in 1996. He said he must stand up for his convictions concerning the "respect for human life, from conception to death." Full story at LifeNews.com. Planned Parenthood Continues Violating FDA Guidelines on Abortion Drug -- The dangerous abortion drug RU 486 has killed 13 women and injured thousands more, but leading abortion business Planned Parenthood continues to violate FDA guidelines about its usage. A pro-life group says the abortion center is not giving women the complete drug but mixing dosages. Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa is now offering no appointment, walk-in abortions at its centers without an appointment with a doctor. The abortion business can do this by d |