McCain Flips On Abortion: Won't Challenge Party On Rape, Incest Exceptions

ABC News:

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is facing enormous pressure from social conservatives to ignore his repeated commitment to change the GOP's platform on abortion.

"If he were to change the party platform [to recognize exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother], I think that would be political suicide," Tony Perkins, the president of the conservative Family Research Council, told ABC News. "I think he would be aborting his own campaign because that is such a critical issue to so many Republican voters and the Republican brand is already in trouble."

A senior Republican close to McCain told ABC News that building a more inclusive G.O.P. is a top priority for the Arizona senator.

But this adviser does not see changing the party platform to include exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother as necessary for achieving that vision.

Read the whole story: ABC News

Comments

[KarateKid]

That's it, Johnny Boy, stick to your convictions; just what we look for in a leader of the free world. You are the nominee but are you going to be led around by the nose if you become the President, too?

Is the RNC going to select your running mate, too? Your cabinet? Your Supreme Court justices?

What a man - cheats on his wife with a woman young enough to be his daughter but filthy rich; kisses up to Keating and plays a role in the savings and loan scandal; barely escapes with a slap on the wrist; gets swift boated and slandered as a father of a black baby by Bush but eight years later kisses his butt; panders and gets the endorsement of lunatic preachers, Hagee and Parsley, that makes Wright look middle of the road. What a man.

You strike me as the Manchurian Candidate. No wonder the mainstream evangelicals are abandoning you; no wonder the neocons despise you. No wonder you have to flip flop like a fish out of water just to hold things together. Too bad you can't seem to keep track of those lies.

What a man. Just what the average voter with a 5th grade brain will vote for.

[HuffingPuffing]

Kudos. "Manchurian candidate" has come to mind often over the past 7 years but Bush is too insulated, dumb and incurious. No, this has been Cheney's presidency from the top down and Bush relegated to its smirking cheerleader while the repugnant Cheney eviscerates government into what he's been lusting for since the days of Nixon. But McCain - that's a different story. The neo-cons need to find another way to insinuate themselves into this one.
In many respects, McCain is what Kerry was - war hero, bi-partisan, married to wealth... the Dem attack playbook was written for them it seems, but I don't believe Obama will go down that path. From what I can tell, the recent GOP electoral strategy has been to say things that people want to hear, regardless of who's saying them and their record, while creating distractions and ad hominem mischaracterizations and cling to them in the face of the facts.
No, what will be telling will be McCain's choice of running mate as the neo-cons have lusted for this too long to relinquish it after only 8 years. If it's someone even remotely associated with the Cheney circle then it's game over and McCain can flash that squirrelly grin all he wants, explaining away the contradictions that he stands for, or at least used to, but no matter what he says he will be running for a third term of Cheney's fossilized ideology. As a concerned electorate we must not allow that to happen.

[avicenna]

What does McCain have to gain by making himself look like a compulsive liar (or someone so old that he can't even remember what his position was yesterday) and someone who lacks any integrity or credibility? Does he think the social conservatives will vote for the Democratic candidate? He'll likely gain more support by staying true to his former stance - and differentiating himself from the highly unpopular policies of the Bush administration. It's just daft.

[TrueIndy08]

These REPUBLICANS are idiots and they have a good one leading them!!!

McCain is kissing so much right wing a$$ that he doesn't even know what HE stands for anymore!!!

He wasn't for his Daddy Bush's tax cuts, now he is...
He was against torture.. now he is for it...
He wanted to include exclusions for abortion... now he doesn't!!!
He didn't want long term Iraq occupation... now he wants us there for 100 years

can someone please tell me what this man actually stands for????

SO much for his "maverick" status... he is selling his soul to that looney bin group of nutjobs on the far right...

[CoulterIsASuccubus]

Substitute "melanoma" for "maverick."

[loki]

Christ, this clown has sold his soul to the devil. Just the other year he was about the only one in the whole rethuglican party who seemed to have a brain and a heart. Now, he its like they sucked out his brain and put Bush's brain in. All for that seat of power, and the wealth that comes with it. Maybe he is desperate not to have to suck the money teet of Ms. MoneyBags McCain anymore? Who knows why, but its obvious he has gone to the dark side. And that means all those who were against him, like Rush who even said he would support Hillary if McCain won, will back him no matter what. Then again, Rethugs are usually 2 faced and back stabbers to begin with, so what they say doesnt mean much. Its what they do. And they would eat their own young if they could profit from it. They are like the Farangi in star trek

[robotfog]

no guts. no glory.

No glory in McCain's future.

[SuiginTou7]

Keep talking John and we'll keep providing the shovels

[Irons]

Dems, the more John McCain talks the fewer votes he's gonna get.

So get him talking. He's actually kind of a goof-ball.

[Jimmyboyo]

Irons

I was just telling someone today that the dems don't have to work hard on uniting the party. Just let mccain keep talking and he will unite the party himself.

The women who support hillary and refuse to vote for obama will flock to vote for obama to protect their daughters, sisters, themselves, and their friends from back alley abortions and coat hangers

etc

John McCain working hard to unite dem pary 08

[Countdown09]

I've never paid much attention to McCain in the pass but I see now why the republican didn't want him in 2000 or 2007. Something the Hillary supporters threating to vote for him should seriously think about --

[happycat]

God help us if McCain wins. He has no brains and no compassion.

[avicenna]

Well, it's not like Americans are not well-experienced with having a leader with those qualities...

[happycat]

That is true. Maybe Americans are finally waking up from their comas.

[TheShadow]

All together now:

"They call him Flipper, Flipper..........."

[Countdown09]

That's funny !!

[Viper]

The unspoken fact:

Most birth control bills and such devices as IUDs dont prevent conception, they prevent the attachment of the fertilized egg to the unterus wall.

So if you are true right to lifer you cant support borth control bills or IUD device or in other words about 90 percent of the products now in use.

Regards

[ejay579]

The sad part here is that the march of morons is so focused on abortion that they do not realize that once you buy into a strict construction of the Constitution everything is fair game. There is nothing in the Constitution allowing freedom of travel, there is nothing in the Constitution allowing parents to send their children to the school of their choice, and there is nothing in the Constitution prohibiting forced sterilization of certain segments of the population, to name just a few of the rights the Supreme Court has delineated.

[Viper]

Why is Hillary as a female canidate not pointing out that McCain did not supporting equal pay for women... which in reality is a Constitutional requirement.

Regards

[Viper]

Why is Hillary as a female candidate not talking up this point? That a 12 year old raped by her father per the repugs should be foreced to give birth to a child who with such knowledge and genetics is not likely to in a happy place? She would rather talk about her ducking and duck hunting


No Hillary would rather spend her tiome supporting the The repugs canidates gas tax Holiday and touting his experience... such as being for the Iraq war for like ever..

Regards

[PFHarlock]

This guy is going to be so easy to beat in November....

But that doesn't mean we (Barack Obama supporters) shouldn't proceed as if we're facing a formidable opponent.

[Countdown09]

McCain is easy it's the republican attack machine we'll be fighting against. We've proved we can out vote them and out raise them in money for Obama and that will be the key to the white house -- Money and voters. Which is why every chance I get I tell Obama supporters enough with the Hillary bashing we need her voters.

[PFHarlock]

This is a rare (but not unheard of) situation in which I'll support my point with the aid Newt Gingrich. : )

"The Anti-Obama, Anti-Wright, and Anti-Clinton GOP Model Has Been Tested -- And It Failed"

Anyone who hasn't already read his full letter, "My Plea to Republicans: It's Time for Real Change to Avoid Real Disaster", really needs to.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=26376

Mr. Gingrich outlines a strategy to the Republican Party for victory in November (how to avoid defeat probably describe it a little better).

My two primary observation regarding his letter are -

1. It just might work.

2. It will not be implemented.

Despite that, and as I said, we have to proceed as if it's going to a difficult contest.

And of course we need Hillary Clinton supporters. I don't see a particular problem there. I think it's important to remember that feelings aren't nearly as harsh out there as online discussions might lead one to believe.

[huffy2001]

He was actually for it before he was against it.

[girard1991]

The GOP is doomed. The Democratic nominee can now count on all Catholic votes (due to McCain's pastor problem) and at least 80 percent of all women. This would include all of HRC's women. So much for her argument that her coalition is better than Obama's. McCain is McToast due to his McFlip/Flops. Mark my word. McCain is going to lose his temper either at a debate with Obama or at a press conference over all of these stuff. People do not believe me, but it is going to happen.

[zizyphus]

I think you are right, Girard, something will set McCain off and the American public people will see him cursing and acting out of control, and it will be all over for Jonny boy. Hmmm, now what could that be? An impertinent question by a reporter on a live interview would be good, or at a campaign stop. Also, where is Vicki Iseman? Suddenly more remote than Osama Been Laffin.