Obama Infanticide Attack Being Readied By 527s, Pat Buchanan Says

A few weeks ago, the Huffington Post's Seth Colter Walls reported that Republican officials and outside groups were set to launch a smear campaign against Barack Obama, accusing the Senator of enabling infanticide.

The issue stems from a state version of the federal Born Alive Infant Protection Act, which proposed that any "viable" fetus surviving a late-term abortion receive sustaining medical care. Obama opposed the measure not because he disagreed with overarching purpose, but because of objectionable side-provisions such as a failure to immunize doctors from legal prosecution.

It was, Seth concluded, a ginned-up argument made more complicated by the fact the bill passed in 2005, "free of any other measures Obama had previously opposed."

And yet, the GOP seems hell bent on furthering the line of attack. In the minutes preceding Saturday's values forum with the presidential candidates, Pat Buchanan discussed Obama's alleged vulnerabilities on the issue of abortion before letting it slip that conservative groups were set to hit the Illinois Democrat on charges of infanticide.

"Barack Obama on the issue of life is further left than anybody in the Congress of the United States. He not only pro abortion but pro-abortion on demand, he is pro-late term abortion, pro-partial birth abortion, he objected to the Supreme Court ruling that upheld the ban. But most important, Barack Obama and the Illinois legislature supported, or rather opposed a bill that would have protected the life of babies born from a botched abortion who were alive, three times. And I do know Republicans are planning, or rather 527s are planning attack ads on this and I will be interested to see if Rick Warren brings it up."

Already, it seems, the wheels are turning. On Sunday, the Associated Press reported that, "a group purporting to tell the "real truth" about Barack Obama's views on abortion wants a judge to rule it is not subject to federal election restrictions on fundraising and advertising. The Real Truth About Obama Inc., a group formed by anti-abortion activists, is trying to establish a Web site and air radio ads. But the group's attorney says his clients fear they will be prosecuted for breaking federal rules that restrict fundraising and advertising by political action committees, or PACs."

As for Warren, he didn't bring up the issue of infanticide during the values forum, though he did quiz Obama to define when "a baby get[s] human rights."

"Well," replied the Senator. "I think that whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity is above my pay grade. But let me just speak more generally about the issue of abortion because this is something obviously the country wrestles with. One thing that I'm absolutely convinced of is there is a moral and ethical content to this issue. So I think that anybody who tries to deny the moral difficulties and gravity of the abortion issue, I think is not paying attention."

Comments

[Thirdparty3]

This law was a beartrap sprung for any abortion extremist dumb enough to step into it. Obama and his team can act shocked that anyone would even dare to suggest that he would opposed legislation designed to not allow babies who survived abortion to be left in a soiled utility room to die(as mentioned on Hannity and Combs). of course Obama thinks that babies that survive abortions should get medical care and even if they can not be saved they should be given comfort. Only a moster would support Ifanticide. Just one problem... If you are a monster for allowing a baby to die alone in a soiled utilty room are you not also a monster for trying to kill the baby moments before it was placed in the soiled room? Are you not a monster for trying to burn the baby to death with a soduim solution? If the foot is still in can we kill it? Veteran Abortion extremist know better then to vote no on Ifanticide bills. If late term abortion is an issue extermist will always lose. Obama is a rookie for falling for this trap. If he had any brains he would have voted yes, the bills were going to pass anyway.

[rshrink]

Focusing on abortion as the right has is trying to answer questions which are unanswerable and pretending to know that they know the answers to those questions. It is interesting to note that Republicans who say they have no faith in government, would want the government to be the watch dog under which decisions about birth control and abortion could be permitted. Two very important points are not considered by Republicans who oppose abortion and birth control; people have been having sex and getting pregnant for a long time. We can't seem to find a way to stop them. Two, abortions have been occurring for at least 4700 years and likely much longer. That was the first known case recorded in China (2737 BC) If we stop legal abortion, then illegal ones begin. That is why we have Roe V Wade. Decreasing abortion in the real world hinges on birth control and a children and family friendly society, nothing more.

[rshrink]

The focus on abortion on the right insists on trying to answer questions which are unanswerable and pretending to know that they know the answers to those questions. It is interesting to note that Republicans who say they have no faith in government, would want the government to be the watch dog under which decisions about birth control and abortion could be permitted. Two very important points are not considered by Republicans who oppose abortion and birth control; people have been having sex and getting pregnant for a long time. We can't seem to find a way to stop them. Two, abortions have been occurring for at least 4700 years and likely much longer. That was the first known case recorded in China (2737 BC) If we stop legal abortion, then illegal ones begin. That is why we have Roe V Wade. Decreasing abortion in the real world hinges on birth control and a children and family friendly society, nothing more.

[deminmo]

The character assasination on Obama is very low-brow,
but not unexpected. Obama was a media darling during the
early campaign, he had lots of support. Now things have gotten
real. If the McCain campaign really believed they had chosen
the best candidate, then pushing the POW angle, the experience
in the Congress and Senate, and the conservative platform would
have carried McCain, without the smear.
Even supporters on cable news can't name something McCain has
done as Senator that makes him a good choice. But, they can point
to all the alleged Obama negatives. Fear always works.

[BluesDogLefty]

Pro War

Pro Death Penalty

Anti-abortion

I will never understand these people

[independentblogger]

And neither will Obama, which is why he won't win in November. Shake your head all you want, but SORRY, you've got a leader who cannot relate to ordinary Southern folk like Bill Clinton and George Bush did.

Suck it up. You got spanked on Sat night by McCain (even though he had the answers beforehand).

[dm92]

Spanked???? Because he gave meaningful, thoughtful and honest answers. By the way, last time I checked, 'ordinary Southern folk' were not the only people in the US and we can win this thing without you.

[NeoLiberal]

I'm an ordinary "southern folk," and labels don't stick.

There seems to be a meme out there (for some time now, unfortunately due to our past) that we are poor, uneducated racists, who find excuses not to take responsibility for our predicaments but pray to high heaven that our God will favor us because of our archaic interpretation of the Bible and intolerant application of its tenets.

Hogwash.

Religion can be used for good, or bad. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous clergy who prey on the ignorance of many of my fellow southerners to perpetuate this intolerance and yet fill the tithing coffers so they can live luxurious, "prosperity gospel" lives.

Sad.

Abortion is an issue between a woman, her husband (or child's sire), her doctor and her god.

All others are kindly asked to butt out.

[rshrink]

And do you like what Bush has done for you?

[Phil123]

It's real simple Einstein.

Good or innocent people ---> protect.

Evil monsters ---> destroy.

Got it?

[rshrink]

This is the problem. You think it is simple due to being simple minded. In actuality, a question unanswered for thousands of years will go on unanswered and all the pretending to know won't make any difference. Get some real life intelligence and vote to solve the problems which will help human beings and not just the rich ones.How many times will you fall for the oldest trick in the book? Voting for McCain will be one more time.

[BluesDogLefty]

Right--thanks.

Thou shalt not kill good people, but thou can killest all the bad people thou wantest.

Thanks---is that Thomas Aquinas? Augustine?

Here's the problem my simple little person----everyone thinks they are the good guys---and everyone thinks that the other guy is the monster.

Please----­----------­----------­----------­------

[dutchman]

By far the most aggravating part of this is that those pulling the strings behind the curtain have no interest in actually outlawing abortion, only using it as yet another perception altering wedge issue. Remember, the Republican approach to getting elected is to fool enough of the people enough of the time in order to be voted into office and then disregard nearly everyone's wishes, including those that voted for them.

This is not to say that the right to choose hasn't been seriously threatened by the social conservatives that have risen to power in the last decade. And sadly and ironically, it's women living in the Red States that have been hurt the most by right wing moralizing. Not only do they have the least access to abortions, they're also the most poorly educated, poorly paid, physically abused and ruined by divorce.

When you look at the Blue States, as well as Europe and Canada, women have far more access to modern birth control, as well as abortion, and they do better by almost every relevant measure. This is not an accident. Only in societies where women are accorded with rights to privacy and decision making over their bodies do they really ever have a chance to fully participate as equals to men.

Dutchman

[watchTVgetSTUPID]

Time to pass a law that says any woman who can not afford to raise her child can demand child support from organizations that demand she have the child. You will see them change their tune real fast.

[luckyt]

Amen to that, all Republicans should be required to pay into a fund for unwed mothers, a20% war tax and all their children should be required to go to all wars they start and can't come home unless they win them.

[watchTVgetSTUPID]

Just make them the legally responsible parent who has to pay child support. The lawyers and courts will sort it out. The threat of 18 years of child support payments will show if they really believe in the morality or believe in greed.

[PumaAnn]

Nothing more than a distraction. Abortion is not an issue this year.

Soft attack ad, in other words.....­.guarantee­d to solidify support against O which he never had anyway.

[useyourbrain]

Gee, I'm in favor of it as long as it's evangelical babies. I wonder what the cut off date would be -- late 40's?

What hypocrites these so-called "christians" are. They lie, cheat, spread gossip -- all those things are in the Bible I think and I thought God was against it. I guess I was wrong.

I guess it's okay to kill babies when they grow up and you can send them to war as cannon fodder.
That's different though, isnt' it?

[rblackbird]

Why is everybody surprised that the R's would smear Obama? This has been known, except, perhaps, by Obama, since the primaries began. The infanticide claim is just the first shot.

The real assault will begin right after the conventions. Attacks will come from all sorts of committees and groups. None of it will be fair or truthful. Surprisingly (or maybe not), Obama has not inoculated himself against these assaults. The best way to do that is to build up a large, solid base of voters who will not be swayed by the propaganda. Instead, Obama is taking for granted that he will win, and feels no anxiety about expanding his support among voters who did not favor him in the primaries. Millions of voters are undecided and he remains tied with McCain in popular vote and his lead in electoral votes is declining. McCain's negative ads have already improved his chances measurably. Willie Horton is standing in the wings. What specifically will Obama do now?

[iswideopen]

When the republicans, who are almost 100% pro-life, so say they, are without sin, then, and only then may they cast the first stone. I guess this is the part of the Bible they use "selectively". When it is proven that any of them can "walk on water", let me know.

[camipco]

Republicans like to talk about being pro-life. But the fact is that the number abortions fell significantly during the Clinton administration and didn't during Bush. Their policies of promoting poverty and sexual ignorance and preventing loving same-sex families from adopting are fundamentally pro-abortion in their effect.

[independentblogger]

Nice post. So, basically, government can't exist in your little world because any law that appears to be based on a moral judgment about the conduct of people (outlawing rape, theft, fraud, and lots of other stuff) means the people making the law are assuming they are without sin..... And, you can criticise them for not being without sin....

Ummm... I'm letting you know someting: you are retarded.

[HWNA]

The Republicans are definitely going to try to make this election a referendum on abortion. While it is certainly pathetic that this is the tactic that they have to go with, they are not playing around: I have already talked to several different ordinary people who identify themselves as conservatives who have repeated almost verbatim the talking points against Obama regarding his stance on partial birth abortions.

If the Obama campaign is smart they will nip this in the bud also and not let the McCain campaign (or its surrogates) define him as a child murderer.

This may be Obama's Swift Boat if he is not careful, or aggressive enough.

[Penny123]

Barack is carrying the weight of this country on his shoulders. He has aged dramatically in the past few months. It has not been easy for him to carry the cross for all of us. It is time that we stand up with him and fight with him in masses against Swift Boats. We Americans will have to voice our opinions and let the Republicans know that we will not go down without a fight. We feel strongly about the state of this country and we will not sit by and let them destroy it any longer.

[useyourbrain]

Ask these brain trusts how many of the mis-labeled "partial birth abortions" are done in a year? Very, very few and usually for the health or life of the mother.

[indypete]

Here it co-omes.

[LarBear]

I, suspect, like me, there's a lot of MEN who are PRO CHOICE... The rant against Men is NOT serving Pro Choice well... No question in my mind, anti abortion has little to do with Men wanting to control a Woman's body...
The attempt to Control a Woman's body flows from Organized Religion... Organized Religion is much about CONTROL... CONTROL of Others... NOT about Spirituality and deep pondering Love, Light and Life, but about teaching/learning Fear, while preaching supposedly about Love... Without FEAR, how do Religious "leaders" CONTROL the Flock? Without FEAR of Soul being threatened by God, how would Religious "leaders" CONTROL Others?
Startle is Nature's response... Fear is taught/learned by Mankind and Organized Religion has spent Centuries mastering the teaching/learning of Fear... Organized Religion may be Male Dominated, but the Fear being promulgated, is all about Controlling others... Power is Nature way of inspiring... Fear is about Control... Control is NOT Power... People mistakenly interchange those two words... Politician's now grasp how well Fear works... Especially when tied into Religion... Controling masses...
The Founders of the USA (and I have no clear idea of actually how much women played a part unseen) knew to keep State and Religion Separated... Sadly, WE the People do NOT seem to grasp that Fundamental Constitutional WISDOM... Worse yet, Both Dominant Political Party's and Candidates are not Honoring, Defending and Protecting that separation... (Though Honor and Politics is become an oxymoron)

[LarBear]

Just adding, Power flows from Love... Love empowers and inspires... Fear equates with Control and vice versa...

[jaygirl]

It is so disgusting that grown MEN are involved with fetuses and their rights. With overpopulation and the state of our planet, one might think that there would be more important topics to present to the world. The religious zealots are more interested in dictating behavior than dealing with it's aftermath. Protecting every fetus means we can expect more poor, unwanted children who have to fend their way through a life of poverty and misery. Many MEN who advocate that every pregnant woman must carry her baby to birth, are not willing to help them through life. The children must be born. Then they are ignored and discarded. Why are MEN deciding what should be done with a woman's body? Being virile and sexually active is the biggest part of their life. Take a look at Viagra sales. Yet the result of all this manliness is children, many of whom are not wanted because of many factors. But the MEN insist that fetuses have rights. Something is wrong here.

[hhkeller]

If women dislike the MEN control thing so much then how did Obama win over Clinton.
Get use to it.

[thinklib]

Okay, so you hate men. And you hate children. What about puppies?

[Gidster]

How did you get hating men and children out of that?
It seems to me that many pro-lifers tend to demand full rights to a cluster of cells, yet turn their backs on the newborn itself! These are the same people that gleefully vote representatives that gut the social programs and fund Abstinence Only Education that causes the lack of knowledge to prevent the pregnancy in the first place!

[Muffy7]

EXCELLENT, YOU ARE SO RIGHT.

[Penny123]

Men decide what women should do with their bodies because we have let them do so. We need to listen to Barack's message as he constantly stated during the primary along with his wife Michelle, "Don't Be Afraid." We have been afraid and refuse to remember that this is suppose to be THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PROPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE, AND BY THE PEOPLE. When are we going to stand up and march together and demand our rights. We get what we deserve. We are the one we've been waiting for.

[useyourbrain]

I guess the pro-life men want the babies to be born so they can molest, rape, abuse and abandon them. If they weren't born, what would they do with themselves?

[Marilynleigh34]

useyourbrain: How pathetic you must be.

[ramper]

Why would you protect any so called doctor who would stand by as a defenseless child is left to die or is purposely murdered once he or she is out of the womb? Why the hell would that stand in his way from supporting that bill? Any doctor who involves themselves in that disgusting practice must have photos of Dr. Mengele hung on his or her wall.

[elr50]

Ok, Ramper, how many unwanted children are you supporting??? How many wombs do you want to control? How many babies do you support that are born to uneducated women?

YOU are an idiot and probably a hypocrit. Keep your mind on your own body and stay out of anyone else's business.

[sharonh]

Educated woman have them too.

[ramper]

I know my tax dollars support some. I also help support children through Save The Children in Appalachia. You call people names all the time or just when you are frustrated? I do not want to control any wombs but I would like to stop children from dying once they are out of the womb. How about you? And by the way, it is everybody's business when tax dollars help fund it.

[Diane1]

I have worked as a respiratory therapist and in my internship I helped as a team of people who worked tirelessly to save a baby born prematurely at 27 weeks. Though this baby at 27 weeks was 3 weeks past the point where "viability" takes place, it was still a heroic effort to keep the baby alive. Most people don't understand how underdeveloped and small a 27 week old baby is. The babies are usually in the hospital for months on life support before they can go home. If an abortion takes place or a baby is born at 22 to 24 weeks, the chances that the baby would survive are virtually nothing even with all the technology we have available. I don't think there are any places that would do an abortion past 24 weeks unless the baby is severely deformed such that his/her survival is impossible. I think that makes this whole issue of "infant born alive" moot.

[ramper]

I said any who would stand by and do nothing, or purposely kill the child. Not those who work to save a life.