Michael Steele: Abortion Is An "Individual Choice"

UPDATE: Michael Steele has clarified his position on abortion in a statement:

"I am pro-life, always have been, always will be. I tried to present why I am pro life while recognizing that my mother had a 'choice' before deciding to put me up for adoption. I thank her every day for supporting life. The strength of the pro life movement lies in choosing life and sharing the wisdom of that choice with those who face difficult circumstances. They did that for my mother and I am here today because they did. In my view Roe vs. Wade was wrongly decided and should be repealed. I realize that there are good people in our party who disagree with me on this issue. But the Republican Party is and will continue to be the party of life. I support our platform and its call for a Human Life Amendment. It is important that we stand up for the defenseless and that we continue to work to change the hearts and minds of our fellow countrymen so that we can welcome all children and protect them under the law."

* * * * *

In an interview with GQ's Lisa DePaulo, Michael Steele declares that abortion is an "individual choice" -- a fairly startling policy position for the leader of the Republican Party. However, the impact is somewhat diminished by the fact that Steele seems to have no idea what he's talking about. The key passage:

L: How much of your pro-life stance, for you, is informed not just by your catholic faith, but by the fact that you were adopted?

M: Oh, a lot. Absolutely. I see the power of life in that. I mean, and the power of choice! The thing to keep in mind about it, uh, you know, I think as a country we get off on these misguided conversations that throw around terms that really misrepresent truth.

L: Explain that.

M: The choice issue cuts two ways. You can choose life or you can choose abortion. You know, my mother chose life. So, you know, I think the power of the argument of choice boils down to stating a case for one or the other.

L: Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?

M: Yeah. I mean, again, I think that's an individual choice.

L: You do?

M: Yeah. Absolutely.

L: Are you saying you don't want to overturn Roe v. Wade?

M: I think Roe v. Wade--as a legal matter, Roe v. Wade was a wrongly decided matter.

L: Okay, but if you overturn Roe v. Wade, how do women have the choice you just said they should have?

M: The states should make that choice: that's what the choice is. The individual choice rests in the states. Let them decide.

So abortion is an "individual choice," but it's not clear who counts as an individual -- women or just states.

Comments

[taste-the-rainbow]

09:59 PM on 03/12/2009

FINALLY! Im not saying that I agree with his opinon but im glad he finally came out and said it. Im so sick of news persons keeping their opinon under wraps. Dont they get that some people want to know how they actually feel about something?

[dave1111]

07:06 PM on 03/12/2009

Supreme court decisions do not get repealed, they may be overturned, but not repealed.

[RickCoMatic]

06:23 PM on 03/12/2009

You cannot get a Republican to give you a straight answer if the answer requires making a choice.
"Paper or Plastic"? Screws 'em up for the whole day.
They wind-up taking both. Put the Paper inside the Plastic.
On the way out to the car they are working on talking points if someone challenges them on the bags.
Those plastic bags are bad for the environment; you know.
Yes, but they create jobs in the Plastic Bag Producing Industry.
Oh, paper bags. Tree killer.
No. These bags are made from December Holiday Trees ... good use of Holiday Trees otherwise rotting in a landfill.

[OverIt]

06:06 PM on 03/12/2009

Based on the reactions to Steele's comments, I get the feeling most of the GOP leadership would see Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" as an instructional manual.

[HUGgybear]

05:28 PM on 03/12/2009

All this talk about being "pro-life" is HYPOCRITICAL.

What about the QUALITY of LIFE? I am not talking about pure greed and selfishness that is behind the choice of some abortions.

Maybe Mr. Steel can help establish a world in which the choice of abortion will be the unthinkable.

The WOMAN

[guajiro]

03:16 AM on 03/13/2009

It's more like they're pro-birth and anti-life.

[bethea3]

05:23 PM on 03/12/2009

What is really strange is that if the repubs listened to some of what Steele has to say and learned to be more inclusive, some people may start to lean theri way.

[k1k2lee]

05:18 PM on 03/12/2009

I actually really liked how Steele said his personal adoption story showed both the power of life and the power of choice. THAT is the kind of broad view that should be taken and is espoused by the notion that it is a fundamental personal decision that shouldn't be decided by a state. That a woman should have that choice and that, by choosing life, his mother showed what she believed to be a choice for life. I'm a Christian and consider myself a person of substantial faith. And I cherish the fact that I have a choice. I can choose to do what I believe my faith calls me to do, just as other women can make choices that their belief systems (whatever they may be) and/or circumstances call them to make. Forcing all women into a single option takes away all of that power to choose -- something Steele was clearly celebrating. Even Palin let that slip - by saying she was proud of the choice her daughter made & that she CHOSE to have Trig (or Tripp?) despite knowing the outcome. Both are celebrating choice as a means of demonstrating their personal faith, and shouldn't persons of faith be happy about that?

[bethea3]

05:11 PM on 03/12/2009

Is there a difference between the Taliban highjacking Islam for their personal gain and the religious right highjacking the republican party? In their own way they are both just as repressive and violent in their own way. The Taliban will be at least merciful and kill you forthwith. The repubs will sentence you to a life with a child you do not want but are forced to feed, house, and clothe for at least 18 years.
Inquiring minds want to know. Any replies?

[judiNJ]

04:48 PM on 03/12/2009

Good grief, why in the world is this poor guy in the GOP???

[Elliebee]

04:47 PM on 03/12/2009

WHAT in the world is wrong with Michael Steele? I mean, just when I think this fool can't make matters worse, BAM.... he does!!

The RNC should be held accountable for voting this man in as the new Chairman, knowing full well he can't even get through a speech without putting his big foot in his mouth!!

It really is NO surprise that both the RNC and the GOP are in a continued state of DELUSION, especially after Nov. 4th when the message was LOUD and CLEAR. They are completely deaf, dumb and blind to the reality the WORLD has move forward while they are still stuck back in the OLD "Reagan Golden" years. What is up with that?

NOW that they are planning to give Steele the BOOT in the next coming weeks, I was shocked when I heard last night on MSNBC that they plan to replace him with John McCain!!! LOL. Are you serious? John McCain as the new RNC Chairman?

Wow... talk about pouring gas on an already burning house! Hello?

[PWM]

04:44 PM on 03/12/2009

I wonder how long the racists at the core of the GOP consider him "uppity"?

[bethea3]

04:42 PM on 03/12/2009

Always wanted to make a bumper sticker:

Abortion: It's none of MY business.

And now we have one of the party faithful that gets it. Rust Limbaugh will have him fired tomorrow.
My opinion about the issue is prefaced by the fact that one of the worst days of my life was when I paid for my girlfriend to have one in 1975. We stayed together for another year but the magic was gone. I hate the idea of abortion but try to maintain a realistic philosophy about what it represents for both the mother and perspective child.
All to often there is no prospective family for her to look forward to and the overall burden of being both mother and father rests with her. And the prospects for any meaningful life for the offspring is dismal. All too often a life of poverty awaits, state assistance paid for by the people who complain the most about their tax dollars going towards welfare but who would outlaw abortion in a heartbeat on so-called religious principles. There is something less than Christian about the train of thought.
I would like to see a study, there probably is one, to ascertain the number of people in prison from single parent households whose mothers would had aborted if it were an affordable option.

[ibsteve2u]

04:38 PM on 03/12/2009

Every time Steele opens his mouth, the Republicans just cannot STAND to let pass another opportunity to demonstrate that they are NOT a "party of the people", but are instead a top-down organization whose sole goal is to organize voters into a stick that can be used to enrich and enforce the will of those who own the Republican Party.

They ALWAYS have to kick him back into line, because lines are what the Republicans are all about.

[AhnAmuru]

04:10 PM on 03/12/2009

Michael Steele typifies an otherwise decent human being feigning so called "conservatism".

[privategirl]

04:08 PM on 03/12/2009

Honestly, I think Michael Steele's beliefs sometimes get in the way of his politics.