Palin Slams Obama: Abortion Isn't Above My Pay Grade

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is taking President Barack Obama to task for his support of abortion rights and embryonic stem-cell research.

Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate, criticized Obama's positions during a speech at the Vanderburgh County Right to Life's annual dinner Thursday night in Evansville, Ind.

She says deciding when babies get human rights isn't above her pay grade _ a reference to Obama's response to a question from the Rev. Rick Warren last year. Obama said such questions were above his pay grade.

Thursday's appearance was Palin's first out-of-state trip on a partisan agenda since the presidential campaign ended. Some Alaska lawmakers have criticized her decision to make the trip as the state Legislature approaches its Sunday deadline.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) _ Republican National Chairman Michael Steele said Thursday that Sarah Palin is among a crowd of GOP standard bearers that includes fellow governors Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Mark Sanford of South Carolina.

The Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential candidate hasn't ruled out a presidential run, and Steele said it was too early to gauge Palin's standing in 2012.

She and Steele were in Evansville to attend the Vanderburgh County Right to Life fundraising dinner Thursday night. Organizers said the dinner drew 3,000 people.

During a news conference before the dinner, Steele cited Palin among other prominent party figures, including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, ex-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and two congressmen, Eric Cantor and Mike Pence.

"We have a significant number of men and women in our party who are in a very good position right now to carry forward the standard of the GOP," Steele said.

Pence represents Indiana and Cantor is from Virginia. Many Republicans also look to Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana as a presidential favorite in 2012.

Thursday night's appearance was Palin's first out-of-state trip on a partisan agenda since the presidential campaign ended. Some Alaska lawmakers have criticized Palin's decision to make the trip as the state Legislature approaches its Sunday deadline.

Palin was cheered wildly as she entered the banquet hall with her husband, Todd. She stopped to sign autographs before taking her seat.

Palin, her husband and youngest son also were to attend a breakfast Friday morning with S.M.I.L.E., a nonprofit support organization for people with family members who have Down syndrome. Trig, who turns 1 on Saturday, was born with the condition.

Comments

[Ron Lajoie]

Palin, being the so-called faith zealot she professes to be, should know that one of God's gifts to mankind was the gift of free-will. We were given this gift and to be mindful of the choices that we make and sadly, not all choices that we human beings make are going to be good ones. Some are extremely evil ones, even polticians in office have been guilty of this grievous sin. I believe strongly in my faith and know that judgement day will come to those who make these poor decisions and cholse not to repent for their poor judgements. But for her to decide that the ultimate solution is eliminate abortion -- this decision will force women who become pregnant to do desparate and horrible things by making evil decisions to destroy their unborn, their mental well-being and their bodies. I've begun to think that this type of thinking -- no choice but abstinence (no other alternatives such as adoption) -- resembles the socialistic thinking that she detests.

[Cookie100]

Ok, ass you all know, the Shrub did not outlaw abortion. Know why, cause too many lobbists on 'K' street, make a fortune off the people in that audience, anti-choice people.

They want that issue never to be outlawed, they lose their income. Keep abortion safe and legal, more for the right winged trolls than anyone else.

BTW Sarah, you said when thinking about having your last child, 'you made the choice", that's right little Sarah, you dimwit, you HAD A CHOICE. You want to take that choice away from others, don'tcha', you betcha'.

This is the 21st century. We live in a multi ethnic, multi racial country, and trolls still think this is 1952 and they're Eisenhower. That's why they will never win again. They don't get it, and please, don't anyone clue them in on anything.

[scorpioleidy]

D @m n --- she's still here?!

[Piatt]

The most interesting thing about her remarks is that she twice admitted that she'd thought about abortion during her last pregnancy. Ironic that she felt free to make a "choice" that she's so eager to deny to everyone else.

[zeezan]

She doesn't look so hot without her groomers and RNC funded wardrobe, does she?

[Madmac]

Abortion may not be above your pay grade but Reality is...

[WowJones]

I guess she thinks because she talks to God, they are on the same level.

[Tom Joad]

I feel quite certain the almighty doesn't return her calls...

[Tom Joad]

don't know if this is above her pay grade, but you can be certain she'll turn in an expense report for reimbursement...

[Cookie100]

lol, good one Tom, yha'll you betcha'!

[gloopax]

This means she now claims to have god's pay scale? Either she is too dense to understand an easy metaphor or she is lying about her age by quite a few millenia. What a ditz.

[pkafin]

"She says deciding when babies get human rights isn't above her pay grade"

Of course not. But when discussing abortion, babies have nothing to do with it.

The vast majority of abortions in the US involve an embryo or even a blastocyst. Later term abortions may end the potential individual life of a fetus. You don't get a "baby" until it's out and existing on it's own.

If you kill one of those, it's murder. Nobody, and no law, suggests otherwise.

[KarenT]

Either Pal*in doesn't understand what Ob*ama meant by "it's above my paygrade" or she thinks she's above G*o*d. She made a choice to have her son yet she wants to impose her beliefs onto everyone else.

[lunchlady]

Pro-birth, anti-sex, anti-choice. Not pro-life.

[probo]

Keep your wiches hands off my right to choose, I didnot tell you what to do when you were pregnant, what gives you the right to tell me ,who died and made you "god" ?

[Islandtime]

The PTA was above Palins pay grade.

[munki]

What Sarah's problem is "NOTHING is her problem..." but everyone else's