Herman Cain Signs Susan B. Anthony List's 'Pro-life Presidential Leadership Pledge'
WASHINGTON -- The conservative Susan B. Anthony List sent out an email announcing that Herman Cain had become the latest presidential candidate to sign its 'Pro-life Presidential Leadership Pledge' on Tuesday.
The pledge commits candidates to supporting a strict anti-abortion rights platform, including choosing "pro-life appointees" to the courts and the executive branch.
Candidates also commit to trying to defund Planned Parenthood, advancing legislation to "permanently end all taxpayer funding of abortion in all domestic and international spending programs," and supporting a "Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to protect unborn children who are capable of feeling pain from abortion."
"This decision is consistent with the Herman Cain we have come to know," said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser in a statement. "He understands the wound abortion is to America and especially to the most vulnerable among us -- people that Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger labeled 'human weeds.' We commend Mr. Cain for adding his name to the list of candidates who have signed the pledge, and should he be elected to the White House, look forward to his leadership in the mission to protect Life."
"Where my powers in the Executive Branch are concerned, I will work at all times to oppose government funding of abortion," Cain said. "I will veto any legislation that contains funds for abortions. I will do everything that a President can do constitutionally to advance the culture of life."
Besides Cain, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich have all already signed the pledge.
The SBA List has sharply criticized former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for refusing to sign on.
Cain raised eyebrows among conservatives last month for suggesting to CNN's Piers Morgan that abortion be left up to families. "It's not the government's role -- or anybody else's role -- to make that decision," he said. "So what I'm saying is, it ultimately gets down to a choice that that family or that mother has to make. Not me as president. Not some politician. Not a bureaucrat. It gets down to that family. And whatever they decide, they decide."
The remarks roiled conservatives and provided fodder for Democrats to paint Cain as pro-choice. Cain quickly backpedaled, tweeting the next day, "I'm 100% pro-life. End of story."
Cain has since said he is "pro-life from conception." He believes that Planned Parenthod is "planned genocide," and that the organization's mission to "help kill black babies before they came into the world."
The 2012 GOP Candidates on Women's Rights:
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First Posted: 11/22/2011 7:14 pm Updated: 11/23/2011 11:22 am