Democrats also needed to welcome more pro-life candidates into the party, [Kerry] said. "There was a gasp in the room," says Nancy Keenan, the new president of NARAL Pro-Choice America.
That's rich -- especially after publicly allying himself with NARAL and Planned Parenthood at numerous events throughout 2004 and zealously defending "abortion rights", here was Senator Kerry practically admitting that not only the Democratic Party but himself had driven away voters. . . . a little too late, perhaps?
Just further proof that the modern politics, particularly Dems, is about getting votes, not standing for principles. If they want abortion, we'll give it to them. If they don't want it, we'll ban it (or at least say we will).
C Matt is quite right. For every politician you can influence by appeal to principle there are at least 100 more that you can move by the threat of electoral defeat.
That is why it crucial that anti-life candidates offered by "pro-life" parties (Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), etc.) be defeated. If you vote against your principles, you have thrown away both the carrot and the stick.
At the same time, it can prove very helpful when pro-life candidates from anti-life parties (Gov. Joe Manchin (D-WV), etc.) win.
First, because, it rewards such candidates for bucking the party line. Second, because it shows the "pro-life" party that our votes should not be taken for granted.
Thus, when an anti-life Republican defeated by a pro-life Democrat, we advance on both fronts.
Earl
Both Kerry and Howard Dean recently admitted the need to "welcome pro-life Democrats" into their camp. (Dean on "Meet the Press" last Sunday).
The obvious problem is how to do so when the DNC firmly allies itself with NARAL and abortion rights activists.
We can expect much heated debate in the future as Nancy Keenan and company contend with rival pro-life Democrats, vying for popularity and influence. I agree w/ Earl: we can look forward to "a carnival sideshow: big on promise and short on delivery."
How seriously would we have taken Hitler's comments about inviting more Jews into his cabinet if he had been able to sue for peace instead of committing suicide in a bunker in Berlin? Perhaps Uncle Joe should have been welcomed for his desires to be more inclusive of Menscheviks?
As Kerry himself would have said in response -- Faith without WORKS is dead.
Chris
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