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Where Senate Republican Candidates Stand On Abortion

I mentioned on the last Action News Hotline that I would say something about the pro-life stand of the leading Republicans vying to replace Illinois’ retiring U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald. They’ll be on the ballot March 16. As a 501(c)(3) the League does not endorse candidates.

Illinois GOP Senate Candidates on Abortion

And, as Will Rogers once said, “All I know is what I read in the newspapers.” We’ve been reading the papers and find that about five of the six Republican contenders are conservatives and considered anti-abortion, most with exceptions.

Retired Air Force Gen. John Borling of Rockford is pro-abortion and uses his so-called “pro-choice” stance as part of his campaign. Nobody with a conscience could vote for Borling.

Among the others a mixed bag. Jonathan Wright, Attorney in the Pekin area, makes no exceptions, saying even a life of the mother exception is a misnomer, and abortion is not necessary. Jack Ryan of Wilmette, Andy McKenna of Glenview and Sen. Steve Rauschenberger of Elgin, all would allow for rape and incest exceptions.

Dairy owner James Obverweis made conservatives angry in 2001 when he compared some religious activists with the Taliban, but says in a recent Tribune story that he does not support rape and incest exceptions, but would allow abortion “when the life of the mother is at stake.”

Oberweis still has skeptics in the pro life camp but will probably draw a “1” when ratings come out. The three candidates with rape and incest exceptions will get a qualified “1.”

When we spoke with Sen. Fitzgerald in Washington recently, I told him we will sorely miss him in the Senate. He said that whoever replaces him will do as well. My reply: “Not as well. Reconsider.”

This is only a partial and sketchy report but that’s about the extent of my political savvy. I’m an anti-abortion street fighter, not a political animal. Keep your own eyes and ears open and remember Henry Hyde’s famous advice during the Schumer bankruptcy bill vote: “I admire those who vote their conscience.”

Pro-Life Judge Pickering Installed

Our hat is off to President George Bush for appointing Judge Charles Pickering to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals after two-and-a-half years of waiting for the Senate to confirm him. A Democrat filibuster prevented a full vote in the Senate.

Our hat is off to Pickering , too, for accepting the appointment that loses him his lifetime tenure as a district court judge. And this could be a one-year appointment unless the Republicans win big in November and gain enough votes to break the filibuster. In that case his appointment could be extended.

Meanwhile, waiting in the wings are William Pryor, Priscilla Owen, Carolyn Kuhl and Janice Brown.

DeParrie Doubts PBA Battle Cost

One of our old pro-life buddies, Paul DeParrie, has published a sort of apology for releasing the grizzly details of the partial birth abortion procedure back in 1993. Paul’s complaint is that while millions of dollars were spent over the ten years it took to get a law against the procedure, a law that he believes will not stand constitutional muster, that time and effort could have been better spent on actually saving babies through sidewalk counseling, displaying graphic pictures of the many other types of abortion and supplying medical services for women who changed their minds about abortion.

Paul makes a point. But maybe the partial birth debate touched some people who would have been reached in no other way. We’ll know the answer to that on Judgment Day.

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