This is a good time to put up an item that's been around for a few days.
An independent group has an ad running which -- unfairly, in the view of independent observers -- tries to tar him as a bad guy for opposing anti-abortion legislation in Illinois that was framed as legislation to protect fetuses that were born alive. Obama now has an ad up responding to those attacks and -- unfairly, in the view of independent observers -- connecting McCain to them.
Here's the two ads. Then, after the jump, an AP piece attempting to explain. First, the anti-Obama ad, airing in Ohio and NM:
And, here's the Obama ad which draws McCain into it. It also says McCain is running on a platform that opposes abortion even in cases of rape or incest -- which accurately describes the GOP platform and Sarah Palin's position. McCain has previously supported such exemptions to his opposition to abortion:
AP Story:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Barack Obama is airing a new ad in
New Mexico and Ohio that defends his abortion rights record and
says Republican rival John McCain backs a party platform that would
deny abortions to victims of rape and incest.
Obama’s ad answers an independent ad campaign, financed by an
anti-abortion philanthropist, that singles out Obama’s efforts in
the Illinois Senate to defeat the Born Alive Infants Protection
Act.
“Now votes taken out of context, accusing Obama of letting
infants die? It’s a despicable lie,” Obama’s ad states.
As an Illinois state senator, Obama opposed three legislative
efforts in 2001, 2002 and 2003 to give legal protections to any
aborted fetus that showed signs of life. The 2003 measure was
virtually identical to a bill President Bush signed into law in
2002 that unanimously passed the U.S. Senate.
Obama and other opponents of the Illinois bill have noted the
state already had a law to protect aborted fetuses born alive and
considered able to survive. Moreover, they said the proposed
legislation would have undermined the landmark Supreme Court case
on abortion, Roe v. Wade, in ways the federal law would not. Among
those opposed to the state effort was the Illinois State Medical
Society, which argued that the bill would interfere with the
doctor-patient relationship and expand civil liability for doctors.
The independent ad is being aired by BornAliveTruth.org,
specifically targeting Albuquerque, N.M., and Cleveland markets.
The Obama ad is appearing in the same markets.
The BornAliveTruth ad, financed by prominent Massachusetts
anti-abortion figure Raymond Ruddy, features Gianna Jessen, a
31-year-old motivational speaker from Nashville, Tenn., who adopted
as a child after a failed abortion. “Sen. Obama, please support
born alive infant protections. I’m living proof these babies have a
right to live.”
Obama’s ad links McCain to the independent ad, though the McCain
campaign did not pay for or air it.
“McCain, he’s running on a platform to ban abortion, even in
cases of rape and incest,” Obama’s ad says. “Sleazy ads,
anti-choice, that’s John McCain.”
The Republican platform approved at the party’s national
convention earlier this month asserts the GOP’s opposition to
abortion, including in cases of rape, incest or to protect the life
of the mother.
McCain has supported such exemptions in the past, but did not
try to alter the party’s stance at the convention.
Jill Stanek, a nurse and anti-abortion activist who organized
BornAliveTruth, said Obama still needs to explain his votes.
“These babies have the same rights as the rest of us,” she said
in response to Obama’s ad.
Comments (1)
JR
A very nice piece again "fair & Balanced" well done
VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com