21 Jan 2012
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Huckabee Says He Would Need to Think ‘Long And Hard’ Ahead of Operating With Candidate Who Supports Abortion Rights

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Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, on Wednesday stated he would have to think “long and hard” before he would consider running with a candidate who supports abortion rights, the AP/Guardian reports. Huckabee, who opposes abortion rights, stated abortion is actually a “critical” issue, adding that the “sanctity of life is not just some peripheral political position” (Smith, AP/Guardian, 5/16). He also stated that the current debate about abortion rights among the Republican candidates is really a “healthy thing for [the Republican] party” (Daniels, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 5/17).

New York Times Examines New York Abortion, Adoption Numbers During Giuliani Administration
The New York Times on Thursday examined former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s claim that abortions in New York City decreased by 16% and adoptions elevated by 133% during his administration. Giuliani, who also is running for the Republican presidential nomination, made the statement at the Republicans’ second televised debate on Tuesday. In accordance with the Guttmacher Institute, the number of abortions decreased 18% during Giuliani’s administration. The Times reports that the increase in adoptions Giuliani referred to “resulted largely from [his] response” to a “foster care crisis” within the city. According to the Times, “little if anything” from public records indicate Giuliani “was promoting adoption as an alternative to abortion.” The changes in adoption and abortion numbers mirrored national trends, the Times reports. Giuliani during his tenure as mayor supported abortion rights and used city funding to provide abortion and contraception services to low-income girls. Elevated access to contraceptives for low-income females and also the federal Adoption and Safe Families Act, which offered incentives to cities with adoption programs, likely contributed towards the changes, the Times reports (Seelye, New York Times, 5/17).

Times Examines Focus of Giuliani Campaign
The Times on Thursday also examined the “strategic gamble” in Giuliani’s campaign: that his position on national security could override his positions on abortion rights and other social issues in the Republican primaries. Based on the Times, Giuliani’s aides stated they are not certain whether circumstances have “changed enough, inside the world and in the party, to allow national security to overrule social concerns.” However, a “divided and demoralized” Republican base might mean that “moderate Republicans will be critical” in determining the Republican nominee, the Times reports (Nagourney, New York Times, 5/17). In related news, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson in an WorldNetDaily online column released on Thursday said he stated he “cannot, and will not” vote for Giuliani in 2008, Reuters reports (Reuters, 5/17). Dobson described the candidate as an “unapologetic” supporter of abortion rights, the Washington Post reports (Goldfarb, Washington Post, 5/18). According to the AP/Albany Times Union, Dobson earlier this year said he would not support Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who also is running for the Republican presidential nomination, due to the fact of McCain’s opposition to a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage (Sidoti, AP/Albany Times Union, 5/18).

Broadcast Coverage

  • KCRW’s “To the Point”: The program on Wednesday included a discussion about the second Republican presidential debate and how abortion rights, human embryonic stem cell research and other issues could impact voters inside the Republican primary. Guests on the program included Karen Tumulty, a national political correspondent for Time magazine; Dan Gilgoff, a senior editor of U.S. News & World Report; Richard Land, president with the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission; and Christopher Barron, a Republican political consultant (Olney, “To the Point,” KCRW, 5/16). Audio of the segment is offered online.

  • NPR’s “All Things Considered”: The program on Thursday reported on Giuliani’s statements about abortion at a town hall meeting at the College of Charleston. The segment includes comments from Giuliani and South Carolina residents (Liasson, “All Things Considered,” NPR, 5/17). Audio with the segment is obtainable on-line.

  • NPR’s “Day to Day”: The program on Wednesday reported on a poll that found that half of Republican voters are unaware of their party’s candidates’ views on abortion. The segment includes comments from Alan Abramowitz, a professor of political science at Emory University; Stuart Rothenberg, editor of The Rothenberg Political Report; and Jennifer Duffy, managing editor of The Cook Political Report (Pesca, “Day to Day,” NPR, 5/16). Audio of the segment is accessible on the internet.

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