Posted on 05/10/2007 2:53:19 AM PDT by JohnSheppard
AMES, Iowa --GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Wednesday reports that his wife donated $150 to Planned Parenthood in 1994 aren't surprising given his position on abortion at the time.
"I was effectively pro-choice at that time," said Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, during a campaign stop in Iowa.
Romney insists that while he took a pro-choice stand until a couple of years ago, he has always personally opposed abortion. He added that his wife's donations say little about his positions on the matter.
A sign of the sensitivity surrounding Romney's abortion stance: An anti-abortion group's decision to give an award to Romney is drawing protests from those on both sides of the issue.
And the disclosure of the Planned Parenthood contribution, first reported by ABC News, is likely to give fresh ammunition to foes already suspicious of his changed position on the issue.
"I know there are some campaigns that want to keep reminding people of that," said Romney. "It's really hard for me to gauge what people will do."
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
Wow, this is going to get interesting. Only McVain is left among the front-runners.
It is WAY too early, but this issue may very well split the GOP.
I am going to go out on a limb and say that in 2012, there is a competitive 3rd party of social conservatives. The party will be stronger especially if a pro-abortion Guppie gets into the White House in 2008; but even if he is the nominee.
Ultimately the choice will have to be made between principle and power. In a Democracy power can always be regained. Once you lose your principles, then you have really lost.
I am having a tough time being optimistic after the last 12 years that the GOP is actually capable of implementing a conservative agenda.
I personally think that abortion is America's national sin, and that God might be, right now, witholding HIS hand of protection upon us .. but I also think (believe) that repentence is a major doctrine of people of faith.
When a man ceases to learn, he ceases to grow. Mitt Romney has explained himself well, in my opinion, and though I could jump on the anti-Mormon wagon .. I'm not sure it is all that important.
Different denominations seem to have varying answers to how we get to heaven, a doctrine that has more to do with "being on God's good side" than with how a man will think in making leadership decisions for a nation.
It's early yet, so let's stay focused on the prize of America ... not the high calling.
Couple means two, the rest means, I changed to appeal to conservatives.
Then Mitt says, “He added that his wife’s donations say little about his positions on the matter.”
Mormon wives don’t do anything without their husband’s permission.
I found your post interesting. You seem to take Mitt at his word that he has grown.
I, on the other hand, find it just a little bit too convenient that while running for governer of Massachusetts, Mitt claimed to be identical on abortion to Ted Kennedy. He ran then as a liberal Republican. Now that he is competing for the Republican presidential nomination, he is suddenly a born-again conservative. The more likely scenario, to me, is that he lacks a moral compass at all.
Maybe he truly has evolved into a conservative. But you must admit the very real possibility that he is the very worst type of politician imaginable - a chameleon who will say whatever it takes to win the next political round. I hated that in Bill Clinton, and I hate it even more from someone in MY party.
That is why Romney is not even a consideration for me. Rather than having to guess whether he’s conservative or not, it is better to choose a candidate who you KNOW is the real thing. Hunter and Thompson (Fred) are two candidates I don’t have to question. They’ve ALWAYS been conservatives. I can rest easier voting for them.
How many of us knew 8 years ago that “compassionate conservative” really meant “open borders, big government liberal”? I’m tired of guessing wrong.
Just say no to Rudy McRomney.
YEs, yes, PERSONALLY against and PUBLICALLY supporting it - another HYPOCRITE
Fred, time to RUN!
Let me get this straight.He is of the mormon faith as well as his wife.Are Mormons ok with abortion?,They were for it and now they are not? Piss poor pandering? forget this guy.
I don’t think it’s possible to be a pro-abortion Mormon; that would make Romney a MINO and a RINO.
ping
Precious Willard acquires more baggage.
Ping-A-Romney
/vanity
I had a smiliar conversion to pro-life. I was raised Democrat (Yup, a rare breed among Mormons). I was taught the contradictory stance of personally pro-life but that others could choose by my Mother. (Democrats belive contradictory things sometimes, fancy that.) I voted for Bill Clinton. As I got older, thanks to my older brother, and watching the impeachement trial on my night shift, I converted to Repbulicanism (then to Conspiracy theory Constitutionalist, but that’s another story).
My Mormon faith actually helped in that conversion to decipher between pieces of my political ideology which were not congruent with my religious belief. My mom was a good Christlike woman but as the scriptures say, even the elect can be deceived.
I really do believe Romney’s conversion as it mirrors mine. God can line up little pieces or events in your life that bring you to new enlightenment, like a light turning on in a room. It is easy to see afterward where your life was not in line with God’s love, but when you are living in it is not always so easy to discern. This awakening can come in one moment or as a series of small steps.
In his ecclesiastical roles in the past as a Bishop and Stake President, Romney counseled women not to have abortions. I think God lined up the stars for Him to come to an epiphany about the issue to bring his political understanding in line with his personal and religious.
I’m LDS. Could you tell my wife that, please?
"God can line up little pieces or events in your life that bring you to new enlightenment, like a light turning on in a room. It is easy to see afterward where your life was not in line with God’s love, but when you are living in it is not always so easy to discern. This awakening can come in one moment or as a series of small steps."
.. is sound doctrine in any belief.
***********
I hope it is sincere, for his sake. Still, I would prefer to see Hunter or Thompson as our nominee.
I AM SO DAMN SICK OF THESE LIBERAL WIVES!!!
Romney was interviewed by Michael Medved the next day here is a summary I found from..Elect Romney In 2008 - The Unofficial Blog!
"GMR spoke to the superficiality generated by a debate with 10 candidates in 90 minutes. He said he wished he could have had the opportunity to speak to the many critical issues facing our nation. He said he learned from some of the other candidates' answers and that he liked some of the answers of Duncan Hunter."
I haven't found the transcript of the show. I'm interested in the specifics of what he said if anyone else out there can find the transcript.
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