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The Abilene Reporter-News | Abilene, Texas | Wednesday, February 04, 1976 | Page 16
Ford Against 'Abortions on Demand'
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Ford said Tuesday he would oppose a constitutional amendment prohibiting abortion, but prefers one that would give states the right to decide such issues.
"I do not believe in abortion on demand," Ford said in a television interview. But, he added, that there must be some flexibility in the law to permit abortion in cases involving the mother's illness or rape.
Describing his views as "a moderate position," Ford addressed the abortion issue in an interview with CBS correspondent Waller Cronkite. He said that while he did not agree with the Supreme Court's 1973 decision legalizing abortion, he had taken an oath of office to uphold the law as interpreted by the court and would do so.
The high court has ruled that a state cannot bar a woman from obtaining an abortion from a licensed physician during the first three months of pregnancy. The decision permits the regulation of abortion in the second three months of pregnancy to preserve and protect the mother's health. States are permitted to forbid abortions in the final three months.
Ford said, "I do not believe in abortion on demand. I do not agree with the court decision."
He said he agreed there were instances, such as illness of the mother and rape, "when abortion should be permitted." But, he said, he felt the "preferable answer" was through an amendment that would permit the states to make their own decisions on their own abortion laws.
The president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Joseph L. Bernardine of Cincinnati, Ohio, called Ford's views "inconsistent and disappointing." The Roman Catholic Church has been in the forefront of efforts to ban abortion nationwide.
While criticizing the President, Archbishop Bernardine's statement said: "It would be unfair to be any more critical of Mr. Ford than of some other prominent political leaders, whose views on the abortion issue appear to be equally confused."
Constitutional amendments have been proposed both to ban abortion and to return the authority to the states for regulating abortion.
A House judiciary subcommittee on civil and constitutional rights begins hearings Wednesday on abortion amendments.
Ronald Reagan, Ford's rival for the GOP presidential nomination, has endorsed a constitutional amendment approach that would, in effect, prevent most abortions but allow them in extreme cases such as when a mother's life is in danger. Among Democratic candidates, only George Wallace has voiced support for an anti-abortion amendment, although several others say they oppose abortion in principle.
Press Secretary Ron Nessen, expanding on Ford's views expressed in the interview, said the President "does not support a constitutional amendment to prohibit abortion. He really feels that if there is to be any further action in this area ... individual states should decide."
And, Nessen said, if there were a constitutional amendment to let the states determine their own abortion laws, Ford "would support such an amendment."
Nessen emphasized that as President, Ford "doesn't play any part in the (constitutional) amendment process" and would "stay out of it."
The President's wife [Betty Ford] has said that "it was the best thing in the world when the Supreme Court voted to legalize abortion and bring it out of the backwoods and put it in the hospitals where it belongs." She said, "I thought it was a great, great decision."
And, when asked to comment on Ford's views Tuesday, press secretary Sheila Weidenfeld said Mrs. Ford just repeated that statement.
Wallace, Reagan Only Candidates Who Favor Antiabortion Amendment
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Ford's suggestion Tuesday that the abortion question be left up to the states puts him at odds with Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, who says the federal government should outlaw most abortions.
Among the Democratic presidential candidates, Sen. Henry Jackson shares Ford's views on letting the states decide but has not suggested, as Ford did, a constitutional amendment to allow this.
The only other candidate to come out for a flat ban on abortion by demand is Democrat George Wallace of Alabama. Both Wallace and Reagan have endorsed an amendment banning abortion except in extreme cases.
Most other candidates have said they are against abortion in principle but oppose amending the Constitution to ban it.
The Supreme Court ruled in January 1973 that stales cannot prohibit abortions in the first three months of pregnancy, although they were left some regulatory control thereafter.
At least a dozen constitutional amendments are pending in Congress which would circumvent this ruling by granting states sole jurisdiction over abortion.
There are 40 more proposed amendments which would outlaw abortions at the federal level. The most stringent of these would ban any abortion from the moment of conception.
The proposals backed by Reagan and Wallace would have the effect of returning to the situation prior to the Supreme Court ruling, when abortions generally were banned but allowed in specific emergencies, such as for rape victims or when the mother's life was in danger.
Reagan told a rally of antiabortion activists in a telegram last month that he supported their work "to insure that the right of life will belong to all human beings born or unborn. Passage of the Human life Amendment is the most certain way to insure this. I support it."
The amendment referred to is sponsored by Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C, and is one of those which would have the effect of allowing abortions only in exceptional circumstances.
Wallace issued a policy statement Monday opposing legalized abortion and calling for a constitutional amendment to "protect the lives of unborn children."
"Actions of the Supreme Court on abortions are another example of a destruction of true values in our society," Wallace said.
Jackson has issued a campaign statement saying he believes "life begins with conception, and I am opposed to abortion terminating a pregnancy which is not a threat to life or health."
Sargent Shriver, another of the Democratic contenders, has said he opposes abortion but would uphold the Supreme Court ruling. He has suggested alternatives such as contraceptive and psychiatric aid.
Shriver, too, has rejected the currently proposed amendments but says: "However, I support fully the efforts of people who would like to use the amendment process to minimize the need for or the permissiveness involved with respect to abortion."
Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, D-Tex., has said he supports the Supreme Court decision but still believes "the rights of those medical personnel and hospital administrators who have objections to abortion as a matter of conscience must also be observed." He has said he opposes an amendment.
Rep. Morris Udall, D-Ariz., and former Sen. Fred Harris, D-Okla., both have voiced support for the Supreme Court ruling and opposition to any amendment.
Jimmy Carter has taken the most typical stance among Democratic aspirants: He says he is opposed to abortion but does not favor a constitutional amendment banning it.
Carter said he favored governmental assistance toward pregnancy prevention, including education and birth control assistance.
The President's wife [Betty Ford] has said that "it was the best thing in the world when the Supreme Court voted to legalize abortion and bring it out of the backwoods and put it in the hospitals where it belongs." She said, "I thought it was a great, great decision."Wow. It's a little off topic, but I can't help but notice the crazy irony in Betty Ford's praise of the Supreme Court, which used self-professed ignorance, essentially backwoods biology, to bring killing "out of the backwoods" and "into hospitals where it belongs". Wacked out.
Cordially,