Perry toughens anti-abortion stance

...What brought about the change? Perry said he was moved by a woman he met who appeared in former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's movie, "The Gift of Life," which he screened in Des Moines on Dec. 14. The woman has been conceived during a rape, and Perry said she told him, "My life has worth." He described the moment as "powerful." The next day, he signed the Personhood USA pledge.

….”Verwers asked Perry about his signature on a pledge from the anti-abortion group Personhood USA that requires candidates to oppose abortion for any reason. Verwers said Perry told him at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition dinner in October that he did support abortion in certain cases.

What brought about the change? Perry said he was moved by a woman he met who appeared in former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's movie, "The Gift of Life," which he screened in Des Moines on Dec. 14. The woman has been conceived during a rape, and Perry said she told him, "My life has worth." He described the moment as "powerful." The next day, he signed the Personhood USA pledge.

Perry specifically said the film made him rethink the exceptions for rape and incest, though in his conversation with Verwers he did not mention the life of the mother, the traditional third exception that many who oppose abortion will allow.

The Personhood USA pledge leaves some wiggle room on the issue, saying, "I recognize that in cases where a mother's life is at risk, every effort should be made to save the baby's life as well; leaving the death of an innocent child as an unintended tragedy rather than an intentional killing." The implication is that saving a mother's life over her child might be the only acceptable case for an abortion.....

.....”Bachmann never answered the question. If she is 100% pro-life, then she is against all abortions and should want them all banned. Bachmann signed the Personhood USA pledge, which includes this passage: “If elected President, I will work to advance state and federal laws and amendments that recognize the unalienable right to life of all human beings as persons at every stage of development.”

However, that is not the stance Michele Bachmann has taken publicly when asked about late term abortion. She says, “That’s a state issue”. Then denies she said that. Then says she would have “see the clip” before she can comment on it. Then Bachmann dodges a question on whether late term abortion is a states’ issue or not.

For someone who is making her stance on life a centerpiece of her campaign, Michele Bachmann is beginning to sound as confusing as Herman Cain on the issue. One week before the caucus, Iowans deserve to know where Michele Bachmann stands on late term abortion.”

http://theiowarepublican.com/2011/bachmann%E2%80%99s-confusing-answers-on-late-term-abortion/

Bachmann and Perry Fight for Votes in Southwest Iowa ......"A few miles away, more than 125 caucus goers jammed into the Main Street Café to see Rick Perry. The Texas governor arrived about 15 minutes late. He had to enter the room through the kitchen because there was simply no way to fit through the other entrances. Attendees were virtually hanging from the rafters.

Perry was accompanied by Joe Arpaio, the outspoken sheriff of Maricopa County in Arizona. He is a conservative favorite who is renowned for his strong stances on illegal immigration. The event lasted only 10 minutes, with Perry hammering conservative red meat issues and playing up his outsider status.

“I’ve got all of the respect in the world for the frontrunners in this race, but ask yourself, if we replace a Democrat insider with a Republican insider, you think we’re going to really change Washington, D.C.,” Perry quizzed the crowd.

The quick visit was well received. “I’ve always been impressed with Perry as a person,” attendee Carl Heinrich said. “So many people evaluate the candidates on their ability to speak or their ability to debate and to me that is so superficial. The thing that I look for is the depth, the character, whether they’re conservative or not, what they say in terms of the issues that are important to me.”........

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA - DECEMBER 27: Texas Governor and Republican candidate for president Rick Perry speaks to supporters during a campaign stop at the Main Street Cafe on December 27, 2011 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Pro-Life, Marriage Groups Release 2012 GOP Scorecard “……Only three candidates – Perry, Santorum, and Bachmann – support every issue on the scorecard and have signed both pledges. The other candidates have either not signed one of the pledges or have not indicated support of one of the social conservative issues.”……

Rick Perry Gets A Grade on Abortion From Texas Pro-Life Groups “The big question in the Republican presidential race is whether or not Texas Gov. Rick Perry will throw his name in the hat for the GOP nomination to face pro-abortion president Barack Obama. If he does, Texas pro-life groups give him high marks.

“Governor Rick Perry has always championed the pro-life cause, tirelessly advocating for the sanctity of innocent human life in numerous ways,” Texas Right to Life executive director Elizabeth Graham tells LifeNews.com.

Governor Perry has worked alongside Texas Right to Life, helping shepherd our pro-life bills and eagerly supporting our measures,” Graham said. “As governor of Texas, he has intervened to stop anti-life legislation on a number of occasions, and he has helped clear obstacles when necessary.” ………….

Texas Gov. Rick Perry blasted pro-abortion President Barack Obama on pro-life issues "Perry said that, under Obama “our federal tax dollars can now be used to fund abortion all over the world. With the stroke of a pen, abortion essentially became a U.S. foreign export......."

”Perry has pleased pro-life advocates in Texas many times with signing pro-life legislation — most recently signing an ultrasound bill allowing women to see them before an abortion and hopefully changing their minds on it. He has been strongly supported by pro-life groups. Perry supported or signed into law the Women’s Right to Know Act and the Prenatal Protection Act in 2003, parental consent law in 2005, and funding for alternatives to abortions in 2007 and 2009."

************************

Perry's push for the sonogram bill has fortified his long-standing ties to family values and pro-life groups but it has also made him a target from other circles.

"We would aggressively work to defeat him [Perry], of course," said Terry O'Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, which describes itself as non-partisan but typically backs Democrats. Star Telegram

Margaret Carlson’s take on Perry She hoping he won’t run against Romney, so made an “ick” list about him including:

……”This year, Perry signed into law "emergency legislation" forcing a woman seeking an abortion to have a sonogram, after which she'll be told everything about the fetus. And after Texas's anti-sodomy law was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003, he supported the state legislature's refusal to remove the law from its books and called the justices "nine oligarchs in robes."………….

Pro-life, pro-Perry “Texas Gov. Rick Perry picked up an endorsement yesterday [Dec 6, 2011] from Kurt Wuelper, the president of New Hampshire Right to Life.

"I know that Gov. Perry unequivocally believes that life begins at conception and does not waver in his protection of the unborn, unlike some self-professed pro-life candidates," Wuelper said in a campaign release. "But more than just talking the talk, Rick Perry has shown he is a man of strong faith and strong action."

Wuelper added, "He doesn't just fight against abortion, Gov. Perry fights for life. His dedication to providing assistance to pregnant women and encouraging them to choose life makes him exactly the kind of positive leader I want in the White House."

Perry TV Ad: I Can Defend Faith from Obama’s “War on Religion" …….."I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian, but you don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school. As President, I'll end Obama's war on religion. And I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage," says Perry in the new ad titled "Strong."….

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.