No Respect

Hillary joins in the Democratic scramble back to the center on abortion:

While she acknowledged in her address today that Americans have "deeply held differences" over abortion rights, Mrs. Clinton told the annual conference of the Family Planning Advocates of New York State, "I for one respect those who believe with all their heart and conscience that there are no circumstances under which abortion should be available."

I am sure pro-lifers welcome with surprise her new-found respect.  After all, it was just one year ago that Sen. Clinton said this at a NARAL meeting:

I hope that tonight you will recognize that this battle over choice is a much wider struggle than just what happened to Roe v. Wade. It’s also part of an effort to turn the clock back on evidence and science. You know I have come to believe that the other side wants to turn Washington into an evidence-free zone. It matters not what evidence there is or what scientific research might tell us, they will dismiss that if it in anyway contradicts their ideology or other beliefs. So evidence doesn’t matter, science doesn’t matter, privacy doesn’t matter, the constitution doesn’t matter. This is as serious a threat to our way of life and our system of government that we have faced in a very long time.

Well, times change, as do the political requirements of the moment.  Sam Rosenfeld of TAPPED wonders why abortion has bubbled to the surface, and wonders if the Adam Nagourney of the Times is rewriting history; here is a link to a Nagourney effort on abortion at Christmas time.

Matt Yglesias looks at exit polls (and so did I).

MORE:  Lots of Hillary speeches at "Friends of Hillary".  If they were true friends, they would be taking these speeches down.  Wagers?

UPDATE:  Wait "Til The Sun Shines, Nellie:  Bush addresses abortion opponents:

"The America of our dreams, where every child is welcomed in law - in life, and protected in law, may be some ways away," Mr. Bush said, "but even from the far side of the river, Nellie, we can see its glimmerings." Nellie Gray was the organizer of the annual rally, which Mr. Bush addressed by telephone from Camp David, sending his support without attending the event, just as Republican presidents have done each year since Ronald Reagan entered office.

"I encourage you to take heart from our achievements, because a true culture of life cannot be sustained solely by changing laws," the president said. "We need, most of all, to change hearts. And that is what we are doing, seeking common ground where possible."

That was Bush's straddle in the 2000 campaign as well - you have to change people's hearts before you change the law.

Comments

[Rob Read]

Forcing women to allow an unwanted child to parasite upon her body is the ultimate in socialism.

[Paul Zrimsek]

It's a slippery slope, too. Let the government force women to bring those parasites to term, and the next thing you know it'll be making them provide the tiny second-handers and whim-worshippers with food and shelter once they're born.

[TM]

...the ultimate in socialism.

Where did China's "one child" policy finish in the rankings?

[Aodhan Hoffman]

Changing hearts, not changing laws, is one of the core ingredients of the American experiment. I applaud the President for pointing out that the debate over ideas is at least as important as the debate over law.

[Forbes]

It will be interesting to see if the MSM ever confronts HRC over her various postures regarding issues as abortion.

On the other hand, never mind. It'll never happen.

Mr. Read raises an interesting point regarding socialism, word usage and visual imagery.

Was the unwanted child a result of unwanted sex? No? For choices have consequences, thus triggering responsibility for such. Perhaps forced sterilization is the answer to irresponsible choices.

[Jack Tanner]

'It will be interesting to see if the MSM ever confronts HRC over her various postures regarding issues as abortion.'

I see the future:

'Mrs. Clinton took a brave stand embracing life in the way that all progressives do. Her groundbreaking courage blah, blah, blah........'

[TM]

LOL.

[Joe Mealyus]

Is there a connection between the "heriditary meritocracy" item (right now at the top of JOM) and this one? Because it seems to me that a disproportionate amount of support for (at least the status quo on) abortion comes from people (including many who vote Republican) who don't want an unwanted pregnancy to get in the way of their daughters' education....

[meep]

Yeah, because pregnancy is just =so= distracting (from someone who took and aced an actuarial exam 2 weeks before giving birth). I find it interesting to hear such high-flown rhetoric from people who have never borne any children.

[Harry Arthur]

Rob,

Does the "parasite" have the human right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" at some point? If so, how old must the "parasite" be to acquire these God-given rights?

What you describe is not socialism, it is "we the people" acting on behalf of a weak person in defense of its right not to be killed by a stronger person. Are the handicapped and elderly also "parasites?" If not, why not? What is the level of inconvenience that justifies depriving a human of their life without just cause? At least you recognized that the child is a separate human, avoiding the factually incorrect "my body, my choice" argument. Just like to know where your argument leads.

I would submit that the whole abortion issue resides in the determination of when the child is in fact a human. At that point, I'd say we have to recognize its right to live regardless of the inconvenience to the mother.

[Veeshir]

I think that's one thing President Bush says that isn't just BS. It's just common sense. Look at how a decision by judicial fiat divided the country. I don't think we Americans like to have our betters tell us how to think. That's why we have elections. For an object lesson in how it works to harangue, lecture and demand that people agree with you or they're stupid or evil, see the last few eletions.

As for Hillary, I see many GOP and 527 ads showing her taking two or more sides of any number of issues for different groups.
Bill had a compliant press, Hillary has Foxnews, the Internet and 527s.