Attendees at the National Right to Life Committee’s annual convention may be lukewarm about John McCain’s candidacy, but when it comes to Barack Obama, they are positively overheated.
From the speakers to the rank and file at the Arlington, Va., event, there was near-unanimity Thursday in their strong opposition to the presumptive Democratic nominee.
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Audience members vigorously applauded as former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson delivered an extended attack on Obama in his keynote address. Calling the Illinois senator a “last gasp” of 1960s-era radicalism and “George McGovern without the experience,” Thompson sternly warned the crowd that Obama would appoint Supreme Court justices unfriendly to their agenda.
Thompson noted that during his career in the Illinois Legislature, Obama opposed a version of the Born Alive Infants Protection Act, a bill that made it illegal to harm an infant born after surviving an abortion.
Observing that even the National Abortion Rights Advocacy League had not opposed this legislation, Thompson joked: “I trust [Obama] is explaining how he’s to the left of NARAL during the religious outreach meetings he’s holding.”
In contrast, the former GOP presidential candidate praised John McCain for being “consistently pro-life throughout his career.”
Thompson’s remarks followed an introductory speech by Right to Life president Wanda Franz. Franz did not share Thompson’s sharp tone, but she had a similar message.
“There are no ideal candidates for political office,” she said, alluding in part to reservations about the presumptive Republican nominee that exist in the anti-abortion-rights community. But, she added, with the Supreme Court hanging in the balance this November, the cost of not voting would be too high: “Nonvoters allow the pro-abortionists to win and the pro-abortion candidate says, ‘Thank you.’”
The audience also heard brief, videotaped comments from President Bush, who thanked Right to Life for its work, particularly during the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito.
It was Thompson’s speech, however, that made the greatest impact on the audience.
“I thought he was wonderful,” said Julie Schmit-Albin, executive director of Nebraska Right to Life. Describing herself as a “single-issue, pro-life voter,” she said she had no reservations about voting for McCain this fall.
Anti-abortion-rights voters may not have rallied to the Arizona senator in the primaries, but Schmit-Albin is confident they will turn out for him in the general election. “I think when they weigh what’s at stake, it’s a no-brainer.”
Faith Psillas, from Bethesda, Md., agreed. Psillas voted for McCain in the Republican primary and intends to support him again this fall. “I believe he’s for life,” she explained, saying of Obama: “I’m sure he’s perfectly capable, but from a moral standpoint: no.”
Even conference participants who had mixed feelings about McCain shared Thompson’s view of Obama.
“Obama’s the most radically pro-abortion senator in the United States Senate,” said John Regan, vice president of Palm Beach County (Fla.) Right to Life, adding that he thought Obama had a “very distorted mind.”
Regan said he’s been “doing a lot of praying” about the election, and wants more clarity from McCain about his position on embryonic stem cell research. But as far as the fall election is concerned, he explained, the choice is simple: “Sen. Obama’s a nightmare.”
Mary Balch, an attendee from Fredericksburg, Va., did not support McCain in the Republican primary. Even after McCain had emerged as the clear favorite among the Republican primary candidates, she cast her ballot for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
But whatever misgivings Balch may have had about McCain pale in comparison to her concerns about Obama.
“He’s so extreme on the life issues,” she explained. “I don’t think people understand how extreme he is. I think it’s a shame he can use his rhetoric to persuade people he’s not as extreme as his voting record shows he is.”