ARTICLES

Will He Keep Them Running?

Pro-Aborts Tell Why They Fear George W. Bush

BY JAMES MCCOY

Only a dragon-slayer possesses the tongues of dragons. Just so, President Bush received this trophy from NARAL Pro-Choice California last May: "the most anti-choice president in the history of the United States."

So said Amy Everitt, speaking from the National Abortion Rights Action League's San Francisco office. I had called Everitt to find out why pro-abortion people are so worried about the possible reelection of George W. Bush. Everitt told me: "I think a second term of George W. Bush -- I think what it means is the end of access to safe, legal abortion for all women in America. He has stated that he seeks to overturn Roe v. Wade [the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion on demand], and in the past he has said, 'America is not ready yet' to overturn Roe v. Wade. And I have the feeling when he's not facing re-election, he'll determine that 'America is now ready.'

"Every one of his appointments to the federal bench have been adamantly anti-choice, and I don't see that changing at the Supreme Court. There will be retirements."

Will every one of the justices retire? I asked.

"Let me put it this way: I haven't heard of nominations that we haven't wanted to oppose," the state director of NARAL Pro-Choice California said, laughing. "You know, he did that sneaky trick of the recess appointments [of judges to the Fifth and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeals], so he's willing to do whatever he can to get his anti-choice nominees on the benches, even if it means going around the checks and balances of our government.

"So when he's up with no fear of having to go back to the American people and asking them for a vote, I'm sure that when he makes his Supreme Court nominations they will all be anti-choice. Because he clearly caters to that part of his party, to the religious right of the Republican party, and that' s his base."

If Bush is re-elected, I asked, how will NARAL lobby against what he'll try?

"Really what we're doing," Everitt replied, "is we're devoting all our efforts to making sure he doesn't have a second term."

Asked why George W. Bush was the most anti-abortion president ever, she replied: "I mean, this is the first man who has signed the partial-birth abortion ban, which impacts pregnancies as early as the twelfth and fifteenth week. This is the man who has signed a law separating the rights of the embryo from the rights of the mother."

The Pro-Choice California website also criticized Bush for "reimposing the global gag rule, barring U.S. aid to international family planning programs that provide counseling on abortion" and "shifting funds towards dangerous abstinence-only education programs that censor information about contraception."

NARAL has endorsed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry; if he wins, what will it expect?

Replied Everitt: "that government should stay out of it. It's a personal decision between a woman and her family and her doctor and her God. I think government should stay out of it. And Bush... you know, he ran saying he believed in limited government; and I suppose he thinks it's limited: it's just small enough to fit into your bedroom or your doctor's office.... And Kerry doesn't believe that; Kerry believes that women in America have a right to make decisions without government dictating to our doctors what they can and cannot say.

"Bush thinks that he knows better than qualified doctors who have medical degrees. He thinks he knows what the women of America -- what their reproductive options should be.... I would rather have a doctor telling me than a politician."

But it wasn't a politician but a federal judge who declared the partial-birth abortion law unconstitutional on June 1. U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton indefinitely blocked the Bush administration from enforcing the ban passed by Congress with a large margin. Although Planned Parenthood Golden Gate had won its suit against Attorney General John Ashcroft, "we expect the government to appeal," said Planned Parenthood's communications manager Erin Kiernon. "And you know" -- here she sighed -- "this case could possibly end up in the Supreme Court.

"Our hope as an agency is that the Supreme Court justices will be able to determine the case based on the constitutionality of the law -- not based on their personal beliefs. But I think it's safe to say that Bush definitely has an agenda with his judicial appointments. And if a Supreme Court justice retired, and if he were able to appoint a Supreme Court justice, I'm sure he would pick the most anti-choice."

So the June 1 court decision might turn out to be only a temporary victory?

"I don't think we see it as being a temporary victory, but I think we have a long road ahead of us; I mean, we don't think that this is the last word."

On the heels of Judge Hamilton's ruling, Bush campaign chairman Marc Racicot issued a release: "A majority of Americans oppose partial-birth abortion.... John Kerry's judicial nominees would similarly frustrate the people's will.... John Kerry returned to the senate last year to oppose the partial-birth abortion ban. Today's ruling is a stark reminder of the clear choice Americans face in November."

I called the Bush campaign headquarters in Arlington, Virginia to find out if the president planned to keep this reminder stark. I spoke with spokeswoman Sharon Castillo: "do you see President Bush running in a highly emphatic way on his anti-abortion record?"

"I think the president has been very clear about his position and his staunch support of life at all stages," she replied. "I think the president is going to be talking about all the issues that are important to Americans. He has certainly been very emphatic and very clear about his position regarding abortion, and I think the voters have a clear choice between the president and Sen. Kerry on this issue."

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