Does McCain Want to Ban All Abortions?
Brooks Jackson
September 8, 2008
Thesis: McCain believes abortion is necessary in cases of the mother being raped, incest, or her life is at stake.
Class connection: In this article, it is clear that Senator John McCain supports abortion only partly. From an interview he had on January 30, 2000, he stated that all abortions should be banned. Two weeks after this interview, he says that he wants it to be in the law that abortion can only happen under certain circumstances. My question to this is, how do we know as people under him, that he will not change his mind again? Even though he wasn't running for office at this time, he already seemed to do what most people do when they run for office, which is to sugarcoat what they say to make it sound pleasing to their audience. But from my view, I think that that they should be telling the truth from the getgo, whether people like it or not. It's a better method because once they're in office, people don't have to question their word. I believe, it's better to loose with the knowledge that you told the truth, rather than loosing knowing that you lied just because you thought that the happiness of the people is better than their safety.
Brooks Jackson
September 8, 2008
Thesis: McCain believes abortion is necessary in cases of the mother being raped, incest, or her life is at stake.
Class connection: In this article, it is clear that Senator John McCain supports abortion only partly. From an interview he had on January 30, 2000, he stated that all abortions should be banned. Two weeks after this interview, he says that he wants it to be in the law that abortion can only happen under certain circumstances. My question to this is, how do we know as people under him, that he will not change his mind again? Even though he wasn't running for office at this time, he already seemed to do what most people do when they run for office, which is to sugarcoat what they say to make it sound pleasing to their audience. But from my view, I think that that they should be telling the truth from the getgo, whether people like it or not. It's a better method because once they're in office, people don't have to question their word. I believe, it's better to loose with the knowledge that you told the truth, rather than loosing knowing that you lied just because you thought that the happiness of the people is better than their safety.
Here's a copy of John McCain's interview from January 30, 2000:
Russert (Jan. 30, 2000): A constitutional amendment to ban all abortions?
McCain: Yes, sir.
Russert: You're for that?
McCain: Yes, sir.
Russert: If, in fact, all abortions were banned in America ...
McCain: I understand.
Russert: ...under President McCain ...
McCain: Understand.
Russert: ... let's look at our country. What would happen to a woman who had an abortion? McCain: Obviously, it would be illegal, but I would not prosecute a woman who did that. I would think that it would be such a terrible trauma that -- but I would not make those abortions available or easy as they are today in America
Here's a copy of his debate with Bush on February 15, 2000:
McCain: George, do you believe in the exemption in abortion, case of abortion, for rape, incest and life of the mother?
Bush: Yes, I do. I do.
McCain: Then, you know, it's interesting, you were talking about printed material that's mailed out. Here's one that says that George W. Bush supports the pro-life plank. The pro-life plank.
Bush: I do.
McCain: Yes. So in other words ...
Bush: Yes ...
McCain: ... your position is that you believe there's an exemption for rape, incest and the life of the mother, but you want the platform that you're supposed to be leading to have no exemption.
Bush: Yes, but ...
McCain: Help me out there, will you? ...
Bush: The platform talks about – it doesn't talk about what specifically should be in the Constitutional amendment. ... The platform speaks about a Constitutional amendment. It doesn't refer to how that Constitutional amendment ought to be defined.
Sources:Republican National Committee, "2008 Republican Platform," Sep 2008; 51.
Transcript, NBC Meet the Press 30 Jan 2000.
Transcript, CNN's Larry King Live, South Carolina Republican Debate
15 Feb 2000.
Transcript, ABC This Week 19 Nov 2006.
Transcript, NBC Meet the Press 30 Jan 2000.
Transcript, CNN's Larry King Live, South Carolina Republican Debate
15 Feb 2000.
Transcript, ABC This Week 19 Nov 2006.
1 comment:
I find this funny it seems like he is trying to please both sides.
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