Election 2008 | Abortion-Rights Opponents Scrutinize Obama Votes on Abortion-Related Measures in Illinois Legislature
[Feb 16, 2007]

Abortion-rights opponents in Illinois are criticizing Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who is running for president in 2008, for votes he made on legislation while serving as a state senator, The Hill reports. Obama in 2001 and 2002 voted "present" or "no" on a package of bills known as the Illinois Born Alive Infants Protection Act, which did not pass in 2001 and 2002 (Youngman, The Hill, 2/15). The legislation would have made it illegal for doctors to allow a fetus to die if it were delivered alive during an abortion procedure. Obama in August 2004 said he voted against the legislation because it did not include an exception to protect the life of a pregnant woman (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 8/11/04). In floor speeches during the votes, he expressed concerns about the constitutionality of the definition of a "born alive infant" and the inclusion of potential civil and criminal penalties for doctors in such circumstances. Obama also said that he agreed that there is a need to protect infants but that the legislation extended beyond the definition of fetal viability. "This is an area where potentially we might have compromised and ... arrived at a bill that dealt with the narrow concerns about how ... a previable fetus or child was treated by a hospital," he said.

Protest, Reaction
About 50 abortion-rights opponents on Saturday protested as Obama announced his candidacy for president in Springfield, Ill. The protesters -- who were carrying signs and chanting, "No abortion, no Obama" -- might become a "consistent presence" as Obama campaigns for president, according to The Hill. Jill Stanek -- a registered nurse who has testified before state and national lawmakers on the issue and led the protest -- said, "Everybody in the pro-life movement is completely aware of what Obama stands for -- how bad he is." Pam Sutherland, president of the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council, said the legislation would have opened the door to "civil suits and criminal charges." The "legislation was written to ban abortion, plain and simple," Sutherland said, adding, "Sen. Obama saw the legislation, when he was there, for what it was." Joseph Scheidler, founder of the Pro-Life Action League who helped lead the protests in Springfield, said his group "won't concentrate on Obama," but he added that he wanted to ensure that voters know the senator's position on the issue (The Hill, 2/15).