Kucinich dodged the abortion question

[Freddie Stubbs]

SPRADLING: My questions are this: Can you elaborate on what that was that made you change your mind on an issue like this?

And, secondly, do you still see that life begins at conception?

KUCINICH: I think that I may be the only person who is capable of uniting this nation on this very divisive issue, specifically because of the journey that I've taken.

And I've always worked to make abortions less necessary, through sex education and birth control.

But the direction that Congress has taken, increasingly, is to make it impossible for women to be able to have an abortion if they need to protect their health.

As a matter of fact, in the Stenberg v. Carhart case, the Congress just rejected the Supreme Court's decision that said that the health of the mother had to be taken into consideration.

So when I saw the direction that was taken, all the years of discussion that I've had with women in my life, with women in Congress, it finally came to the point where I understood that women in this society will not be truly free unless they have the right to choose.

And I think that we can work to make abortions less necessary, through sex education and birth control, but only in the context of protecting Roe v. Wade.

And we also need to strive to have a society which favors prenatal care, postnatal care, child care, a living wage, universal health care and all of those things that help affirm life.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50859-2003Dec9_2.html

Althought he answered the first part of the question, he managed to dodge the second part about whether or not he still believed if life started at conception. I wonder why he didn't address that.

[bpilgrim]

1. what r u gunnin for kopple's job?

nice DISTRACTION :toast:

peace

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Sorry to distract from Kucinich's straigtforwarness and integrity

Nothing to see her, move along.

[bpilgrim]

18. yeah, whatever...

all i got to say to that is...

thank GORE, he 'invented' the internet

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

;->

peace

[MercutioATC]

30. That's a joke, right? If not, find me the quote where Gore said that.

(hint) It doesn't exist. Just another example of media hype.

[bpilgrim]

32. never mind

peace

[Galley_Queen]

50. Hey! You almost stole MY line!

"I'm so glad Al Gore invented the internet!"

Ha. Can't beat em'? Join them and ram it down their throats.

We all know Al Gore didn't say that. Why argue with wingnuts over it? Just make it our own!

:bounce:

[mmm]

2. ptah

whatever

[POed_Ex_Repub]

6. Probably just ran out of time...

They were all running over as I recall.. I doubt there was any malicious intent involved.

[bpilgrim]

22. that is exactly what happened

one time i was apreciative of the sound byte format, ah what a world we live in, eh.

:hi:

peace

[Freddie Stubbs]

27. How convienent

[bpilgrim]

33. yeah... he's in cohoots with ted

liberal media and all ;->

peace

[funkyflathead]

3. He has flip flopped on the issue

I still believe he is pro life.

[loyalsister]

17. I suspect in his heart

he hasn't been able to come full circle on it.
The question I was hoping to hear was "How did you make it through the 70s without having that conversation with several women?"
Honestly how does a politician make it to the age of 56 years old without having contact with women who have serious convincing concerns about the issue?

[WindRavenX]

4. As long as he now votes in a pro-choice manner

I don't care what his personal beliefs are.
Many politicians believe abortion is immoral, but most Democrats pro-choice because they believe in choice.

[FDRrocks]

5. I think life begins at conception...

and I'm pro-choice. Even late term. Sounds like he is too. Great answer.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. That's where I am, too

If I had ever gotten pregnant, I would not have gotten an abortion, but it's not up to me to decide for anyone else. In my twenties, I was anti-choice, but not strongly enough to do anything about it, so I've made the same journey as Kucinich.

[FDRrocks]

14. My view in total...

since I'm a guy anyways: Is that if it doesn't happen in a doctors office in a clean environment, its gonna be an alley and unsafe methods.

[AnAmerican]

7. I am thinking that.........

He did not answer the 2nd part of the question because it was not necessary. He elaborated on his position as to why he feels the way he does. Whatever his personal belief, it is how he will deal with the issue as President that matters. Abortion should never have been politicized as is has been. The rightwingers have done a marvelous job of clouding the real issue, as they do with everything.

The important thing is that we work to reconcile the people and both sides of this issue...and Dennis has the background and integrity to begin the process.

[BigMcLargehuge]

8. c'mon, it was a hit job question

Spradling is a rethug buttwipe. FWIW Dennis answered the first part of the question:

So when I saw the direction that was taken, all the years of discussion that I've had with women in my life, with women in Congress, it finally came to the point where I understood that women in this society will not be truly free unless they have the right to choose.

The second part was horseshit and he was right to ignore it. There was no need to even dignify that with a response.

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. The only horeshit part of it was that it made him look like a hypocrite

A candidate who has been consistant on this issue would not have had any trouble answering this.

[bpilgrim]

34. huh? you need to look up that word i think...

hypocrasy is the tribute vice pays virtue.

he has stated his opinion on that and you can read all about it at his web site - thanks gore - in case you missed it but more importantly to display your own spin is that he did NOT comment on it since ted movedon, in case you forgot... so go ahead and sit in judgment on something he never even uttered :crazy:

peace

[BigMcLargehuge]

37. a consistent what? consistent Catholic?

What difference does it make what he personally believes? His belief in legislation protecting a woman's right to choose is important. He examined the issue, reflected on it for years, changed his mind.

How hard is that to understand? Not answering a question about personal beliefs isn't an issue of hypocrasy.

[Freddie Stubbs]

45. His answer may give some insight as to weather his flip-flop

was motivated by politics.

[Terwilliger]

10. why does that matter

if he isn't trying to interfere with women?

[coralrf]

12. Abortion is not an issue..

it is a trap. The 'issue' was resolved with Roe v Wade and requires no further political evaluation.

The GOP has affected a "pro life" position because it sounds good. It is a neutral position to most swing voters and by making the Democrats "pro abortion" the GOP have been able to spar from a holier than thou position. Note I said ''and by making the Democrats "pro abortion"..'' as that is exactly what they did. I would suggest that all the Dem candidates refuse to discuss the issue. Its a woman’s issue and no woman is going to be running.

[funkyflathead]

15. Sorry your wrong

They need to LOUDLY denounce the abortion ban Bush signed and pledge to overturn it.

[DemBones DemBones]

42. Kucinich LOUDLY denounced the ban in the House, while it was

being debated. Kucinich voted NO on the bill to ban "partial birth" abortions.

If he votes pro choice, why would anyone care about his personal belief about when life begins?

NARAL is satisfied that Kucinich's change of position is sincere.

[Cocoa]

13. that question was Koppel's revenge

Ted has a huge ego, he was pissed at Dennis for criticizing his lack of substance.

That said, abortion is Dennis's weak point. He flip-flopped before this campaign, imo. But I think his current position is his sincere one, that his pro-life position was due to his district's makeup.

[mmonk]

19. DK did fine

Another media trap question meant to try at controversy. Wish they would address positions in a straight forward manner to give the public a better look at their positions.

[liberalmuse]

20. Inflammatory questions.

I'm glad I can't get tv after hearing about this debate. I'd like to see those kinds of questions asked of Bush--'Why do you feel it is not a woman's right to choose what to do with her own body?'--it will NEVER happen. I'm glad Kucinich dodged this question. He supports a woman's right to choose, and that does not mean he supports abortion.

On edit: Oops! I meant to say that this was a badly worded question. Many people cannot get that you can be against abortion yet support a woman's right to choose.

[dsc]

21. actually you didn't hit on the worst part of his answer

The problem is that under the standards that Dean is usually judged by Kucinich lied about when his decision occured. He made it sound like it was over a year before he ran when in reality it was a matter of days. Now, I don't believe his answer was dishonest but again under the Dean standard it sure sounded it.

[liberalmuse]

29. True...

A candidate changing his mind about an issue doesn't bother me. Although I was surprised to learn of Kucinich's voting record on women's reproductive rights (I had a Kucinich '04 sticker on my car for some time before he announced), but was happy to learn he had changed his mind many months before regarding this issue. None of our candidates come even close to the Bushian pandering to the polls, but many have changed their minds about issues to appeal more to the masses whereas in their small states or districts, they didn't necessarily need to broaden their views on certain subjects. Now, running for President, they are forced to take into account how these issues effect the U.S. population as a whole.

[DemBones DemBones]

44. Like realizing that dumping nuclear waste where low-income

Latinos live might play well in your 98% white state but not with the whole country?

[Cheswick2.0]

23. whoever asked that bullshit question should be slapped

and I would like the oportunity to do so. My left kidney is "alive" what the hell difference does it make if "life begins at conception".

This is lame freaking flame bait Freddie and you should be ashamed for playing this idiotic right wing game against other democrats.

[loudnclear]

24. Pretty soon the Christian right will be asking: Do you think life begins

after death?

[dweller]

36. or does

death begin after life?

discuss amongst the casualties...
dp

[killbotfactory]

25. It was a dodge, but the answer is yes.

DK does believe life begins at conception.

[Kathleen04]

26. I like his answer...

I don't think he was trying to avoid the 2nd half of the question, instead he was trying to focus on the policy issue as it affects America. Whenever he believes life begins has no real bearing on his overall abortion policy stance. I like that he spoke about prevention through education, making abortions less necessary.

Secondly, why did this issue ever enter Presidential politics? Bush* may be pro-life, but he can only push that agenda so far before someone intervenes. I've known some that use this issue to determine what party they are in (pro-lifers) and it doesn't make sense to me, seeing as voting for a pro-life candidate doesn't stop abortions.

[mrgorth]

28. No he didn't

he answered it perfectly. Great response on his part. He did great tonight.

[caledesi]

31. He didn't answer the question. nt

[bpilgrim]

35. time ran out, but thank GORE he 'invented' the internet ;-)

http://kucinich.us

peace

[dweller]

38. yes, he did.

So when I saw the direction that was taken, all the years of discussion that I've had with women in my life, with women in Congress, it finally
came to the point where I understood that women in this society will not be truly free unless they have the right to choose.

that's an answer.

dp

[David Zephyr]

39. Kucinich Was Honest and Gave an Honest Answer.

Cut Kucinich some slack for goodness sake! He came a very long way on this issue and hasn't backed away now.

I thought his response was just fine!

Good grief!

[MoonRiver]

40. WHO F'N CARES!

That's the least of our problems. Even if he has some conflicted feelings, Kucinich would NOT appoint rightwing justices who would repeal Roe v. Wade. So why bring up such a bogus issue??

[BigMcLargehuge]

41. here here!!!!

My sentiments exactly!

[DemBones DemBones]

43. Maybe he dodged the second part of the question, maybe he

just ran out of time. What difference does it make, politically, if he believes that life begins at conception but also believes that women have the right to choose and votes to preserve that in law?

NARAL is convinced of the sincerity of Kucinich's pro-choice stand.

Dennis Kucinich denounced the partial birth abortion ban during debate on the House floor. He voted against the ban.

He did a wonderful job answering the question, discussing his plans for healing the hurt that the abortion debate has caused America. Too bad all you wanted to hear is whether or not he thinks life begins at conception.

[Moderator]

46. Freddie Stubbs

Per DU copyright
rules please post
only 4 paragraphs
from the news source.

Thank you.


DU Moderator

[reachout]

47. I liked his answer

I think the government and society as a whole would benefit from more people who are actually willing to consider and discuss both sides of the issue.

It's been 30 years since Roe v. Wade and the two sides have been screaming at each other the whole time. If you read the polls, about the same percentage of people are pro-choice, pro-life or somewhere in the middle as they were in the early 70s. Thirty years of acrimony and nobody's mind has been changed (or a few on each side have been, basically making it a wash).

So, maybe it's time to stop trying to shout each other down and start trying to figure out how pro-choice and pro-life people can live together. I used to be one of the loudest people bellowing about choice (donating to NARAL, volunteering at Planned Parenthood) until I realized that even the very progressive crowd of women I hung out with had conflicted feelings about the issue. I was more vehemently pro-choice than any of them. Since that time, I have moderated my position on the issue. I understand where Kucinich is coming from.

[neebob]

48. Because the second part of the question

was designed to get him in trouble and it would have been stupid to answer it. I happen to believe life begins at conception, but it doesn't affect my belief that a woman who doesn't want to have a child but gets pregnant for whatever reason should have a reasonable amount of time in which she's free to change the outcome without a hassle. If men could get pregnant, it wouldn't be an issue.

Put Dennis in a forum where all the other candidates, including George Bush, have to answer the same question, and I'll see if it bothers me that he doesn't answer the second part.

[LWolf]

49. I thought he didn't answer it because it is a stupid question.

When does life "begin?" Is there a human being that knows the answer to that question?

Do you mean the life of the individual? The sperm and the egg are "alive;" living tissue, before conception.

Wasn't the question really about whether he considered a group of cells in development to be the human being they will eventually become?

IMO, it is a stupid question. Because the answer is nothing more than an opinion. And an opportunity to hijack issues in the interests of inflammatory dogma. And because, as Dennis pointed out, the real issue is to be "pro-life" for those cells once they've developed into human beings here on earth.

I guess they could have spent the whole night wrangling over which life should be honored and respected, which life it is ok to take, which life ought to be stomped on if you find it in your kitchen.......along with Gore, Howard Dean, polls, and contributions, of course.

Instead, he pointed out the hypocrisy of "pro-lifers" in only valuing pre-human life. He pointed out that he is pro-people. A good response to a bad question.

I felt like most of the candidates had to do the same. I heard many of them "dodging" stupid questions to try to put some of their message out there. And I approved of it, on the part of all the candidates.

[Galley_Queen]

51. Consciousness Creates Physical Form

Physical form does not, and cannot, create consciousness.

[LWolf]

52. Another interesting perspective.

I like to think about them all.

I don't have a position on "when life begins," or what constitues "consciousness," myself. I've always been content for there to be unanswered questions to ponder.

[IrateCitizen]

53. The second part has nothing to do with politics...

... so long as he doesn't try and force his beliefs on others.

If he recognizes that abortion is a necessary part of reproductive choice, it does not matter ONE BIT if he personally believes life begins and conception or not.

Say it with me now, abortion is a PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE. Personal beliefs on when life begins -- at conception or birth -- are just that: PERSONAL BELIEFS.

Who needs Republicans to exploit wedge issues with people like you ready to do their dirty work for them.

And people wonder why the political discourse in this country sucks so badly and completely as it does? :eyes:

[Rainbows]

54. Amen ...

it is not what he personally believes, it is the right he swears to protect that allows others their own belief. George W Bush believes in a demented version of Jesus and his teachings, to follow the logic of the original post, should we all be accountable to his version?

[Walt Starr]

55. Poop

:hurts: