Abortion issue roils DNC race. NARAL Pro-Choice America head snubs Roemer as rivals worry about Dean’s momentum. - Roemer's new endorsements.
Nancy Keenan, incoming president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, snubbed former Rep. Tim Roemer (D-Ind.), a candidate to head the Democratic National Committee last week, fueling concern that the abortion debate has become a distraction and an impediment to stopping the Dean juggernaut.
Keenan skipped a phone appointment to discuss Roemer’s opposition to abortion in conjuction with his campaign to become the next DNC chairman.
Keenan is mobilizing NARAL’s 27 state and local affiliates to contact the 447 DNC delegates and persuade them to oppose Roemer, the only anti-abortion candidate in the field of seven announced DNC aspirants.
Despite fierce opposition from the abortion lobby, Roemer plans to stay in the race, stoking debate about whether the party can accommodate an anti-abortion leader and voters.
Other campaigns are increasingly concerned that all this is distracting delegates from taking a hard and critical look at former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who continues to amass support among voting delegates.
[Despite Roemer's opposition to abortion, he had been very public in] his insistence that it not become a litmus test for a party desperate to appeal to more voters.
“The congressman said there should not be a litmus test on abortion, but I told him it’s a values test. He makes that mistake,” [Kate Michelman, outgoing president of NARAL] said. “Abortion is part of a much broader set of values.”
To demonstrate his campaign’s support among pro-abortion-rights Democrats, Roemer plans to announce the endorsements of Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) today, along with those of a handful of other members, Pulido said.
Former Sen. John Breaux (D-La.), generally considered an opponent of abortion rights, is expected to endorse Roemer today.
Meanwhile, the other campaigns continued to reel from the announcement by Florida’s 27 delegates that they would support Dean for party chairman.
“People shouldn’t underestimate how hard he is working and shouldn’t underestimate his candidacy,” an operative for a rival campaign said, adding, “This fight over Roemer on abortion has distracted people from Dean and any potential controversy there.”
(The Hill.)
Keenan skipped a phone appointment to discuss Roemer’s opposition to abortion in conjuction with his campaign to become the next DNC chairman.
Keenan is mobilizing NARAL’s 27 state and local affiliates to contact the 447 DNC delegates and persuade them to oppose Roemer, the only anti-abortion candidate in the field of seven announced DNC aspirants.
Despite fierce opposition from the abortion lobby, Roemer plans to stay in the race, stoking debate about whether the party can accommodate an anti-abortion leader and voters.
Other campaigns are increasingly concerned that all this is distracting delegates from taking a hard and critical look at former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who continues to amass support among voting delegates.
[Despite Roemer's opposition to abortion, he had been very public in] his insistence that it not become a litmus test for a party desperate to appeal to more voters.
“The congressman said there should not be a litmus test on abortion, but I told him it’s a values test. He makes that mistake,” [Kate Michelman, outgoing president of NARAL] said. “Abortion is part of a much broader set of values.”
To demonstrate his campaign’s support among pro-abortion-rights Democrats, Roemer plans to announce the endorsements of Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) today, along with those of a handful of other members, Pulido said.
Former Sen. John Breaux (D-La.), generally considered an opponent of abortion rights, is expected to endorse Roemer today.
Meanwhile, the other campaigns continued to reel from the announcement by Florida’s 27 delegates that they would support Dean for party chairman.
“People shouldn’t underestimate how hard he is working and shouldn’t underestimate his candidacy,” an operative for a rival campaign said, adding, “This fight over Roemer on abortion has distracted people from Dean and any potential controversy there.”
(The Hill.)
posted by Sid Cottingham | 9:11 PM
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