Mitt Romney continues his rightward lurch to shore up his street cred with social cons:
Three years after expressing support for ”the substance” of Roe v. Wade, Governor Mitt Romney today criticizes the landmark ruling that legalized abortion and says the states should decide separately whether to allow it.
Romney outlines his abortion position in an opinion article today in The Boston Globe, a day after he vetoed a bill that would expand access to the so-called ”morning after” pill, a high dose of hormones that women can take to prevent pregnancy up to five days after sex.
In a written response to a questionnaire for candidates in 2002, Romney told Planned Parenthood that he supported ”the substance of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade,” according to the group. Today, Romney describes himself as a ”pro-life governor” who wishes ”the laws of our nation could reflect that view.” Calling the country ”divided over abortion,” he says states ”should determine their own abortion laws and not have them dictated by judicial mandate.”
”I understand that my views on laws governing abortion set me in the minority in our Commonwealth,” Romney says in the op-ed article. ”I am prolife. I believe that abortion is the wrong choice, except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother. I wish the people of America agreed, and that the laws of our nation could reflect that view.”
Romney said he had vetoed the emergency contraception bill to fulfill his 2002 campaign promise not to change state abortion laws.
But supporters of the measure, pointing out that Romney has also pledged to support expanded access to emergency contraception, accused the GOP governor of trying to burnish his conservative credentials for a possible presidential run.
It sure feels like this country is going to be all Roe all the time for the next few months. At any rate, Romney’s op-ed in the Globe on why he vetoed the bill can be found here.
Jeff
There have been numerous people–ie, Al Gore, Bush Sr, Jesse Jackson–that have changed their views on abortion to suit a run for higher office, but Romney seems to be the most obvious and blatant about it out of anyone that i can remember.
Brad R.
John-
You don’t want Romney running on the GOP ticket in 2008. As a Masshole, I can tell you that he hasn’t done one damn thing during his time in office except campaign for president. It’s gotten so bad that even the right-wing tabloid Boston Herald thinks he’s a loser.
Steve
I think the media is just more tuned into these kinds of things nowadays. There are so many blogs and political reporters out there tracking every step a candidate takes from cradle to grave. That’s why you read a dozen “Hillary moves to the center” stories every day – these sharp observers want you to know that if a politician ever changes their views, don’t worry, dear reader, we will spot it!
A decade or two ago Romney would have been virtually unknown outside the Northeast, and when he emerged as a national figure most people wouldn’t care much if his views had “evolved,” as they say. But now that we identify candidates so far in advance and follow them obsessively, there’s bound to be more attention paid.
Richard Bottoms
So what’s the news here? Republican women continue to vote for men who retrict their access to birth control in the name of family values and getting elected president.
They are what we might call suckers.
Bernard Yomtov
Romney is an ass. He’s been paying no attention to MA, instead running around trying to build credentials with the Republican base. He’s an utter hypocrite on this, and his veto is pointless, since it’s certain to be overridden in the legislature, as it should be.
Recall Santorum’s idiot remarks about the priestly pedophile scandal was a consequence of Boston liberalism? Romney did not even have the gumption to tell Santorum off.
Even his initial entry into the gubernatorial race was dishonest. He originally said he would not challenge the Republican incumbent, Jane Swift, for the nomination. That lasted about a week. Of course she was sure to lose in the general election, but so what? If he wanted to run, why the pretense?
Richard Bottoms
Your so-called Republican moderates know they have to kiss the collective behinds of the Christian fanatics who run your party. I’ll alert CNN to this shattering news.
Gregory Markle
Just like the Democratic moderates giving knob jobs to the far left moonbats and Democratic Underground wingnuts…what’s your point?
Steve
Right-o. When is Hillary going to throw a bone to the far left, exactly?
Luddite
Quiet Steve! You are simply going to RUIN the fun of Gregory Markle et. al. with the facts. The answer to your question of course is “never”. I’m suprised Rick and Doug J have yet to weigh in on this thread.
Brian
Someone tell me when a major democratic figure is seen sucking up to Noam Chomsky and Angela Davis. Republicans knob job their moral equivalent: Dobson, Falwell, Robertson, every freaking day.
I wish Republicans, like dems, had to move to the center, at least rhetorically, to win elections. They don’t.
Steve
Actually, Brian, if you think back to 2000, Bush definitely ran to the center. “Compassionate conservative” and all that. You might recall that many people said they didn’t see much difference between Bush and Gore, which sounds crazy in hindsight, but that’s how it was at the time. Of course, in 2004, it would have been silly for Bush to try and go back to the center in any meaningful way, since he had a record.
BinkyBoy
Bush’s record in 2000 was largely ignored by the public that was fearful of a recession, hurting from a dot-com bust and largely ignorant of the status of the country.
Going back and looking at Pres. Bunnypants’ record in Texas is like looking at a disaster area that has had some clumps of grass thrown on it and called a national park. Just take a look at the education system. Bush and his crony in the Dept. of Education should be jailed for the corruption and lying that created the “miracle”. Instead, we rewarded the little shit with the Presidency.
Yay to us.
M. Scott Eiland
The day that a MA Republican wins the Republican Presidential nomination is the day that I beat Kobayaski in an eating contest. Romney’s giving it the old college try, but he’ll do worse than Alan Keyes did the last time he tried.