Clinton and Obama on reproductive health

6 Responses

1. 1

   Holly 2.5.2008 at 11:25 pm | Permalink

   Clinton, hands down on this issue. Well, they’re close in many ways, but basically because of what the Lurking Canary said about this section:

   Obama supports those restrictions that are consistent with the legal framework outlined by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade.

   That legal framework hasn’t been holding up too well. Maybe it would after a few more Democratic supreme court nominees, but how long is that going to take? This is a pretty wishy-washy “neutral” answer but given what’s happened to Roe v. Wade over the last couple decades, it amounts to allowing the abuse of that legal framework to continue.

2. 2

   Juan Stoppable 2.6.2008 at 12:28 am | Permalink

   Obama supports those restrictions that are consistent with the legal framework outlined by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade.

   She supported an alternative bill that, consistent with Roe v. Wade, would have prohibited post-viability abortions except when, in the medical judgment of an attending physician, abortion is necessary to preserve the life or health of the woman.

   Obama is more terse, but I’m not seeing that huge adifference.

3. 3

   carol h 2.6.2008 at 12:31 pm | Permalink

   What I see is Obama saying “he supports” and “he gave a speech” while I see Clinton actually doing something on reproductive health. I’ll take someone who actually works over support any day.

4. 4

   Astraea 2.6.2008 at 12:54 pm | Permalink

   I particularly liked the framing by Clinton’s staff in response to the question of parental consent laws:

   She does not believe the federal government can dictate healthy families. That is why she supports New York State law that does not require parental consent for minors. In states where that is not attainable, she supports judicial bypass provisions.

5. 5

   Kaethe 2.6.2008 at 1:36 pm | Permalink

   I’m just thrilled that they are both interested in implementing paid parental leave.

6. 6

   beth 2.6.2008 at 2:43 pm | Permalink

   I think Clinton wins this one, if for no other reason than that she explicitly acknowledges the role of nominating supreme court justices, which constitutes the biggest direct impact a president can have on RH issues. So many RH issues are decided at the state level or more dominated by congressional process, and there’s not a whole lot the president can do to direct them. But nominating justices is HUGE.

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