Conservative Politics Today

The politico is reporting an attempted do-over by Barack Obama on his abortion answer during the Saddleback Church forum. Realizing his effort to avoid providing a straight answer to the question of when he believes a baby gets human rights has been a political nightmare for him, Obama told ABC’s George Stephanopolis

  “What I intended to say is that, as a Christian, I have a lot of humility about understanding when does the soul enter into … It’s a pretty tough question. And so, all I meant to communicate was that I don’t presume to be able to answer these kinds of theological questions.”

In the ABC interview, Obama goes on to give the answer he wishes he’d given: “What I do know is that abortion is a moral issue, that it’s one that families struggle with all the time. And that in wrestling with those issues, I don’t think that the government criminalizing the choices that families make is the best answer for reducing abortions.

Let us be clear. Barack Obama says exactly what he intends to say. It is not until after he realizes that his radical views are opposed by the major majority - including most of the Democratic base that is unaware of those views-that he seeks to alter his public statements.

Obama has been under fire on this issue since his refusal to vote in favor of  the “Born Alive Infant Protection Act” while an acting Senator in Illinois. The act provided legal rights, including rights to medical intervention, in the case of botched late term abortions. Obama was the ONLY Senator to speak out against it, and in a cowardly self-serving move voted “present” when the vote came up. I first reported on this back in June. This serves as yet another example of Obama developing a case of “foot in mouth” disease.

During the Stephonopilis interview the issue of military service came up. Asked if he ever considered joining the military Obama replied,

“You know, I actually did,” Obama said. “I had to sign up for Selective Service when I graduated from high school. And I was growing up in Hawaii. And I have friends whose parents were in the military. There are a lot of Army, military bases there.

“And I actually always thought of the military as an ennobling and, you know, honorable option. But keep in mind that I graduated in 1979. The Vietnam War had come to an end. We weren’t engaged in an active military conflict at that point. And so, it’s not an option that I ever decided to pursue.” 

It is fascinating that in his two memoirs and many years on the campaign trail this is the very first we are hearing about Obama’s consideration of joining the military.  Obama appears to be saying that were the Vietnam War still going on he would in fact have willingly joined and fought the battle. Sure, and Jane Fonda would have stayed home.