Obama: Mental Stress Can’t Justify Late Abortion

This is a stunning development in this presidential race. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says “mental distress” should not qualify as a health exception for late term-abortions, a key distinction not embraced by many supporters of abortion rights, says the AP.

In an interview this week with “Relevant,” a Christian magazine, Obama said prohibitions on late-term abortions must contain “a strict, well defined exception for the health of the mother.”

Ok. That part’s pretty typical Democrat-speak for anyone can get an abortion anytime anywhere including and up to Kindergarten.

But Obama then added: “Now, I don’t think that ‘mental distress’ qualifies as the health of the mother. I think it has to be a serious physical issue that arises in pregnancy, where there are real, significant problems to the mother carrying that child to term.”

What?!

No Democratic Presidential candidate has ever stepped off the extremist line that NARAL has drawn that the health of the mother can include mental stress or even economic hardship.

By limiting the health exception to a “serious physical issue,” Obama set himself apart from other abortion rights proponents.

The position of NARAL Pro-Choice America, the abortion rights group that endorsed Obama in May, states: “A health exception must also account for the mental health problems that may occur in pregnancy. Severe fetal anomalies, for example, can exact a tremendous emotional toll on a pregnant woman and her family.”

Here’s the thing. All week Obama has been pushing towards the center, downscaling his immediate pullout of Iraq to a “gradual” one. His semi-support of faith based charities was an attempt to reach out to people of faith. And Obama was already beginning to suffer the slings and arrows of the left the past few days, hesitant and minor attacks, mind you.

But you don’t mess with abortion if you’re a Democrat. Millions of dollars are bundled yearly for the Democrats by abortion-rights groups like Emily’s List.

Two things about this. One -I think you’re going to see a massive backtrack on this one from the Obama camp like he did on the faith based initiatives. Two – If there is no backtrack, Obama has seen something in his internal polls which indicates he’s very weak in the middle of the political spectrum. You don’t willy nilly shift your view on abortion in an election year.

Now, mind you, I don’t think it matters in any real sense to us because the Roe V. Wade decision can only be reversed at this point by the Supreme Court and there’s no way Obama’s putting a constructionist judge on the court who would overturn Roe. And Obama, let’s remember, voted against saving babies accidentally born during an abortion. This guy is as extreme as they come.

What I’m getting from this is that Obama’s willing to say anything and shift any position in order to win this election. I know he’s the candidate of “change” and all but this is ridiculous.

One final thought – I can’t wait to see what Doug Kmiec has to say about this.