Remarks at Johnstown, PA rally on Oct.12,2008

"In this same spirit, as defenders of the culture of life, John
McCain and I believe in the goodness and potential of every innocent
life. I believe the truest measure of any society is how it treats
those who are least able to defend and speak for themselves. And
who is more vulnerable, or more innocent, than a child?

When I learned that my son Trig would have special needs, I had to
prepare my heart for the challenges to come. At first I was scared,
and Todd and I had to ask for strength and understanding. But I can
tell you a few things I've learned already.

Yes, every innocent life matters. Everyone belongs in the circle of
protection. Every child has something to contribute to the world,
if we give them that chance. There are the world's standards of
perfection … and then there are God's, and these are the final
measure. Every child is beautiful before God, and dear to Him for
their own sake.

As for our beautiful baby boy, for Todd and me, he is only more
precious because he is vulnerable. In some ways, I think we stand
to learn more from him than he does from us. When we hold Trig and
care for him, we don't feel scared anymore. We feel blessed.

It's hard to think of many issues that could possibly be more
important than who is protected in law and who isn't – who is
granted life and who is denied it. So when our opponent, Senator
Obama, speaks about questions of life, I listen very carefully.

I listened when he defended his unconditional support for unlimited
abortions. He said that a woman shouldn't have to be – quote –
"punished with a baby." He said that right here in Johnstown –
"punished with a baby" – and it's about time we called him on it.
The more I hear from Senator Obama, the more I understand why he is
so vague and evasive on the subject. Americans need to see his
record for what it is. It's not negative or mean-spirited to talk
to about his record. Whatever party you belong to, there are facts
you need to know.

Senator Obama has voted against bills to end partial-birth
abortion. In the Illinois Senate, a bipartisan majority passed
legislation against that practice. Senator Obama opposed that
bill. He voted against it in committee, and voted "present" on the
Senate floor. In that legislature, "present" is how you vote when
you're against something, but don't want to be held to account.

Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a Democrat, described partial-birth
abortion as "too close to infanticide." Barack Obama thinks it's a
constitutional right, but he is wrong.

Most troubling, as a state senator, Barack Obama wouldn't even stand
up for the rights of infants born alive during an abortion. These
infants – often babies with special needs – are simply left to die.

In 2002, Congress unanimously passed a federal law to require
medical care for those babies who survive an abortion. They're
living, breathing babies, but Senator Obama describes them as "pre-
viable." This merciful law was called the Born Alive Infants
Protection Act. Illinois had a version of the same law. Obama
voted against it.

Asked about this vote, Senator Obama assured a reporter that he'd
have voted "yes" on that bill if it had contained language similar
to the federal version of the Born Alive Act. There's just one
little problem with that story: the language of both the state and
federal bills was identical.

In short, Senator Obama is a politician who has long since left
behind even the middle ground on the issue of life. He has sided
with those who won't even protect a child born alive. And this
exposes the emptiness of his promises to move beyond the "old
politics."

In both parties, Americans have many concerns to be weighed in the
votes they cast on November fourth. In times like these, with wars
and a financial crisis, it's easy to forget even as deep and abiding
a concern as the right to life. And it seems our opponent hopes
that you will forget. Like so much else in his agenda, he hopes you
won't notice how radical his ideas and record are until it's too
late.

But let there be no misunderstanding about the stakes.

A vote for Barack Obama is a vote for activist courts that will
continue to smother the open and democratic debate we need on this
issue, at both the state and federal level. A vote for Barack Obama
would give the ultimate power over the issue of life to a politician
who has never once done anything to protect the unborn. As Senator
Obama told Pastor Rick Warren, it's above his pay grade.

For a candidate who talks so often about "hope," he offers no hope
at all in meeting this great challenge to the conscience of
America. There is a growing consensus in our country that we can
overcome narrow partisanship on this issue, and bring all the
resources of a generous country to the aid of both women in need and
the child waiting to be born. We need more of the compassion and
idealism that our opponent's own party, at its best, once stood
for. We need the clarity and conviction of leaders like the late
Governor Bob Casey.

He represented a humanity that speaks to all of us – no matter what
our party, our background, our faith, or our gender. And no matter
your position on this sensitive subject, I hope that spirit will
guide you on Election Day. I ask you to vote for McCain-Palin on
the November fourth, and help us to bring this country together in
the rational discussion of compassion and life."
(Posted to DSIE listserv by Ann Robertson)
Kathy