Obama and Abortion: Profile in Cowardice

It turns out that when Barack Obama had the opportunity to take a stand on abortion rights, in the state senate, when called to make a vote on the proposed ban on the DNX procedure, he voted "present". (see here,
here, and here)

During Senator Obama's 2004 senate campaign, the Illinois NOW PAC did not recommend the endorsement of Obama for U.S. Senate because he refused to stand up for a woman's right to choose and repeatedly voted `present' on important legislation.

As a State Senator, Barack Obama voted `present' on seven abortion bills, including a ban on 'partial birth abortion,' two parental notification laws and three 'born alive' bills. In each case, the right vote was clear, but Senator Obama chose political cover over standing and fighting for his convictions.

"When we needed someone to take a stand, Senator Obama took a pass," said Grabenhofer. "He wasn't there for us then and we don't expect him to be now."

At the time, Obama represented what was arguably the most liberal senate district in Illinois, so there was no need for him to duck and cover, but duck and cover, he did.

Of course, he did it on the Petraeus/Moveon vote too, he showed up for Barbara Boxer's amendment, but was not in the hall later that afternoon for the Moveon condemnation.

He's very well spoken. He's telegenic.

But it appears that when the going gets tough, and let's be clear in his Hyde Park senate district, being unapologetically pro choice is actually pretty damn safe, he is AWOL.

His dog whistle gay bashing behavior with his gospel tour appears to be a part of a pattern.

No guts, and the moreI hear him going on using Republican talking points like "hostility to religion" and :social security crisis", the more he sounds like Joe Lieberman with a better tan.

As to the Presidential race...He's still ahead of Mike Gravel in my mind, but if push comes to shove, I vote Hillary instead of him^*.

^*Yuck...I think that I just threw up in my mouth.