Team Romney writes in to spotlight their man’s record on life issues, in response to my comment, “for wary pro-lifers, Fred Thompson can say something that Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani can’t, which is, “look at my record.” You can find the full release below, but they point to his vetoes from 2005, his debate statements in 2002, and abstinence education efforts in 2006.

I must be marching to a different drummer on this debate of which candidates ought to be acceptable to pro-life voters, because I believe Romney’s change of heart was genuine and not political calculation, and I think Thompson’s eight year record is a strong card to play. It doesn’t seem like a bad field to me, and yet my e-mailbox is filling with arguments about why each guy is unacceptable.

I’d also note that Rudy Giuliani has chosen to run as the anti-Christie-Whitman in his style – almost apologetic for his pro-choice views, and emphasizing all the areas he would move the ball in the direction of the pro-life cause (I’ll appoint the right kind of strict costructionist judges) – and he’s getting a pretty hostile reception nonetheless. In the past, potential pro-choice candidates like Pete Wilson, Arlen Specter, etc., have campaigned on the theme of, “what the hell is wrong with you people?”

Is the lesson in the end for pro-choice Republicans going to be, “don’t bother extending your hand to the pro-lifers, because they’ll always bite it off?” They’ll always insist that half-a-loaf candidates are as bad as pro-choice Democrats? Will pro-lifers reject a guy who could help them on partial-birth abortion or parental notification, because they want the Human Life Amendment or languate like the South Dakota ban (that was rejected in that culturally conservative state)? I’m left shaking my head. You don’t have to vote for the guy who’s mediocre on abortion. But when he panders, appreciate that he’s made the decision to pander to you.

The word from Team Mitt, below the fold:

#more#

Contrary to your assertion in “Continuing the River Metaphor,” Governor Romney has a strong record of siding with life:
Governor Romney: “Every decision I have made as Governor in a very liberal state has been on the side of favoring life.” (Robert Behre, “Romney Gets S.C. Support,” Charleston Post-Courier, 1/30/07)
· Governor Romney Vetoed Legislation That Would Have Provided For The “Morning After Pill” Without A Prescription. (Governor Mitt Romney, Op-Ed, “Why I Vetoed The Contraception Bill,” The Boston Globe, 7/26/05)
· Governor Romney Promoted Abstinence Education In The Classroom. (Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, “Romney Announces Award Of Abstinence Education Contract,” Press Release, 4/20/06)
· Governor Romney Vetoed Legislation That Would Have Changed The Longstanding Definition Of The Beginning Of Human Life From Fertilization To Implantation. (Governor Mitt Romney, Letter To The Massachusetts State Senate And House Of Representatives, 5/12/05)
· Governor Romney Supports Parental Notification Laws And Opposed Efforts To Weaken Parental Involvement. (John McElhenny, “O’Brien And Romney Spar In Last Debate Before Election,” The Associated Press, 10/29/02)
· Governor Romney Supports Adult Stem Cell Research But Has Opposed Efforts To Advance Embryo-Destructive Research In Massachusetts. (Theo Emery, “Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney Vetoes Stem Cell Bill,” The Associated Press, 5/27/05)