Pro-Choice


• Obama strongly supports a woman's right to have an abortion and stated in May
2007, "A woman's ability to decide how many children to have and when, without
interference from the government, is one of the most fundamental rights we
possess. It is not just an issue of choice, but equality and opportunity for
all women."

• He is a strong supporter of the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 and stated, “I
have been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving
women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. I oppose any
constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that
case."

• In the Illinois Senate, he voted against a bill to ban late-term abortions
because it did not contain a clause to protect the life of the mother.

• During a 2007 Democratic debate, Obama said that he trusts women to make
their own decisions about whether or not to have an abortion and added that
this should be done in conjunction with her doctors, her family and her
clergy.

• Obama strongly opposes restrictions on medical procedures used during late
term abortions.

Pro-Life


• McCain is anti-abortion; he believes that abortions should be legal only when
the pregnancy resulted from incest, rape, or when the life of the woman is
endangered.

• In August 1999, CNN reported the McCain statement concerning Roe v. Wade,
"I'd love to see a point where it is irrelevant, and could be repealed because
abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the
long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X
number of women in America to undergo illegal and dangerous operations."

• Asked in January 2000 if he would tell his teenage daughter that she could
not get an abortion if she became pregnant, McCain says, "The final decision
would be made by Meghan with our advice and counsel." He later called reporters
to say it would be a "family decision, not her decision." 

• McCain voted against an amendment of the Senate's 2006 Fiscal Year Budget
that allocates $100 million in funding to reduce teen pregnancy by education
and contraceptives.

• On February 2007, in South Carolina McCain said, "I do not support Roe versus
Wade. It should be overturned."  He believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision
that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who
understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the
bench.  This is a change in position from his 1999 statement.

• McCain wants to prohibit late-term abortion procedures and said, "I would do
everything in my power to ban that horrible procedure of partial-birth
abortion."

• He would prohibit public funding of abortions and public funding of
organizations to promote or perform abortions.

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