In a 1/2 hour meeting at his Omaha office last Friday, Claire and I spoke with Congressman Lee Terry about the latest high-handed scheme of the Democrat Party; namely, the platform committee's attempt to misrepresent the Party's position on abortion in hopes to fool more evangelicals and Catholics into voting for Barack Obama.Of course, after Obama's poor showing at Saddleback Church where he badly fumbled the abortion question in front of a large evangelical audience, that platform manipulation is going to be even harder to sell.
In fact, as Congressman Terry pointed out, the Democrats duplicitous attempt to have it both ways ("We love motherhood but we still love abortion.") will probably end up hurting them more than it helps. After all, both Obama's and his party's record on abortion is way too extreme to "nuance away." But the picture of a candidate so desperate for votes that he is willing to waffle, flip-flop and play games with the platform language could turn off voters of all persuasions.
Our conversation with Congressman Terry also covered our ongoing gratitude for his 100% pro-life voting record. I explained that Nebraska pro-life activists, unlike those in many states, are able to concentrate our time, effort and resources on more immediate pro-life tasks (like services to women in unexpected pregnancies and public education) instead of hovering over our political representatives to try and get them to do the right thing.
I explained, "Lee, you're commitment to the sanctity of life there in Washington actually does double and triple duty by freeing us to accomplish other very important tasks. Your steadfast support of pro-life measures in Congress then is perhaps of even greater value than what you imagined. Please remember that when they're comin' after you!"
This does not mean, of course, that Nebraska pro-lifers should be at all lax in supporting pro-life legislation and those who fight beside us. (We're heading over this afternoon to Lee's campaign offices.) Nor does it mean that we shouldn't keep reminding even our good friends about the priority pro-life issues should take in their work. In this respect, Claire and I urged Congressman Terry to co-sponsor more pro-life bills and to make more appearances at pro-life events like the annual March for Life in Washington.
We ended our time by briefly discussing Planned Parenthood, the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act, and even Vital Signs Blog. It was an enjoyable and helpful 1/2 hour with a fellow whose services we really do appreciate. And I know you do too.
