Democrats and the Abortion Albatross

On the 32nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a prominent political voice staged a rally in New York to praise the pro-life movement, abstinence-based sexual education and religious values.

"Research shows that the primary reason teenage girls abstain from early sexual activity is because of their religious and moral values," the speaker said. "We want every child born in this country to be wanted, cherished and loved. Abortion in many ways represents a sad, even tragic choice to many, many women."

The speaker was Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York), a known pro-choice voice. "Yes, we do have deeply held differences of opinion about the issue of abortion and I, for one, respect those who believe with all their heart and conscience that there are no circumstances under which any abortion should ever be available."

Clinton was proving that the pundits were right to say she is a smarter politician than her husband.

Much has been written about the fact that voters who chose "values" as their most important issue voted for George W. Bush in 2004 by a ratio of four-to-one. While subsequent commentary has diminished this finding due to the vague nature of the word "values," nearly everyone agrees that whatever it is the country wants to see more of it and the Democrats are not in a position to offer it.

While her strategy on gay rights and gun control is still unknown, her strategy on abortion appears to be concede its obvious immorality and get it off the table.

Arguments in favor of abortion, euphemistically referred to as pro-choice, have become weaker as medical science pushes back the date of viability and rank and file feminists wonder if the right to kill an unborn child represents the height of equality.

"We have to find a different way to deal with the issue of abortion...we have to find a way to bring...right to life Democrats back to the Democratic Party," Senator John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) told Newsweek after his loss.

Kristen Day, executive director of Democrats for Life, said accepting pro-life Democrats could tip the balance of the House of Representatives. In 1977, 125 of 292 Democrats were pro-life; today the ratio is 28 of 203. "There are a number of districts that could be won by a pro-life Democrat, but are now held by Republicans because of the pro-life issue," Day said.

The effect of Clinton's attempted shift to the center could be huge for the future of the party. While the ranks of pro-life voters vastly outnumber the ranks of pro-choice voters, the margin of victory is among voters who believe abortion is a moral evil that is far too weighty to be cheapened by political maneuvering. Clinton made an effort to seize that third group.

If Democrats can succeed in conceding the immorality of abortion and pulling it off the table, they will disarm a key Republican argument against their candidates. And perhaps regain majority status sooner rather than later.