NYT: Clinton's Challenger Says She Opposes Late-Term Abortion(Pirro flips)

[DeepModem Mom]

Clinton's Challenger Says She Opposes Late-Term Abortion
By PATRICK D. HEALY
Published: August 10, 2005


Jeanine F. Pirro, the new Republican challenger for Hillary Rodham Clinton's Senate seat, said yesterday that she opposed the procedure that critics call partial-birth abortion, after taking a muddier stance on the issue four years ago.

Ms. Pirro, a favorite of moderate Republicans whose new position will probably help her woo the conservative voters she needs, said in an interview that she decided to oppose the procedure - except to protect the life of the woman - after researching and reflecting on the issue.

But Ms. Pirro drew harsh criticism yesterday from abortion-rights groups, who accused her of changing a position that she took during her last political race, in 2001.

Robert Jaffe, deputy director of Naral Pro-Choice New York, said he was "stunned" by what he called Ms. Pirro's "flip-flop" after the group gave her its 100 percent rating in her last race, for Westchester County district attorney, in 2001. Mr. Jaffe said the rating was based partly on Ms. Pirro's avowed support, in writing and to Naral leaders, for the option of the late-term abortions when the health of the woman was at risk.

While many Democrats, including Mrs. Clinton, support late-term abortion to protect the health of the woman, some Republicans -Ms. Pirro now among them - support the procedure only to protect the life of the woman, with life being a far narrower distinction than health in the eyes of abortion-rights groups....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/10/nyregion/metrocampaigns/10pirro.html

[DanCa]

1. you know can we frame this as saying

Republicans opposes emergency contracption used by rape victims? And onto Pirro, a republican lie about her position, never. Not in a million years.

[madeline_con]

2. Is this a womens' health vs womens' life issue?

Or am I misunderstanding Pirro's position?

[reformedrepub]

4. All about the endorsement

Mad,
This is simply a ploy by Pirro to assist her in winning the Conservative party endorsement here. No Republican in the last 30 odd years has won a statewide seat without it. Mike Long, the Chairman of the Con Party, although I disagree with him on almost every issue, is actually a very principled guy and if he doesn't think they deserve the endorsement, they wont get it. She is running to the right on this issue, because this may be the only thing she can do. She said herself in the Daily News today, " I'm Republican Red, on fiscal issues, tax cuts, crime and the war of terror, but I have big blue stripes on social issues." That right there, is what made alot of upstate conservatives nervous.

[madeline_con]

6. These two statements...

seem to say it's o.ko if the woman will die, but not if her health is merely 'ruined':

" Ms. Pirro's avowed support, in writing and to Naral leaders, for the option of the late-term abortions when the health of the woman was at risk."

"Ms. Pirro now among them - support the procedure only to protect the life of the woman..."

Am I understanding this? It seems such a dumb distinction. Are there degrees of 'acceptable' health damage, etc.

[sandnsea]

9. You're not missing anything

Although the really stupid part is that late abortions aren't done unless there's health issues anyway. I don't know why we haven't launched a massive education program instead of continuing to defend a procedure people don't understand.

[reformedrepub]

3. Dont Worry about Pirro

DMMom,

Dont worry about Jeanine, she's no threat to Hillary. By the time the media in NYC gets done with her, Bill Clinton will seem like the Pope compared to her husband. She also will not win in urban areas, which is the key to NY. I dont even know if she would win her home county. Hillary has delivered the goods to NY, in Homeland Security dollars and other pork, which will make Upstate Republicans vote for her. Dont sweat it!!!

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Thanks, reformedrepub!

:)

[TomClash]

7. Jeanine Pirro

is a sacrificial lamb. Her chances of winning are zero - and she's only running against the third hardest NY Dem to beat.

[The_Casual_Observer]

8. Who the fuck is this shrew? I hope they piss away 200 million

on posters, seafood lunches and hall rentals before they lose.

[Judi Lynn]

10. "Pirro's Web site has no photos of husband",article from yesterday

Clinton challenger Pirro's Web site has no photos of husband

Aug 8, 2005

By MARC HUMBERT
AP Political Writer

August 9, 2005, 1:44 PM EDT


ALBANY, N.Y. -- Jeanine Pirro's spiffy Web site to boost her candidacy for the Republican nomination to challenge Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton features more than 100 photos, none of which include her husband.

There's Pirro with singer Tony Bennett and the late actor Ossie Davis; With Republican Govs. George Pataki of New York and Arnold Schwarzenegger of California; Pirro with Democrats including Bobby Kennedy Jr. and Al Sharpton; Pirro with her mother, her kindergarten teacher.

There's even a picture of Pirro with a monkey.

But there are none showing the Westchester County district attorney with husband Albert, the lawyer-lobbyist who is viewed as a possible campaign liability for, among other things, his 11 months spent in federal prison on a tax fraud conviction.
(snip/...)

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--pirro-photos0809aug09,0,6153764.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork