In an ad attacking the McCain campaign (rather than the group who is actually criticizing him), Barack Obama continues to use deception to cover up the fact that he voted four times against the IL Born Alive Infants Protection Act and was its sole voice of opposition on the Senate floor. Carefully worded, Obama's ad asserts that he has "always supported medical care to protect infants." Here it is:
Does that include "newborn" infants or does Obama not consider these to be "infants". Here's what he said about babies who survive abortions in a 2002 senate floor speech:
Links to more of Obama's statements and records can be found here.
Jill Stanek and abortion survivor Gianna Jessen have both released statements in response to Barack Obama's ad:
Statement from Gianna Jessen: Mr. Obama is clearly blinded by political ambition given his attack on me this week. All I asked of him was to do the right thing: support medical care and protection for babies who survive abortion - as I did 31 years ago. He voted against such protection and care four times even though the U.S. Senate voted 98-0 in favor of a bill identical to the one Obama opposed. In the words of his own false and misleading ad, his position is downright vile. Mr. Obama said at the recent Saddleback Forum that the question of when babies should get human rights was above his pay grade. Such vacillation and cowardice in public policy almost left me to die and no one should have to go through what I went through.I'd like to point out that it was Barack Obama who clearly misled voters regarding his record. And it was Barack Obama who called critics of his Born Alive vote "liars" just before his campaign admitted they were right.
Statement from Jill Stanek: It is despicable, repulsive and beneath contempt that Barack Obama would attack Gianna Jessen. She is a courageous abortion survivor and living miracle who would not be with us today if Obama's policies had been in place when she was born. Mr. Obama continues to mislead the American people on this issue, he voted four times against medical care and protection for babies who survive abortions in the Illinois State Senate, while the U.S. Senate was voting 98-0 to pass an identical bill. Mr. Obama needs to come forward and tell the American people that he understands people like Gianna Jessen, and that he will support and enforce Born Alive Infant protections -- that these are living, breathing human beings who have come into our world and deserve protection in the law and should receive medical care at health care facilities. These babies have the same rights as the rest of us.
I think this is a deep issue, alot deeper than i would discuss, all i know is i have a baby with a very rare birth defect and we need health coverage and as much help as we can get.