By Dave Andrusko
Editor’s note. This editorial appeared on page two of the September digital edition of National Right to Life News. All stories, including this one, can be read at www.nrlc.org/uploads/NRLNews/NRLNewsSept2015.pdf. Please share the edition with your social media contacts.
As the September digital edition of National Right to Life News is about to go online, it’s clear we’ve already reached the juncture where (on the Republican side) the pace at which presidential candidates are beginning to drop out may be picking up, and (on the Democratic side) a candidate may possibly be about to make a last minute decision to buck the odds and jump in feet first. That would be Vice President Joe Biden.
On September 11, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry bowed out. On September 21, Wisconsin governor Scott Walker did likewise. Meanwhile there are hints-ever broader-that Mr. Biden is ramping up to take on presumptive nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
On the off-chance there is someone somewhere who doesn’t know, Governors Perry and Walker are pro-life while Mrs. Clinton and Vice President Biden are staunchly pro-abortion.
In this lead editorial, I’d like to visit two topics. First, what we learned in the initial two Republican debates. Second, what no doubt is making Biden’s possible entry: Mrs. Clinton’s disastrous recent polling numbers. (While the pundits chortle about how poorly many Republicans officeholders are faring, they miss that a growing number of Democrats are in open revolt against Clinton. See below.)
There was so much anticipation for the first GOP debate that Fox News drew enormous ratings for a cable network-perhaps as large as twice as big as the previous record-holder for a primary debate. As you watched, it was easy to see why Republicans are the pro-life party.
It wasn’t just the outrage they felt, stirred by the undercover videos taken by the Center for Medical Progress where Planned Parenthood officialdom revealed their true colors (a topic that drew even more attention in debate #2). It was rather than many of these candidates for president have long histories of articulate support for the cause of unborn children.
To take just two examples, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fl.) said, “I believe that every single human being is entitled to the protection of our laws, whether they can vote or not. Whether they can speak or not. Whether they can hire a lawyer or not. Whether they have a birth certificate or not. And I think future generations will look back at this history of our country and call us barbarians for murdering millions of babies who we never gave a chance to live.”
Billionaire businessman Donald Trump talked about how he came to be pro-life. “And what happened is friends of mine years ago were going to have a child, and it was going to be aborted. And it wasn’t aborted. And that child today is a total superstar, a great, great child. And I saw that. And I saw other instances. And I am very, very proud to say that I am pro-life.”
The second GOP debate was hosted at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library by CNN.
It was, as they say, a vigorous exchange of views.
From the pro-life perspective, there was much to celebrate. Passion is not everything, but when an audience cannot miss that it’s almost as if your devotion to the fate of helpless unborn babies is oozing out of the pores of your skin, it makes a huge difference.
You saw that over and over. Former Hewitt Packard CEO Carly Fiorina received the most acclaim when, among other things, she said, “I dare Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, to watch these tapes,” the ten undercover videos taken by the Center for Medical Progress which revealed the unvarnished truth about Planned Parenthood and the “Tissue Procurement Organizations” which collect intact baby body parts.
In one answer she deftly brought together two separate questions. “I would like to link these two issues, both of which are incredibly important, Iran and Planned Parenthood. One has something to do with the defense of the security of this nation. The other has something to do with the defense of the character of this nation.”
But Ms. Fiorina had plenty of company.
At the end, moderator Jake Tapper asked, “How will the world look different once your Air Force One is parked in the hangar of your presidential library?” At the conclusion of his thoughtful answer, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said, “And life would be really deemed precious. Abortion would be no more. It would be as much of a scourge in our past as slavery is.”
In the earlier debate that night, the so-called “undercard,” former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum said, “Hi, I’m Rick Santorum. Some of you may know me, because I led the fight to end partial-birth abortion.” Several other debaters specifically affirmed their respect for life and the governors, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal proudly talked about defunding Planned Parenthood in their respective states.
At NRL News Today, we’ve posted many stories about how Mrs. Clinton’s poll numbers have capsized. They are simply stunning. To take just a couple of highlights, or-from her perspective-lowlights.
#1. On Monday, CNN hailed Clinton’s numbers as showing a “marked improvement” over number from early September. Really? “Clinton is backed by 42% of Democratic primary voters nationally, compared to 24% for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, 22% for Biden and 1% for former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley.”
To begin no matter how you slice that, more Democratic primary votes prefer someone other than Mrs. Clinton than Mrs. Clinton (a combined 46% to 42%). More importantly, as Bruce McQuain observed, without announcing Biden has risen from14% to 22%
#2. A week before, a story about a Washington Post poll was headlined, “Poll: Sharp erosion in Clinton support among Democratic women.” Remember, there are two inter-related rationales for her candidacy–she is “inevitable” in large measure because women will supposedly flock to vote for the first female president.
In light of that, consider this from Karen Tumulty’s story: “Hillary Rodham Clinton is suffering rapid erosion of support among Democratic women — the voters long presumed to be her bedrock in her bid to become the nation’s first female president.” A few days before that NBC News’ Chuck Todd, a reliable weathervane for which way the inside the beltway conventional wisdom winds are blowing, told Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough that Clinton donors are “panicking.”
#3. There are a flock of polls coming to the same conclusion: Clinton’s favorability numbers are dropping like crazy. To name just two. Gallup found her favorability rating at a dismal 41% while 51% disapproved. The Post found 45% approved while 53% disapproved.
And none of this even addresses the causes, which, according to surveys, include that people do not find Mrs. Clinton trustworthy, particularly honest, much of a leader, or likely to represent change from the eight years of Barack Obama. Remember, in a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, a whopping 60% thought “things are on the wrong track,” to only 32% who feel the nation is “generally headed in the right direction.” The public is clamoring for a change.
Democrats are not ready to coronate Mrs. Clinton. And it goes beyond poll numbers collectively, or in individual key states. It takes the form of what I’m guessing will eventually be a huge groundswell, insisting that Democrats have more than six debates-perhaps many more.
And it’s not only supporters of Democratic Socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) Even Democratic House minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.) is joining in.
“Hillary does well — I think they all do well on them — and we should have more debates,” Pelosi said in a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times.
I think we all knew-even months and months ago-that this was going to be an especially volatile presidential contest. What we may not have appreciated is that it would be the case with both parties.
The first debate among Democrats is October 13. The next Republican debate is October 28.