Obama's Signature Leadership Issue Discovered

There is, after all, a signature issue on which Obama has demonstrated true leadership. One in which he, as an Illinois senator, stood up against the US Congress and went against all but 15 house representatives. A bill which he rose up against, fought against, spoke passionately about, and effectively killed in Illinois.

The issue, in a word, is Abortion. And the bill is the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, known in Illinois in its identical form as the Induced Infant Liability Act. And Obama, who more often voted "Present" on controversial bills, took a rare definitive position against it. Even NARAL, one of the most strident pro-choice groups in the country gave the bill support, but not Barack Obama.

Even after hearing sworn testimony from Jill Stanek, a registered delivery ward nurse armed not only with stories but photographic evidence, Obama would not be swayed but bravely stood his ground. Stanek's story of how she held a baby boy who had been aborted and shelved in a janitor's room for 45 minutes until he died did not faze the stalwart Obama.

As the sole verbal opponent to the bill, Obama said that fetuses born alive were not protected by the establishment clause of the Constitution. Interesting, because if the mother wants the child suddenly it would be against the law NOT to do everything possible to save it. I wonder what he'd say to a friend of mine who just had quadruplets who've been in NICU for the last several months with tubes coming out of their little premature bodies. Is "wantedness" the only difference between such children and the ones left alone in the janitor's room?

He said that to ban the practice of shelving these babies would be "burdensome to the mother" and that it is a "doctor's prerogative". He said that letting babies born alive die was "a religious issue" that "violates no universal principle". And that the Born Alive Protection Act (supported by NARAL) was a ploy to undermine Roe v. Wade.

I suppose this brand of brave leadership is the motive behind the new attack ad in which Obama claims McCain and Palin will make abortion illegal if they win.

I've got to hand it to you, Barack. For someone who believes the answer to when life begins is above your pay grade, it looks like you've found your issue.