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Bush Brothers Serve Pro-Life Voters Needs
Aired October 22, 2003 - 13:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Abortion right supporters vow to head to court over the bill to ban the procedure known as partial-birth abortion. The legislation passed yesterday is being welcome by President Bush. He called the procedure abhorrent and promised to sign the ban into law. Similar legislation was vetoed several times by President Clinton.
So, once again, abortion politics back in the news. And as we mentioned before, down in Florida, the president's brother has intervened in that highly-publicized case involving the right to live or to die.
Joining us to talk about politics and these issues is our senior political analyst Bill Schneider. Bill, good to have you with us.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Sure.
O'BRIEN: All right was this -- whether you call it partial birth abortion, late-term abortion -- those terms are important, depend on which side of the fence you sit on -- was this vote in any way surprising?
SCHNEIDER: No, it wasn't. It's passed Congress several times. But as you said, President Clinton has vetoed it in the past. The reason it is going to be signed into law this time is for the first time in almost 50 years, you have a Republican Congress and Republican president. So the conservatives are expecting the Congress and the president to deliver on this issue. And it looks like they will.
O'BRIEN: Is it a foregone conclusion that the Supreme Court, which probably, ultimately, will get involved in this one, will, in fact, turn this law away and strike it from the book, so to speak?
SCHNEIDER: When you're talking about the Supreme Court, nothing is a foregone conclusion. The court did strike down a similar ban in the state of Nebraska last year because it did not include adequate safeguards to protect the life and health of the mother.
This bill doesn't seem to have those safe guards either. And that's why it's being taken to court. And supporter of abortion rights expect the court to strike it down on the same argument.
However, those who do favor this ban -- and that includes most Americans although they do want to see more protection for the life and health of the mother -- but the idea of late-term abortions is abhorrent to most Americans. The view is that if President Bush has only one more Supreme Court appointment before this term is over or if he's elected to another term that decision last year striking down this ban was made by a 5-4 majority. If one justice changes on the Supreme Court, that majority could be reversed and this law could be upheld.
O'BRIEN: What are the chances this will get entered into presidential politics? Is this likely to become an issue that becomes some sort of litmus test?
SCHNEIDER: Of course it will. You're already seeing Democratic candidates saying abortion rights are threatened, this is just the beginning of a roll back of abortion rights and abortion rights organizations are beginning to mobilize supporters for the Democrats on this issue. And of course conservatives see George Bush as keeping the faith.
O'BRIEN: Meanwhile, Jeb Bush, the brother in Florida, as governor has intervened in a very sticky, emotional, tragic case, involving the issue of right too die or right to live. What are the politics of that move?
SCHNEIDER: Same thing in the abortion issue -- although this is a bit more delicate because public opinion is a lot more mixed on this issue.
Governor Bush is also committed to the pro-life position, in this case, the right to die issue. And he has signed a bill allowing this woman to stay -- be kept alive through intervention. And that of course is very popular with conservatives. Some say maybe one day he wants to run for president, to succeed his brother.
It was also pushed through the state legislature by the Republican speaker of the House in Florida, who has his own ambitions to run for the Senate seat in Florida. He also is catering to conservative support.
O'BRIEN: Interesting that Randall Terry is involved in this one, kind of bringing the two subjects together.
SCHNEIDER: They say -- Randall terry is a pro-life activist, as he describes himself. And to those who oppose abortion rights, the case in Florida is the same kind of issue. They see it as protecting life.
O'BRIEN: Bill Schneider, always appreciate your insights. Thanks for dropping by.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 22, 2003 - 13:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Abortion right supporters vow to head to court over the bill to ban the procedure known as partial-birth abortion. The legislation passed yesterday is being welcome by President Bush. He called the procedure abhorrent and promised to sign the ban into law. Similar legislation was vetoed several times by President Clinton.
So, once again, abortion politics back in the news. And as we mentioned before, down in Florida, the president's brother has intervened in that highly-publicized case involving the right to live or to die.
Joining us to talk about politics and these issues is our senior political analyst Bill Schneider. Bill, good to have you with us.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Sure.
O'BRIEN: All right was this -- whether you call it partial birth abortion, late-term abortion -- those terms are important, depend on which side of the fence you sit on -- was this vote in any way surprising?
SCHNEIDER: No, it wasn't. It's passed Congress several times. But as you said, President Clinton has vetoed it in the past. The reason it is going to be signed into law this time is for the first time in almost 50 years, you have a Republican Congress and Republican president. So the conservatives are expecting the Congress and the president to deliver on this issue. And it looks like they will.
O'BRIEN: Is it a foregone conclusion that the Supreme Court, which probably, ultimately, will get involved in this one, will, in fact, turn this law away and strike it from the book, so to speak?
SCHNEIDER: When you're talking about the Supreme Court, nothing is a foregone conclusion. The court did strike down a similar ban in the state of Nebraska last year because it did not include adequate safeguards to protect the life and health of the mother.
This bill doesn't seem to have those safe guards either. And that's why it's being taken to court. And supporter of abortion rights expect the court to strike it down on the same argument.
However, those who do favor this ban -- and that includes most Americans although they do want to see more protection for the life and health of the mother -- but the idea of late-term abortions is abhorrent to most Americans. The view is that if President Bush has only one more Supreme Court appointment before this term is over or if he's elected to another term that decision last year striking down this ban was made by a 5-4 majority. If one justice changes on the Supreme Court, that majority could be reversed and this law could be upheld.
O'BRIEN: What are the chances this will get entered into presidential politics? Is this likely to become an issue that becomes some sort of litmus test?
SCHNEIDER: Of course it will. You're already seeing Democratic candidates saying abortion rights are threatened, this is just the beginning of a roll back of abortion rights and abortion rights organizations are beginning to mobilize supporters for the Democrats on this issue. And of course conservatives see George Bush as keeping the faith.
O'BRIEN: Meanwhile, Jeb Bush, the brother in Florida, as governor has intervened in a very sticky, emotional, tragic case, involving the issue of right too die or right to live. What are the politics of that move?
SCHNEIDER: Same thing in the abortion issue -- although this is a bit more delicate because public opinion is a lot more mixed on this issue.
Governor Bush is also committed to the pro-life position, in this case, the right to die issue. And he has signed a bill allowing this woman to stay -- be kept alive through intervention. And that of course is very popular with conservatives. Some say maybe one day he wants to run for president, to succeed his brother.
It was also pushed through the state legislature by the Republican speaker of the House in Florida, who has his own ambitions to run for the Senate seat in Florida. He also is catering to conservative support.
O'BRIEN: Interesting that Randall Terry is involved in this one, kind of bringing the two subjects together.
SCHNEIDER: They say -- Randall terry is a pro-life activist, as he describes himself. And to those who oppose abortion rights, the case in Florida is the same kind of issue. They see it as protecting life.
O'BRIEN: Bill Schneider, always appreciate your insights. Thanks for dropping by.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
