“Look, as a church you can talk all you want, we have to do something about it. Until you as a Republican or you as a Democrat does something about it, it will only be talk,” Clinton argued with the pastor.
According to Shuler, Clinton told how his church committed itself to reach out to mothers in need.
‘You know what? Most of them needed just a hug and someone to say that they loved them. And that made a difference in whether or not they saved that unborn child’s life,’ Clinton said according to Shuler.
Shuler said the Republicans will continue to hold a “trump card” in their hand and blamed them for being hypocritical by not doing something when they controlled all branches of the federal government.
When asked to respond to Obama’s pro-abortion comments about not wanting his daughter “punished with a baby,” Shuler replied that “there is nothing greater than having my daughter sitting in my lap” or kissing his kids goodnight.
“As a community we should be able to show that by support for women who maybe have that uncertainty,” he said.
“We have to make a difference as pro-life Democrats. And that’s why I’m a strong supporter for Democrats for Life,” he concluded.
Before the event turned to the next speaker Kristen Day, Democrats for Life president, especially thanked Shuler for his vote against funding embryonic stem cell research.
Obama & The Freedom of Choice Act
Several of the politicians also offered their opinion when they were asked about Sen. Obama’s support for the Freedom of Choice Act, which would remove almost all federal restrictions on abortion.
Sen. Casey said he could not agree with it, Rep. Shuler said he did not see it passing the House, and Rep. Davis was confident it was not going to pass.
Tuke, the senatorial candidate, said he could not support the act unless it was “substantially amended to provide additional protection to mothers.”
Rev. Clenard Childress, pastor of the New Calvary Baptist Church in Montclair, New Jersey, spoke after most of the legislators and candidates had left. Rev. Childress rebuked the use of the political argument which claims that Democrats are better than Republicans because the latter only believe in respecting life from “conception to birth.”
“Reducing abortion should be something that both parties should agree on,” he said. “But because someone failed the first nine months, but then they do better the next nine months… does that make your failure justified?
“I don’t understand the analogy. Yes, I hear it all the time. ‘What about after the baby gets here?’
“Well if I need a grant, if I need an education, if I need help, I first have to get here,” he countered.
Speaking to CNA after the town hall meeting, Kristen Day said the convention had gone “very well” for pro-life Democrats.
“There hasn’t been a big focus on the abortion issue at this convention, and it’s very encouraging to hear people talk about helping pregnant women, and to have pro-life Democrats leading and speaking at the convention, being part of the party, and also part of the platform.”
“So it’s been a very encouraging week, and we’ve had nothing but support. People are welcoming us. It’s been a very good week,” she said.