U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann told the National Right to Life convention in Jacksonville, Florida, earlier today that the GOP shouldn’t nominate somebody who hasn’t been consistent on the issue of abortion.
Without mentioning frontrunner Mitt Romney by name, the Minnesota congresswoman said that this was “not the time for Republicans to put up a candidate who is weak on this issue and has a history of flip-flopping on this issue.”
Romney, who said that he would strive to “preserve and protect” a woman’s right to choose while running for governor of Massachusetts in 2002, claims to have changed his position on abortion in 2004. Romney, whose much-criticized health care law in Massachusetts has been sharply condemned by pro-life advocates because it covers abortion procedures, recently angered his party’s social conservatives by refusing to sign the “Susan B. Anthony Anti-Abortion Pledge” promising to support only pro-life judicial nominees and cabinet members and to stop taxpayer funding of abortions.
Hoping to mollify his pro-life critics, Romney later penned his own pro-life declaration, stating that he supports the reversal of Roe v. Wade and believes that abortion should be limited to only instances of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.
In addition to taking a swipe at the former governor of Massachusetts, Bachmann saved her harshest criticism for President Obama, describing him as “the most pro-abortion president in our country’s history.”
Speaking via Skype, Bachmann also told the pro-life activists that she will officially declare her candidacy for the Republican nomination on Monday in Iowa.
Herman Cain, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty and long-shot hopeful Rick Santorum also addressed the convention, touting their pro-life credentials. Santorum, who received the most enthusiastic response, and Cain, the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, were the only two candidates who addressed the convention in person.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who’s waging his third campaign for the presidency, was also expected to attend the pro-life convention, but remained in Washington to vote on House resolutions aimed at limiting the U.S. military role in Libya.
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