Changes

:* Background:  Barack Obama beginning from his time in the Illinois Senate opposed numerous bills that would have stopped a practice where children surviving late-term abortions could be left to die.  He considered them, though completely outside the womb and breathing, 'fetuses'.[http://www.ilga.gov/senate/transcripts/strans92/ST033001.pdf] (pp. 85-86)  Bills included the 2001 Born Alive Infants Protection Act[http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet92/status/920SB1093.html][http://www.ilga.gov/senate/transcripts/strans92/ST033001.pdf](pp. 85-88), the 2001 SB 1661 Induced Birth Infant Liability Act[http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet92/status/920SB1094.html][http://www.ilga.gov/senate/transcripts/strans92/ST033001.pdf](pp. 88-89), the 2001 SB 1095 Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act[http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1929&ChapAct=720%26nbsp%3BILCS%26nbsp%3B513%2F&ChapterID=53&ChapterName=CRIMINAL+OFFENSES&ActName=Partial-birth+Abortion+Ban+Act.][http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet92/status/920SB1095.html][http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory/srollcalls92/920sb1095_03302001_030000t.pdf] (pp. 50-66), and the 1997 SB 230 Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act[http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet90/status/900SB0230.html][http://www.ilga.gov/senate/transcripts/strans90/ST031897.pdf]

:* Background:  Barack Obama beginning from his time in the Illinois Senate opposed numerous bills that would have stopped a practice where children surviving late-term abortions could be left to die.  He considered them, though completely outside the womb and breathing, 'fetuses'.[http://www.ilga.gov/senate/transcripts/strans92/ST033001.pdf] (pp. 85-86)  Bills included the 2001 Born Alive Infants Protection Act[http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet92/status/920SB1093.html][http://www.ilga.gov/senate/transcripts/strans92/ST033001.pdf](pp. 85-88), the 2001 SB 1661 Induced Birth Infant Liability Act[http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet92/status/920SB1094.html][http://www.ilga.gov/senate/transcripts/strans92/ST033001.pdf](pp. 88-89), the 2001 SB 1095 Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act[http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1929&ChapAct=720%26nbsp%3BILCS%26nbsp%3B513%2F&ChapterID=53&ChapterName=CRIMINAL+OFFENSES&ActName=Partial-birth+Abortion+Ban+Act.][http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet92/status/920SB1095.html][http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory/srollcalls92/920sb1095_03302001_030000t.pdf] (pp. 50-66), and the 1997 SB 230 Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act[http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet90/status/900SB0230.html][http://www.ilga.gov/senate/transcripts/strans90/ST031897.pdf]

:* Notability:  Alan Keyes, Obama's general election opponent for the 2004 U.S. Senate, made the issue his primary talking point.[http://www.ifrl.org/ifrl/KeyesvObama.PDF]][[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5654128/]  At the time, activists such as [[Jill Stanek]][http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/aug/21/local/chi-zorn_21aug21] and [[Phyllis Schlafly]][http://www.eagleforum.org/column/2004/sept04/04-09-01.html] also opposed Obama on such grounds.  Keyes to this day continues opposing Obama on what he calls 'infanticide'.[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNbp2-Tm9z4][http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzqfYTz6fRU]  During the 2008 elections, both [[Sarah Palin]][http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/10/is_obama_guilty_of_infanticide.html] and [[John McCain]][http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0908/Obama_responds_to_Born_Alive_attacks.html][http://www.lifenews.com/nat4195.html] criticized Obama over the 'Born Alive' controversy as well.  [[David Freddoso]], who also covered the born alive issue in his best-selling book, '[[The Case Against Barack Obama]]' in August 2008, wrote in an article for the National Review that Stanek and [[Patrick O'Malley (American politician)|O'Malley]] (primary sponsor of the born alive legislation previously mentioned) had teamed up on legislation such as the 1095 bill, and notes that Obama was the only legislator to speak against it on the senate floor.[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=N2NmMGNkMTdkZWJkZWRkMjRkNjY5NjllNzZlYjkyNmY=]   

:* Notability:  Alan Keyes, Obama's general election opponent for the 2004 U.S. Senate, made the issue his primary talking point.[http://www.ifrl.org/ifrl/KeyesvObama.PDF]][[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5654128/]  At the time, activists such as Jill Stanek[http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/aug/21/local/chi-zorn_21aug21] and Phyllis Schlafly[http://www.eagleforum.org/column/2004/sept04/04-09-01.html] also opposed Obama on such grounds.  Keyes to this day continues opposing Obama on what he calls 'infanticide'.[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNbp2-Tm9z4][http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzqfYTz6fRU]  During the 2008 elections, both Sarah Palin[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/10/is_obama_guilty_of_infanticide.html] and John McCain[http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0908/Obama_responds_to_Born_Alive_attacks.html][http://www.lifenews.com/nat4195.html] criticized Obama over the 'Born Alive' controversy as well.  David Freddoso, who also covered the born alive issue in his best-selling book, 'The Case Against Barack Obama' in August 2008, wrote in an article for the National Review that Stanek and O'Malley (primary sponsor of the born alive legislation previously mentioned) had teamed up on legislation such as the 1095 bill, and notes that Obama was the only legislator to speak against it on the senate floor.[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=N2NmMGNkMTdkZWJkZWRkMjRkNjY5NjllNzZlYjkyNmY=]   

:* Prominence:  There has been no shortage of mainstream media coverage on this issue.  During the 2008 Primary Election, [[Hillary Clinton]] and the [[National Organization for Women]][http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/12/criticism_of_obama_present_vot.html][http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/679446,CST-NWS-obama04.article], as well as other Congressmen[http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/20/528491.aspx][http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2007/12/sweet_column_clinton_allies_hi.html], accused Obama of voting 'Present' instead of 'No' on abortion bills.  The Washington Post's "Fact Checker" also addressed the issue, noting his very lengthy voting history on the subject, but also pointing out that it was an agreed-upon strategy between pro-choice politicians and Planned Parenthood as a way to avoid public attention on controversial abortion bills.[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/02/obamas_voting_record_on_aborti_1.html][http://www.ontheissues.org/2008_GovWatch.htm]  Obama defended himself by saying it was an agreed-upon strategy with Planned Parenthood.[http://www.barackobama.com/factcheck/2008/01/08/fact_check_obamas_strong_proch.php]  In 2007 ABC News[http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/07/obama-abortion-.html] and the NY Times addressed this Planned Parenthood-Obama-present votes connection [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/20/us/politics/20obama.html?pagewanted=2&_r=3]][[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22335739/] and both FactCheck[http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/clinton-obama_slugfest.html] and PolitiFact[http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2008/feb/06/hillary-clinton/he-voted-present-which-is-similar-to-no/][http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/feb/13/obamas-present-tension/], as well as Time Magazine[http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2008/01/14/obama_campaign_defends_present/], Fox News[http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Jan24/0,4670,PresentVotesFactCheck,00.html], the Boston Globe[http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/24/fact_check_obamas_present_votes/], MediaMatters.org[http://mediamatters.org/research/200712140004], the Huffington Post[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tracy-fischman/a-vote-for-obama-is-a-vot_b_82842.html][http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-marsh/obamas-present-vote-ignor_b_77713.html], and NPR[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18348437], all chimed in referencing the connection as well.  In August 2008 there was also a lengthy back and forth between Obama, David Brody of CBN[http://blogs.cbn.com/thebrodyfile/archive/2008/08/16/obama-gets-heated-on-born-alive-infant-protection-act.aspx], and the National Right to Life Committee[http://www.nrlc.org/ObamaBaipa/Obamacoveruponbornalive.htm][http://www.nrlc.org/ObamaBaipa/FromBarackObamaCampaignAug192008.pdf] concerning his record on live birth abortion.  Another exchange occurred between Obama's campaign, [[Jill Stanek]], and [[Eric Zorn]] of the Chicago Tribune.[http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2008/08/obama-answers-t.html]  As covered by the NY Sun, Obama was facing attacks from all sides, and had first erroneously claimed he would have voted for the federal bill, but then upon confrontation with senate records dug up by the NRLC, his campaign admitted he'd voted against an Illinois bill with similar language.[http://www.nysun.com/national/obama-facing-attacks-from-all-sides-over-abortion/84059/]  FactCheck shortly thereafter supported this claim, and upon examination of the claims by both Obama's campaign and the NRLC wrote a widely covered[http://www.newsweek.com/id/155560/page/4] article called "Obama and 'Infanticide'" stating that Obama was misrepresenting his record on the issue, though it thought the term 'infanticide' open to interpretation.[http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/obama_and_infanticide.html]   

:* Prominence:  There has been no shortage of mainstream media coverage on this issue.  During the 2008 Primary Election, Hillary Clinton and the National Organization for Women[http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/12/criticism_of_obama_present_vot.html][http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/679446,CST-NWS-obama04.article], as well as other Congressmen[http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/12/20/528491.aspx][http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2007/12/sweet_column_clinton_allies_hi.html], accused Obama of voting 'Present' instead of 'No' on abortion bills.  The Washington Post's "Fact Checker" also addressed the issue, noting his very lengthy voting history on the subject, but also pointing out that it was an agreed-upon strategy between pro-choice politicians and Planned Parenthood as a way to avoid public attention on controversial abortion bills.[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/02/obamas_voting_record_on_aborti_1.html][http://www.ontheissues.org/2008_GovWatch.htm]  Obama defended himself by saying it was an agreed-upon strategy with Planned Parenthood.[http://www.barackobama.com/factcheck/2008/01/08/fact_check_obamas_strong_proch.php]  In 2007 ABC News[http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/07/obama-abortion-.html] and the NY Times addressed this Planned Parenthood-Obama-present votes connection [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/20/us/politics/20obama.html?pagewanted=2&_r=3]][[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22335739/] and both FactCheck[http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/clinton-obama_slugfest.html] and PolitiFact[http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2008/feb/06/hillary-clinton/he-voted-present-which-is-similar-to-no/][http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/feb/13/obamas-present-tension/], as well as Time Magazine[http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2008/01/14/obama_campaign_defends_present/], Fox News[http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Jan24/0,4670,PresentVotesFactCheck,00.html], the Boston Globe[http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/24/fact_check_obamas_present_votes/], MediaMatters.org[http://mediamatters.org/research/200712140004], the Huffington Post[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tracy-fischman/a-vote-for-obama-is-a-vot_b_82842.html][http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-marsh/obamas-present-vote-ignor_b_77713.html], and NPR[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18348437], all chimed in referencing the connection as well.  In August 2008 there was also a lengthy back and forth between Obama, David Brody of CBN[http://blogs.cbn.com/thebrodyfile/archive/2008/08/16/obama-gets-heated-on-born-alive-infant-protection-act.aspx], and the National Right to Life Committee[http://www.nrlc.org/ObamaBaipa/Obamacoveruponbornalive.htm][http://www.nrlc.org/ObamaBaipa/FromBarackObamaCampaignAug192008.pdf] concerning his record on live birth abortion.  Another exchange occurred between Obama's campaign, Jill Stanek, and Eric Zorn of the Chicago Tribune.[http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2008/08/obama-answers-t.html]  As covered by the NY Sun, Obama was facing attacks from all sides, and had first erroneously claimed he would have voted for the federal bill, but then upon confrontation with senate records dug up by the NRLC, his campaign admitted he'd voted against an Illinois bill with similar language.[http://www.nysun.com/national/obama-facing-attacks-from-all-sides-over-abortion/84059/]  FactCheck shortly thereafter supported this claim, and upon examination of the claims by both Obama's campaign and the NRLC wrote a widely covered[http://www.newsweek.com/id/155560/page/4] article called "Obama and 'Infanticide'" stating that Obama was misrepresenting his record on the issue, though it thought the term 'infanticide' open to interpretation.[http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/obama_and_infanticide.html]   

:*Other Notable Coverage: The Huffington Post in April of 2008 attacked [[Deal Hudson]] for criticizing Obama on the issue of infanticide.[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/04/the-next-smear-against-ob_n_116891.html]

:*Other Notable Coverage: The Huffington Post in April of 2008 attacked [[Deal Hudson]] for criticizing Obama on the issue of infanticide.[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/04/the-next-smear-against-ob_n_116891.html]

:--[[User:Jzyehoshua|Jzyehoshua]] ([[User talk:Jzyehoshua|talk]]) 21:36, 27 December 2009 (UTC)

:--[[User:Jzyehoshua|Jzyehoshua]] ([[User talk:Jzyehoshua|talk]]) 21:36, 27 December 2009 (UTC)