WASHINGTON(EWTN News/CNA)—After drawing criticism for suggesting that human life begins at implantation, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich reaffirmed his commitment to protecting human life from conception.
In a statement sent by the Gingrich campaign to EWTN News, the former speaker of the House reiterated his belief that “human life begins at conception” and that “every unborn life is precious, no matter how conceived.”
He vowed to support pro-life legislation aimed at the ultimate goal of legally protecting “all unborn human life.”
Gingrich, a Catholic convert, sparked controversy when he said during a Dec. 2 interview with Jake Tapper of ABC News that life begins at implantation.
“I think that if you take a position when a woman has a fertilized egg, and that’s been successfully implanted, that now you’re dealing with life,” he said. “Because otherwise you’re going to open up an extraordinary range of very difficult questions.”
He added that he is opposed to taking life “for the purpose of doing research” but supports stem-cell experiments “that do not involve the loss of a life.”
Gingrich’s comments resulted in protests from pro-life groups, which led to a Dec. 3 statement clarifying his position.
He said in the statement that life begins at conception and that he is opposed to federal funding of research that destroys human embryos “because we are also dealing here with human life.”
Promising to do everything in his power “to foster reverence for life,” the GOP frontrunner assured Americans that his beliefs on human life “are longstanding, deeply felt, and irrevocable matters of conscience.”
He referenced his Nov. 19 remarks at the Thanksgiving Family Forum in Des Moines, Iowa, where he voiced his support for federal legislation defining “personhood” as beginning at conception.
Gingrich also repeated a previous campaign promise to sign an executive order on his first day in office to reinstate the Mexico City Policy to prohibit taxpayer money from being used to fund overseas abortions.
In addition, he said that he will work to defund Planned Parenthood and “transfer the money so it is used to promote adoption and other pro-family policies.”
Throughout his 20 years in Congress, Gingrich maintained a strong pro-life voting record. He supported the Hyde Amendment and other bans on federal funding of abortion, as well as legislation prohibiting partial-birth abortion.
The National Right to Life Committee has given him a 98.6% lifetime rating for his pro-life voting record.
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“Honest, Mommy, I didn’t mean it.” Go to your room, Newt.
Good for Newt. I’m glad to see he’s staying faithful to the Magisterium. Otherwise, he would not have the honor of calling himself Catholic.
too much baggage for him to be a real candidate. 3rd wedding. Adultery while married. Vindictive and petty. Obama has 4 more if he wins the nomination. Plus, a college professor! “intellectual elite”!
funny story. Both parties used the same bumper sticker in NY. “Run Hillary Run”. The repubs put it on the front bumpers, the dems put it on the back.
I resent Shea and other for treating Newt’s remarks as a “gotcha” statement. He did not “explicitly” say what the headlines read. And he was never directly asked “When does life begin?”...something he has already said repeatedly in the past begins at conception. He was asked a hypothetical question about already conceived eggs. I might have made the same minor poor choice of words. Quit LOOKING for a reason to hate the guy. Gee whiz.
Don’t let Newt fool you. Every time he makes a declaration about what he believes or doesn’t believe and get flak for it he says ‘oops’ and changes his position. It’s a long standing attern of behavior . the man will do and say anything to get what he wants. Maybe we should believe that he is over having multiple affairs, cheating on multiple wives, changing sides politically - but the pattern of his dysfunctional behavior is just too volatile. he has stated that he is so brilliant that no one cares what he does, only what he says. If he gets the nomination, Obama will have 4 more years to destroy this economy and this country. I just don’t trust him or his former mistress/current wife Callista…she was singing in the Choir of the Immaculate in Washington and claiming to be a practicing Catholic while having a six year adulterous affair with gingrich and telling her friends about it…these two should never, ever sit in the White House…character matters because without character there are no core principles…and without core principles we have people like newt in office who are eroding the core of our nation…
Thanks be to God that you all have cleared this up for me, I really want to support him, but was uncertain about this matter. I am so glad to hear he is pro-life all the way. I work with the RCIA program at my church and I find that converts to the faith make very strong conservative Catholics!
AMEN Florin, AMEN! If Gingrich gets the nod from the liberal, secular media, Obama’s in for another 4 years. I certainly hope and pray that all Catholics have plenty of cash and gold on hand for the inevitable disaster that will happen. It’s like being in a bad dream, only you can’t wake up. I sure hope EWTN expands dramatically over the next few years. Maybe even buy up one of the majors like NBC, CBS or ABC.
Well, if he says that every life is precious, no matter how conceived, why does he still allow abortion in the case of rape/incest? Is this an inaccurate statement of his position, or does he believe some conceptions are more precious than others? Another clarification opportunity for him.
First of all, he is without sin can cast teh first stone. Anyone? Anyone? Secondly, Newt has repeatedly said he found forgiveness within the Catholic Church. If any one who is posting is a Catholic, should they not also be forgiving him for his past sins. Or is the forgivenss only to be givine ny the priest. We are all called to welcome all into the church irregardless of what sins they have done.
Welcome into the Church, sure. Does that mean I have to vote for him as President as well - do I “owe” him that else I have not “forgiven” him? You can forgive a robber for robbing you - does that mean you have to give him the keys to your safe when he asks? Trust is something that needs to be earned, not demanded. What ever happened to “be wise as serpents?” It seems the current thinking is that talking pro-life covers all sins.
Well this ought to make Mark Shea’s vote a little easier. All of the issues he raised in his recent diatribe are considerations subordinate to the issue of legal infanticide.
I saw a show on cable Life Before Birth. On the show it showed how semen went to the ovaries to fertilize an egg. It stated life begins at conception fertilization. Then the show show the diffent stages of pregnancy and the birth of the child. I wish everyone could have seen the show.
I’m very prolife. Newt states two different statements in short period of time and I am supposed to believe the latter of the 2? We need someone who is true to their word the first time around. I hate inconsistancy! No more word games Newt! You confuse people!
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