Pro-Life Post-Mortem

Posted by Tom Hoopes

Sunday, November 09, 2008 10:23 AM

There’s an important interview at National Review with Marjorie Dannenfelser. It helpfully runs down all the bad news for pro-life during the election, and even finds a little good news. It also includes this memorable exchange:

Lopez: How are you keeping spirits up?

Dannenfelser: Drinking?

The bad news from Dannenfelser:

“In the House, there is a net loss of 15 pro-life votes. In the Senate, we lost Sununu and Dole, so that’s two, three if we lose Coleman, and four if we lose Chambliss. Our net loss will be somewhere between 2 and 4.Overall for SBA List, thirteen of our endorsed candidates failed to win election on Tuesday. That includes four incumbents (Marilyn Musgrave, Elizabeth Dole, Tom Feeney, and John Sununu), six challengers (Melissa Hart, John Kennedy, Tim Bee, Anne Northrup, Deborah Honeycutt and Jennifer Horn), and three candidates in open seat races (Sydney Hay, Martin Ozinga, and North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory). These losses accounted for a little less than forty percent of our entire slate of pro-life candidates. It was a hit, but certainly not something we won’t recover from.”

The good news:

“There is plenty, but my favorite is from Minnesota. Reports of the political death of rising star pro-life rep. Michelle Bachman (R., Minn.) were greatly exaggerated. Despite dire predictions and floods of last minute money from the Left and the NRCC pulling out it’s support, Bachman won handily. She is crafted along the mother of five, barracuda lines. In politics, if you are going to shoot a bear, you’d better kill it. Knowing her, Michelle will come back fighting, healed and strengthened from any minor injuries.”

Also:

“Witness the fact that 1) Obama talked continually of seeking “common ground” and “reducing abortions” despite his promises otherwise (the Freedom of Choice Act) and 2) felt the need to run from his position on the Born Alive Infant Protection Act.”

Don’t get me wrong, most of the questions are like this:

Lopez: Which loss hurts the most?

Lopez: What happened to Elizabeth Dole?

Lopez: How bad is it that there is no pro-life woman in the Senate?

But it’s necessary reading as we prepare for what’s to come ...

— Tom Hoopes

Filed under dannenfelser, right to life, susan b anthony list, weekend commentary