DALLAS - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama side-stepped a pointed query about abortion on Saturday by “mega-pastor” Rick Warren during a televised forum.
Asked at what point a baby gets “human rights,” Obama, who strongly supports abortion rights, said: “… whether you’re looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity … is above my pay grade.”
He went on to reiterate his view that it was important to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies.
Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who followed Obama onto the stage of the nationally televised event, was more blunt and more emphatic.
He said a baby’s human rights began “at the moment of conception … I have a 25-year pro-life record.”
Both candidates were vying for the “faith vote,” in particular the one in four U.S. adults who count themselves as evangelical.
Obama took questions first from Warren and McCain followed. The two shared the stage together briefly.
Some centrist evangelicals have said they appreciate moves by the Democratic Party to “soften” the edges of its pro-choice stand by stressing the need to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions — and by also working harder in areas like adoption.
But for many conservative evangelicals — a key part of the evangelical base — life begins at conception and the argument ends there.
The issue remains one of the most divisive and partisan in America — as Obama and McCain highlighted on Warren’s stage.
(Additional reporting by Jeff Mason)
(Photo credit: REUTERS/Rebecca Cook, Files, USA)


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McCain claims he would rather lose an election than lose a war, a noble cause, but Obama would rather lose a campaign by telling the truth than win on a campaign of lies. Obama/Biden our best bet for truth.
- Posted by ingramris[...] You can read the story here: http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/2008/08 /16/obama-says-pointed-abortion-query-a bove-his-pay-grade/ [...]
- Posted by Joe Biden: “If Republicans care so much about kids with birth defects,why not support stem-cell research?” « Joshua Kiddfreestater, killing innocent boys and girls in the womb is wrong, and that truth is not above anyone’s pay grade. It was not above Obama’s pay grade to speak up forcefully against giving Live Born Children any medical care, when he fought against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act.
The founders DID speak up on this issue, when they said that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are LIFE, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”
So we have the right to Life. Human babies who get their oxygenated blood through the umbilical cord have just as much right to Life as human babies who are born, breathing, getting their oxygenated blood through their own lungs, and crying in a dirty closet as Obama ignores them and denies them medical care.
The problem came when 5 elite judges in black robes tried to impose their beliefs on killing the unborn on the rest of us. They overstepped their bounds as judges, and took on the role of the legislative branch. The least we can do is correct this mistake and put things back the way they were, as the founders intended. Then, if a majority of the American people want to put in place a constitutional amendment that allows the killing of unborn or born children, they can do that…the process in in the constitution (see Article V).
Let’s say some liberal radicals slipped through a Supreme Court ruling that said it was OK to kill your spouse, as long as you used really clean surgical instruments and you had a good reason, like they would inconvenience your life in some way.
In that case, you could make the same argument–”some matters are SO DEEPLY PERSONAL that they belong solely to the woman involved to determine with HER family, HER clergy and HER health care providers, whether she should kill her spouse or not. That conversation is above my paygrade, because HER politician, not even HER President should be imposing THEIR sense of what’s best for her in such a profoundly personal situation. After all, who are we to tell this woman she can’t kill her spouse? Get your government hands off my kitchen butcher knife.”
Because when you look at it, is a 40 year old human American man any different than a 3 hour old human American baby boy? They both are alive, they both breath air, they both feel pain. Why is it OK for Obama to deny medical care and let one die, but not the other? If that is the case, then why should we allow people to cut up growing babies in the womb who feel pain?
Society, through the government and laws, imposes our beliefs on people all the time. We believe you should not kill your spouse. We have laws against it, we impose our beliefs on others. We believe you should not starve your children or deny them medical care or food. We impose our beliefs on people and take away their children if they are found to be physically harming the child or denying them food, shelter and care.
- Posted by Tom PaineBut when it comes to the most vulnerable, the most innocent of children, we turn our backs and allow people with sharp medical knifes to cut them up and remove the pieces. And we allow Barry Obama to deny them medical care after they are born alive.
What he meant:
- Posted by freestaterWhen I said, “that’s above my paygrade” that was my shorthand way of saying that for some questions — questions of the magnitude of when life begins, our founding fathers specifically reserved highly personal matters such as this as “reserved to the people” in the Bill of Rights. Thoreau once said “Government that governs best is the government that governs least” — that certainly applies in this context — some matters are SO DEEPLY PERSONAL that they belong solely to the woman involved to determine with HER family, HER clergy and HER health care providers. That conversation is above my paygrade, because HER politician, not even HER President should be imposing THEIR sense of what’s best for her in such a profoundly personal situation. On this question, in my view, NO President’s paygrade is high enough.
“Above MY Pay Grade” What a weasel-like answer. It shows his penchant for hiding his extreme liberalism through smooth talking. He stood his ground, he can now continue to vote for killing live born children who survive abortions, and nominate far left radical judges who believe the same thing. Then he can continue to say “gee, whether these live born children are human or not and deserve medical treatment is above my pay grade, while voting to kill them.
So, as always, Obamas words are smooth but his policies are disasterous.
With Sarah Palin’s and John McCcains extensive executive experience, coupled with their judgment and their maverick ways, fighting against corruption and waste no matter which party they find it in, we have a remarkable combination for the leadership of this country.
On the other hand, Obama and Biden have ZERO executive experience. Obama has experience rabble rousing for a far left group, ACORN, in Chicago, and he has experience making a bunch of speeches running for office.
Biden has experience plagiarizing speeches and voting with the far left wing that is anti-American.
The left is REELING from the Sarah Palin pick, because all Americans who are not extreme left wing radicals see her as just like them…someone who is just raising a family and doing what she can to stop corruption and waste in the government. Except she DID something about it, running for Mayor and then Governor, beating corruption in her own party and beating popular Democrat opponents.
Also, John McCain used to think of himself first, as Obama and Biden still do. But his time in the North Vietnamese prison camp brought him to the realization that he must serve a cause higher than his own self interest. That is why he is for COUNTRY FIRST.
Obama and Biden are for themselves first, for liberalism first. They are still too young and inexperienced to understand that Americans want someone who loves America in the White House, not someone who sits and listens silently as his pastor damns America from the pulpit.
- Posted by Tom Paine“Above MY Pay Grade” What a brilliant answer. It shows intestinal fortitude. He stood his ground and not yield to the right because of venue. With Joe Biden’s extensive experience and Obama’s judgement coupled with his indept knowledge of civil and constitutional law, we have a remarkable combination for the leadership of this country.
- Posted by ingramrisObama tried to vote “present” on whether we should kill innocent babies or not.
Sorry, Obama, you can’t vote “present” as President. You just disqualified yourself.
You are the weakest link. Good bye.
- Posted by Tom PaineAbove his pay grade????? What a lame excuse for a candidate. I thought he is a bright man?
I am an Independent but this proves that he is not ready to lead our great nation. Therefor my entire family is voting for McCain.
And folks, do not read too much on his answer. Do not try to interpret it for him. Bottom line is his answer demostrates that he will say anything to get elected.
Voters beware….
- Posted by RRosNice try, 1more4REALchange.
You think it’s “intelligent and thoughtful” for Obama to pretend he doesn’t have a view on when life begins?
He does.
He thinks life begins for a human baby after the mother and father decide he or she should live. Obama thinks that even after the baby is born and starts breathing on its own, we have the right to kill him or her because their life is not valuable until we say it is.
Obama fought hard against those of us who wanted to give medical care to live born babies who were born after a botched abortion attempt. Obama said we need to leave them to die because if we help them, that might be a slippery slope to taking away liberals “right” to kill babies in the womb.
So the Born Alive Infant Protection Act specifically called out that it was protection for live born babies, and would not impact the abortion debate on babies inside the womb.
But Obama fought this and would not allow us to legally give medical help to babies born alive. He wants us to leave them crying in a dirty closet until they die.
Is that what you meant by Obama “intelligent and thoughtful” response to the Born Alive Infant Protection Act?
- Posted by Tom PaineWomen do have a choice! Keep your legs crossed!!!Now, do men have a choice? They are obligated by law to pay child support, but they have no say in if their baby should be aborted. Didn’t we fight for equal rights? Let’s grow up girls!
- Posted by Confused WomanIntelligent and thoughtful? You are kidding right. Anyone with intelligence understood he was avoiding the question. The whole birth control pill issue has been around for as long as I can remember. Reagan, Bush, Clinton nor George W OR their congresses changed it.
Fact is, one guy answered the question the other avoided it… Now… who is thoughtful and introspective or for that matter…truthful. I’ll take the one who answered, thank you, and throw the politician aside… you know… the one for “change”. By the way… find me a leader who doesn’t answer bluntly… if you do, chances are, he is a politician… not a leader.
What Mr. Obama showed me is that he had a chance to take a stance, make a decision, in a public forum and he … copped out. Whether I agree with him or not is irrelevant, the fact that is side-stepped it, is.
- Posted by dewmanconsidering it was a christian forum, obama should have had a bit of room for theological nuance. the moment of conception is not black and white and to say you know the answer is beyond anyone, including the president. although the phrase “above my pay grade” might have been confusing for some people, i believe obama demonstrated humility, honesty and intelligence with his answer to this question.
- Posted by sarahRegarding all the back and forth on Obama’s response to conception.
He said: “whether you’re looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity … is above my pay grade.”
He meant that he is neither a scientist or God. He approaches questions intellectually and comes across as thoughtful and intorspective.
Perhaps this is too much for some Americans who have gotten too used to the stupidity of the Bush administration. You obviously are not ready for an “intelligent and thoughtful leader.”
I can see why you’re much more comfortable with “McSame” who needs to fall back on standard stump speech rhetoric, and answers bluntly from his gut.
Google McSame’s response to his opinion on Insurance covering Viagra but not birth control. He said he didn’t know, he’d have to research what his prior position was on the issue and get back to you. They asked for his opinion, not his standard rhetoric, and he couldn’t remember what he’d said previously.
- Posted by 1more4REALchangeI guess it’s above ingramris’s pay grade to use logic and common sense.
What difference does it make that God created the first life, and then gave man and woman the ability to conceive new life? THAT’S your argument?! The fact that God created the first life doesn’t get you off the hook for promoting politicians like Obama who fight for the killing of new life.
Why did Obama try to trick Christians by refusing to repeat his policy of killing human babies in the womb? Why was it not above his pay grade to fight aggressively against giving medical care to baby boys and girls who survive an attempted abortion? Obama fought the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, because he said giving medical care to living, breathing human babies outside the womb might be a slippery slope to taking away liberals ability to kill those same babies inside the womb, who get oxygen in their bloodstream from the umbilical cord instead of their own lungs.
- Posted by Tom PaineIn no attempt to avoid your question, the question I believe is “When does life begin”? If the first man was conceived as an embryo, then the case is closed. As it stands, this isn’t what is written thereby calling either conception or creation into question.
- Posted by ingramrisObama is being quite reckless and without any positive regard to the innocent lives of the unborn by his decision to permit ending those lives, while at the same time saying he is not knowledgeable enough to know whether or not they are human. If he does not know,then shouldn’t he risk erring on the side of caution rather than to risk erring on the side which, by his own admission, could be resulting in the reckless killing of countless humans?
- Posted by Bruce ThomasFor those who don’t understand “above my paygrade”, I have a question for you. If life begins at conception as was stated, was the first man conceived from clay or created in God’s own image?
- Posted by ingramrisCatholics are pro-life. Always. Pro-choice people are putting themselves out of the Catholic Church, therefore they should not receive the Holy Eucharist.
- Posted by claudiaBeing a Catholic means that one has to witness his faith even if threatened of death, therefore the highest testimony is martyrdom. Those politicians who refuse to witness their faith because they don’t want to block their political career are, therefore, out of the Catholic Church.
what results when a sperm cell and an ovum are united? An embryo is created. Is it a animal embryo? No. Plant life? No. Mineral? No. What kind of embryo is it? Is it a HUMAN embryo. Is it alive? Yes. So, it’s human, it’s alive– therefore it’s human life. I am not a Harvard grad, but it was not hard to figure this one out. Life–human life, begins at conception.
- Posted by priscai think any one who believes parents should have the right to kill a baby, than should also have the right to kill a kid untell he is 18 because whats the difference besides its age. If its not a life when its in the womb, than it wont come out a kid when you leave alone.
- Posted by Jon