Obama says pointed abortion query “above his pay grade”
Email 
Print
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)
Comments RSSPost Your Comment
-
Author Profile
-
It doesn’t matter when life begins. For the state to force women to have babies represents tyranny against which Americans should fight and die. Better to sacrifice the fetus for the sake of human freedom than kill grown men with names and personalities.
How the Catholics can overwhelmingly vote for Democrat pro-choice candidates is perplexing. I thought Catholics were pro-life.
Obama’s lame answer proves that he is a huge wimp!!!
Above me pay grade? Is it supposed to be funny that a Democrat can’t take a single stance on anything. This politician is pathetic.
If he can’t answer because it is above his pay grade then why should we put him in the top job? It will remain above his pay grade when he returns to the Senate.
Also, he said he would not have nominated Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court because he lacked experience and was not qualified. Sounds familiar.
Obama has shown himself to be unworthy of the office of president with his making a joke out of the question put to him. Life is not to be joked about, especially when the Democrats platform is based on the campaign of allowing baby murder they like to refer to as “abortion”.
It is sad that liberals could not bring themselves to allow the killing of a convicted criminal but they have no problem with the grizzly murders of unborn & partially born children.
God help us all if a Marxist like Obama can get elected as president of this great country.
After listening to that forum – I’m not sure Obama knows what he believed. We weaved an wondered all around those questions. McCain was direct and succinct in his answers. You might not agree with him – but at least you know where he stands. Obama remains an enigma.
Above my pay grade? Is it supposed to be funny that a Democrat can’t take a single stance on anything. This politician is pathetic!!!
In other words, you can have all the sex you want and if you get pregnant have an abortion, and the government will pay for it. NOT ME! The debate tonight was very telling in that the maturity came out shining. Obama has been over played and over paid in my estimation. I heard from him everything I am against, morally and socially.
Above his pay grade? What a shmoe. What blatant disrespect. The guy has no class.
John McCain is 100% prolife. Barack Obama is 100% proabortion. McCain loves babies. But how can Obama prove to me that he loves babies?
What does “soften your edges” on abortion mean except northing will change. The libs don’t give a tinkers damn in hell about reducing the numbers of abortions. Even with that, there will still be millions of babies destroyed every year in spite of their “softened edges.”
Like Hillary said “he had a speech”. That is not the type of answer one would expect out of the potential next leader of the FREE WORLD! Maybe next time!
How to win this war is above Obama’s pay grade too…
How ironic: the security word for my post was “love.”
This isn’t an argument about pro-life or pro-choice. This is about whether or not sex is to be had with our without consequences.
Anyone who thinks the right answer is “without” will be returning to the classroom.
McCain mopped the floor with Obama.
This forum tonight was the best I have seen in any campaign. It was completely fair and gave each candidate the chance to speak in a more relaxed atmosphere compared to debates or forums I have seen in the past.
I am a Christian and tonight confirmed for me that my vote will go to John McCain. I had been a little uneasy before tonight’s forum but I feel confident now that McCain has the same values I have especially in regard to the abortion issue.
Mccain won the Gold medal tonight at this forum, especially for his succinct responses to questions. Another win for America tonight.
I understand Obama didn’t win a medal for his performance, but instead was awarded a gift certificate for a Starbucks Sirena Espresso coffe maker.
Abortion is murder, plain and simple. Obama vows to sign the freedom of choice act which is abortion on demand for any reason throughout all nine months of pregnancy and he wants us all to pay for these murders with our tax dollars. Obama also was the head of a comittee in the Illinois senate to where his decision killed a law that protected babies who survived abortion to be carried to a cold hard hospital table and left to die. How can this man claim to know the Author of life when he so strongly promotes death. Is this the kind of president we need or want?
I must say that I feel that Obama was side stepping as usual. McCain told the truth that it is at conception. God help this country if Obama is elected. I must say that I was concerned about McCain concerned me before but after hearing him tonight I will not hesitate voting for him.
Above his pay grade? Are you kidding me? This man wants to be President of the United States? Get real people. I dont like McCain but Obama is just plain bad news for America
Clearly Obama knows nothing about abortion and is “bitterly clinging” to his pro-death liberal agenda.
What a cop out by Obama: At what point does a baby get rights is above his paygrade? As President, you should be able to answer that question. He didn”t want to answer the question because he knows life begins at conception. Being voted the MOST liberal senator in all of the senate and courting Christians is not a match made in heaven. Most Christians see him for who he is. If you are strong on values, are pro-gun, pro-life, anti-higher taxes, anti-gay rights, Obama is not for you! Zero Bama = zero substance in my opinion.
Jay Peroni, CFP
Author of The Faith-Based Millionaire
http://www.jayperoni.com
“…above my pay grade”. Good one, Obama. You just gave the Republicans a new tag line. There’s no higher “pay grade” than being president. Like Harry Truman said, “The Buck Stops Here.” A weasel answer that just plays into the idea that Obama is way too wishy-washy to be The Man. Can’t speak without a teleprompter. Can’t think on his feet. Lets the Clintons bend him over whenever they feel like it. Takes a vacation when he should be working. I started out kind of liking the guy but now, what a wuss. Mondale, Dukakis, Kerry, Obama. I’m starting to see a pattern here.
As a current Senator, especially one seeking the presidency, these questions are “at your pay-grade.” The fact you attempt such a lame dodge only shows Obama to be a political animal who is unwilling to state his position to a crowd he knows finds it unacceptable.
Cowardice.
Obama supports abortion up until the day before birth. He also supports letting a survivor of a botched abortion die.
McCain would relegate women back to the days of back alley abortionists with all of the horrors to women which that represents!
Furthermore, I doubt Republicans will want to expand welfare to care for all of the unwanted children who would be born should McCain and the Republicans have their way in banning abortion!
i dont care how big his smile is,,he is still a leftist…and will not be our president.
The “artful dodger” dodges another question. Obama is clearly in favor of the wholesale slaughter of human fetuses. He needs to quit spinning and emoting and spit it out instead of trying to hide behind his “faith.”
I’m not sure that Barack, who has a 100% pro-abortion voting record, is truly being honest about his stance. He’s being political.
How can somebody – especially a person who identifies himself as a Christian – be adamantly against any restrictions even on partial-birth abortion?
This deeply saddens and grieves me.
mccain believes that human life begins at conception but supports embryonic stem cell research? he supports medical research on human beings? when will someone ask him a follow up question???
his abortion position is just pandering.
the only thing mccain believes in is war. his militaristic world view was on full display tonight. he didnt answer the question on what christianity meant to him – he just gave a war story about someone else’s christianity – the vietnamese guard who drew the Cross in the dirt.
Above his pay grade???
He’s running for President!
Ah! Whatever! Neither deserve it. One less than the other, and only because of the marx1st tendencies.
Above his pay grade? Aw, lawd! Obama is elevating the art of double-speak to a degree never dreamed of by George Orwell. Obama needs to practice sitting and smiling at McCain’s inauguration.
This was quite strange. All a Republican has to say in the OC to get applause is “Ronald Reagan.” And of course, McCain milked it for all it was worth. His answers were quick and full of wrath. The last thing we need is eight more years of a man like that. Pat Buchanan was right – McCain is three times WORSE than Bush ever dreamed of being. If you had told me a year ago that I would decid two months before the election to vote for Obama, I wouldn’t have believed you. Now, I see it as the only Christian option.
centrist evangelicals??
Perhaps Obama can get his bosses like Sorros and Brumberg to answer the question then. Paygrade – being the president of the US is not about pay. It’s about morally leading our country in the right direction.
Does he realize that yet? Oh he thinks that $200,000.00 a year is really $20,000,000. Aside from history he doesn’t know what a decimal point in a number is either.
Why won’t Obama be honest about his record here? As a State Senator, he supported legislation that would allow a live birth baby to still be killed if they had survived an abortion. Was that above his pay grade when he supported that, or when he voted for pro-abortion measures at every opportunity? Let him believe what he wants, but at least give the American people credit and be honest about his beliefs.
This forum contrasted age and wisdom, and youth and inexperience. Obama is a silver tounged, McCain has depth.
What does a “community organizer,” do?
Moment of conception? Such does not exist. Conception takes time. But don’t expect reality-challenged True Believers to comprehend this. How DARE biology challenge their preconceptions?!?!?
why not just give a straight answer……you will have to be able to do this as President…..
How can he lead our nation if he can’t take a stand on something so important? That’s even more than flip-flopping. He has no balls to take a stand. What a loser!
ABOVE HIS PAY GRADE???? What job is he running for? I guess I misunderstood. I thought that the prez got to appoint judges who oversee EXACTLY this question.
why not just give a straight anwser? You have to be able to do this as President…..
TO BE SO EMPHATIC ABOUT THE RIGHT TO KILL AN UNBORN CHILD IS VERY DISTURBING AND REPRESENTS A MAJOR FLAW IN THE TRUE BELIEF OF JESUS; OR SIMPLY A SPINELESS INDIVIDUAL THAT IS AFRAID TO STAND UP AND PROTECT THE UNBORN OUT OF FEAR OF LOSING VOTES. THAT’S REALLY DISTURBING.
Hey Barack, the whole job is above your paygrade! Sheeesh, can’t answer anything straight. Just say it, “it’s a human at birth, I just don’t care if you kill it or not, just vote for me.”
What is his pay grade then? If he cannot answer a question like this, how will he be able to answer a question as president? If his pay grade is not high enough now to answer this question why does anyone think that it would be high enough to be president.
I believe that Obama showed that he is able to speak well, but all of the “uhs” and looking across and down in a sort of “haughty” way.
McCain was the statesman that he is known to be. the fact that he has given his life for his country, is proof of that.
It also, was a wonderful way to have a civil “conservation”, without the liberal press, asking “loaded questions.”
There should be more like this. Naylyn Dill
One of the big mistakes pro-choice advocates make is to assume that all pro-life citizens are religious zealots. I am an atheist and strongly believe that life begins at conception. It is a MORAL position. My mother aborted my potential two younger siblings. She probably considered aborting me as well. I was not a random cluster of cells at several weeks – - I was a real person. Abortion is murder. It is a more heinous crime than capital punishment – - which ironically most pro-choice advocates are against- – because the innocent fetus did nothing to deserve being murdered. If you are stupid or thoughtless enough to impregnate someone or become impregnated, accept the consequences of your actions and become a caring parent or give the poor kid up for adoption. If you can’t stomach parenthood or the thought missing out on a carefree young adulthood, tough sh**! Next time think ahead or keep your pants zipped.
MCCAIN MADE OBAMA LOOK LIKE HE WAS RUNNING FOR CLASS PRESIDENT