For good measure, when asked today whether he agrees with NARAL's demand that the Senate filibuster any Supreme Court nominee who "does not affirm that the Constitution protects a woman's right to choose," Dean flatly said, "No."

Is Dean anti-abortion?

brina | Email | Homepage | 03.11.03 - 11:15 am | #

brina,

Dean's position on Abortion can be found here:

http://www.deanforamerica.com/ de...ll=reproductive

short answer: Dean supports a womans right to choose.

but that is a SEPARATE issue from having a Supreme Court litmus test.

You may also want to look at the video and transcript of Dean's address to NARAL which earned him rousing cheers and applause. link is in the left-hand sidebar.
Aziz | Email | Homepage | 03.11.03 - 11:37 am | #

Brina,

No. Dean is firmly pro-choice. Check out his speech to NARAL a few months ago. He was also on the board of directors for the New England Planned Parenthood (would need to check the details on this, though).

Dean is against straight-up litmus tests ("Do you support Roe v. Wade?") but says it's very unlikely he would ever nominate someone who opposes Roe v. Wade, because they are right-wing extremists who make themselves very clear during questioning. This is from the Meet the Press interview:



MR. RUSSERT: That’s confusing, ‘cause that’s what you told the Brattleboro Reformer in January. Let me show you. “‘I’ve never asked and I’ve appointed 60 percent of the judiciary in this state-what party people are a member of and what their views are when I’ve appointed them as judge.’”

MR. DEAN: No, not what their views—perhaps, that had to do with Roe vs. Wade or pending cases and I don’t ask that. I certainly ask them what their views are. What I do is I pose hypothetical questions about constitutional issues. And there are two ways you get disqualified. One is if you pander to what my well-known prejudices are and the other is if you clearly are outside the mainstream and have an ideological bent. I want people who will enforce the law. I think this president is appointing people in this Federalist Society which I consider to be pretty far right, and that becomes a litmus test.
Look, I don’t agree with Kate, and I was asked at the NARAL meeting, “Would you have a litmus test?” and the answer is no. But I can assure you that because of the screening process that I use, it would be incredibly unlikely that I’d ever nominate somebody who didn’t support Roe vs. Wade.

Check this url for the full transcript: http://dean2004.blogspot.com/ 200...e.html#90429857
Luke Francl | Email | Homepage | 03.11.03 - 11:56 am | #

I'm a Vermonter and can vouch for Dean's pro-choice credentials. He's even defended (unlike more cowardly democrats) the so-called partial birth abortion question noting that it's extremely rare, and almost always happens when it threatens the life or health of the mother - it's not a situation that anyone willingly puts themselves in. He made a point of saying that this is a non-issue that Republicans have invented to divide the public and put doubt into their minds about the practice of abortion generally. He's very good on this issue.

He was making a point about the nature of judicial appointments when he said there would be no litmus test. I was shocked that he didn't mention it in the case of his two highest profile appointments to the Vermont Supreme Court. Chief Justice Amestoy was a highly thought of, socially liberal, Republican Attorney General who Dean tapped to be Chief Justice (no litmus test -- and through review of his history, Dean knew he was no right wing ideologue, so the "choice" issue would be safe in his hands), and James Morse, also a liberal Republican. Again, it speaks to Dean's fairness, and ability to reach across party lines and view justices on the merits of their ability to uphold judicial precedent (like choice), and the constitution, not just on party politics.
Best, Christopher
cjcurtis | Email | Homepage | 03.11.03 - 1:37 pm | #

Thanks for all the info!
brina | Email | Homepage | 03.11.03 - 6:46 pm | #