The article's subtitle, of course, tells the story: "Campaign Insists Investments Are in Blind Trust Only." The word "insists" is a kind of code: journalists use it to suggest that the victim's "insistence" must be untrue. Here, though, there is no question about the fact that Romney's fortune--legitimately earned, as opposed to, say, John ("Fortunate Husband") Kerry's--is invested in a blind trust. This means not only that Mitt Romney doesn't control where his money is invested, he doesn't even know where it is invested. That is the whole idea: when a politician doesn't know where his money is invested, he can't be accused of taking one action or another to further his own economic interests. Which is, in any event, a silly idea when speaking of someone like Romney, one of the ten or twenty most successful businessmen in the United States.
His [Romney's] campaign also released a longer clip from the same news conference: Indeed, in July 2005, a few weeks after the press conference, Mr. Romney vetoed an emergency contraception bill that would allow pharmacists to dispense the so-called morning-after pill without a prescription and require hospitals to make it available to rape victims.
He penned an op-ed for the Boston Globe to explain his decision, writing in part:
I understand that my views on laws governing abortion set me in the minority in our Commonwealth. I am pro-life. I believe that abortion is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother. I wish the people of America agreed, and that the laws of our nation could reflect that view. But while the nation remains so divided over abortion, I believe that the states, through the democratic process, should determine their own abortion laws and not have them dictated by judicial mandate.
Contradiction? I wrote about Romney's conversion for National Journal and came away with the impression that the Harvard incident began the process, rather than ended it -- that it took time before Romney fully came to realize that the pro-life position was correct.
Also, Romney has always claimed that, even after his personal revelation, he never went back on his promise to Massachusetts voters.
Me: What McCain’s camp fails to divulge is that Romney’s defense of the “status quo” in Massachusetts was actually a win for the pro-life movement. As Luo explains, it was in response to a veto of expanding stem cell research that Romney cited his promise to Massachusetts voters about abortion. He was denying the legislature the ability to increase stem cell research and abortion rights. Romney was a foil to liberal legislation in Massachusetts, not a co-conspirator in it. As usual, McCain is wrong.
McCain: “I Do Support Embryonic Stem-Cell Research…” "When questioned about his stance on abortion, McCain said, 'I do support embryonic stem-cell research because I believe it has the capability to relieve human suffering in a very big way.'" (Juli Rothstein, "McCain Visits," Exeter (NH) News-Letter, 3/20/07)
McCain Recently Told An Audience That He Supported Embryonic Stem Cell Research, And Suggested He Was A Moderate. "Appearing at the Community Church in Vero Beach as part of the Riverside Theatre's Distinguished Lecturer Series, McCain said he is appealing for support for all elements of the party. He suggested the crowd listening to his talk Monday could be described as the more moderate wing of the party. McCain drew applause from that audience as he expressed support for embryonic stem cell research, which has been opposed by many anti-abortion conservatives because of the destruction of the embryos." (Ed Bierschenk, "McCain Dispels Flip-Flop Claims," Scripps-Howard, 2/20/07)
McCain Voted To Allow Federal Funding For Research On Stem Cells Derived From Human Embryos. (H.R. 810, CQ Vote #206: Passed 63-37: R 19-36; D 43-1; I 1-0, 6/7/06, McCain Voted Yea)
McCain Expressed Disappointment That Bush Vetoed Federal Funds For Research On Embryos. "McCain distanced himself dramatically from the president on embryonic-stem-cell-research funding, expressing his disappointment that the president would choose to use his first veto on this issue, at the same time invoking the Reagan name (one of many times over the course of his speech) to express his disapproval." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "Vice Candidate," National Review, 8/3/06)
McCain Wants Tax Credits To Encourage Stem Cell Research. "In a discussion moderated by Stephen Wright, editorial page editor of the Mercury News, Chambers often expressed optimism, while McCain spoke in grimmer terms about the political climate in Washington. They touched on several issues… Research and development: Tax credits and more should be done to encourage more research and development, the two said. 'By the way, that includes stem-cell research,' McCain added, a triggering applause." (Scott Duke Harris, "McCain's Valley Splash," The [San Jose, CA] Mercury News, 11/4/06)
During The 2000 Primary, McCain Proclaimed That Experimenting On Aborted Fetuses Was OK Since It Could Possibly Cure Diseases. "McCain, an Arizona senator, is the only Republican candidate who said he does not support restrictions on fetal tissue research. He said he has voted in the past to permit such research. 'I believe the practice of abortion is morally repugnant, but my abhorrence for the vast array of diseases that inflict such great pain and suffering on millions of people is also profound,' he said. 'We must support medical research that will save lives.'" (Okamoto Lynn, "GOP Candidates Split On Litmus Test," Des Moines Register, 8/8/99)
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