Democrats Soften Edges on Abortion

Aug. 13, 2008 — -- The Democratic Party is planning a convention designed to soften the edges on the party's support for abortion rights, with a revamped platform and a speaking lineup that reinforces efforts to broaden Democrats' appeal on the hot-button issue.

In a statement fraught with symbolism for those on both sides of the abortion debate, Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa., an abortion-rights opponent, will be given a prime speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention in Denver later this month.

Casey's father, the late Pennsylvania Gov. Robert Casey, a Democrat who also held strong anti-abortion views, was denied a speaking role at the party's 1992 convention -- a perceived snub that has long been a flashpoint in the party's wrangling over how to handle the abortion-rights debate on the national stage.

In addition, Democrats have adopted a platform that builds on the party's traditional language about preserving Roe v. Wade with pledges to support women who decide against having abortions.

"No one expects the Democratic Party not to support Roe v. Wade, but here we've gone from dogmatic positions to practical solutions," said the Rev. Jim Wallis, a prominent voice in the religious left who consulted with party leaders on ways to signal the party's commitment to reducing the number of abortions.

"The language in the platform is a real step forward," Wallis added. "For those women who want to take the child to term, it strongly supports that choice and provides necessary support."

The change in tone is an outgrowth of years-long efforts by prominent party leaders -- including Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada (Reid opposes abortion rights) -- to change the way the Democratic Party talks about abortion rights, if not the way the issue is approached on policy grounds.

In some ways, it's a mirror-image of efforts by national Republicans, who used their 2004 convention, for example, to highlight prominent party members who support abortion rights, including former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.