Oct 14, 2011 1:44pm

Ron Paul Ad Recalls Graphic Abortion

Texas Rep. Ron Paul is out with a new TV ad focusing on abortion.

The 60-second ad titled “Life” features Paul recalling a graphic story from his time as an obstetrics-gynecology resident to explain his opposition to abortion.

The GOP presidential candidate told a story of witnessing doctors deliver a baby via Caesarean section and then “put it in a bucket in the corner of the room and pretended it wasn’t there.”

The ad continues with Paul, 76, contrasting the harsh realities of an abortion to seeing only moments later the inspirational act of doctors trying to save a premature baby.

“Who are we to decide that that we are going to pick one and throw one away and struggle to save another?” Paul asked in the ad.

Paul’s defense of the unborn is sure to be red meat for social conservatives in the early voting states of Iowa, South Carolina, New Hampshire and Nevada, where the ad will begin airing today.

Paul gave a very similar speech during the Ames straw poll in August. But he has sparingly discussed abortion rights on the trail since then. He failed to mention it at recent stops in New Jersey, New York and New Hampshire.

Before becoming a congressman, Paul was an obstetrics-gynecology doctor credited with delivering more than 4,000 babies.

Although Paul calls himself strongly anti-abortion, he opposes a federal ban on all abortions. He instead believes that states are granted sole jurisdiction to regulate abortions.

Despite that, Paul has voted in favor of the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003. The law prohibits a form of late-term abortion.

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User Comments

What an idiot! I hope this ad is pulled. He’s a horrible, disgusting person to put out an ad such as this. Politicians have no right to say what we as citizens can or cannot do when it comes to our personal business. All you Repubs need to be stuck on an island alone… let you eat each other up!

Posted by: Lorrie | October 14, 2011, 1:54 pm 1:54 pm

As a Catholic I’m opposed to abortion, it’s my personal moral stance. However: the government should not be involved in this issue one way or the other. The conservative right wing wants a smaller less restrictive government yet on social issues they want the government to be fully involved.

The decision to have or not have an abortion should be a decision made by the woman, her family and her priest, rabbi or minister. I would discourage her, but the ultimate decision is hers.

Posted by: tmferretti | October 14, 2011, 2:08 pm 2:08 pm

@lorrie wow the man has a stance that abortions are wrong, because life is precious, but he won’t mandate how you should approach it, and you call him a horrible disgusting idiot? you may want to register as a republican with that kind of one sided, ignore any other argument type of thinking

Posted by: dl | October 14, 2011, 2:23 pm 2:23 pm

@LORRIE He’s rubber and you’re glue; whatever you say bounces off him and sticks to you! Phhltlt!

How childish a response to an issue of life and death. It’s police, not politicians, that should be addressing this issue. Supporting cannibalism really helps your cause.

Posted by: Michael | October 14, 2011, 2:34 pm 2:34 pm

Seriously?!? He is not sticking his nose into someones personal business, he is looking to stop people from murdering. Darn right the government has the ability/right to stop a crime. It is NOT a personal preference whether you want to kill someone or not.

Posted by: Tom | October 14, 2011, 2:35 pm 2:35 pm

Lorrie I think you miss under stand Dr Paul’s position on this. I encourage you to read his latest book Liberty Defined it explains much better than I his position on this matter. Dr Paul is by far the politician that would get government out of our business. His view is that this is a state matter not federal so no he would not out law abortion.

Posted by: Clint | October 14, 2011, 2:37 pm 2:37 pm

The evangelical Christians in the Republican Party need to read their Bible’s more. Christ said “Render unto Caesar what is Caesars. Render unto God what is God’s. Abortion is a matter for God, not the government.

Posted by: tmferretti | October 14, 2011, 2:37 pm 2:37 pm

Agreed. The point is lost by some here. Ron Paul is not supporting the federal government involvement with abortion. It should not be the feds place to fund abortions either. He is supportive of this being dealt with at a state level. My guess would be that California, Oregon, Washington, NY, etc. would still have that available. And Utah, Alabama, Texas, South Carolina would make it illegal…kind of like the right to smoke pot for medical reasons.

Yes it should be a choice of conscience. And I feel that even Ron Paul would not be favorable to some 3rd trimester issues if there were serious health issues at stake for the woman. But again, she could go to another state.

Posted by: karl | October 14, 2011, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm

Oh I get it. The “Liberterian” who does not believe in ‘government intereference’ thinks that it is OK to ‘pander’ to the wing nuts on this issue and ‘interfere’ with a woman’s right to choose. Now….that isn’t “HYPOCRISY” …is it?

Posted by: CND FOX | October 14, 2011, 4:27 pm 4:27 pm

Paul is just pointing out that murder is murder, whether observers cognitive dissonance comes into it or not.

Posted by: matt | October 14, 2011, 5:02 pm 5:02 pm

I am NOT a christian, jew, or muslim. Now putting religion aside, if we can’t protect the rights of newborns why does anyone else deserve liberty? Ron Paul 2012!

Posted by: Luke Gilead | October 14, 2011, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm

Ron Paul is not telling anyone what to do other than vote in your state for your rights at the local level and keep big GOV/FED out. (Birds of a feather and all) Ron Paul is saying what he believes about abortion and is not afraid to say it out loud but in this 60 second add he just states that throwing life away sucks and who is against that? What people really need to do is find out what their choice of elected leaders stances are on the subject and follow it to the end to see just how much freedom you really have. Compare your results with all the other candidates and I am confident you will choose DR. Paul’s line of view.
Note: don’t just go by any candidates 60 second clip, the clips are done to entice you to find more on what they believe and where they stand and what it means to you.

Posted by: easyvote2012 | October 14, 2011, 5:23 pm 5:23 pm

It is appalling to see the ignorance in comments these days on important issues in society. Ron Paul’s stance is that the Federal government should NOT be the ones making decisions such as this (abortion) but rather the states should decide individually. I highly recommend (to those of you who are so ignorant of these important issues) that you READ and RESEARCH on the candidates’ stances on various issues rather than throwing out naive, ignorant comments about them.

Posted by: Chad | October 14, 2011, 8:01 pm 8:01 pm

Rep Paul wants to strip female US citizens of their human, civil, and Constitutional rights to personal bodily autonomy – the SAME rights he enjoys as a US citizen – and relegate female US citizens to second-class citizenship.

He then wants to throw half of America’s citizens on the mercy of the individual states – to VOTE on their human, civil, and Constitutionally guaranteed rights.

The rights of citizens are NOT up for a vote. Rep Paul is a disgrace to the US Congress and a disgrace to this nation. His ugly racist views are already well-known to America, despite the ardent astroturfing efforts of his followers. Now, it is obvious that his racism is met, if not exceeded, by his misogyny.

One cannot stand for “liberty” while standing on the smoldering ruins of the liberty of half of America’s citizens.

Posted by: goatini | October 14, 2011, 8:22 pm 8:22 pm

Its pretty funny how people can post exactly what Ron Paul’s position is in clear, understandable words, and yet you still have people like Goatini spewing hatred at the man because he believes in liberty and freedom of choice.. If you morons werent so quick to knee jerk yourselves into a violent frenzy any time someone mentions abortion in a negative light, you might have actually read that he doesnt want the Federal Govt to regulate it and leave it up to the people per the 10th Amendment.. I myself believe in a woman’s right to choose, however, I can also see why people are against abortion (IT KILLS BABIES!!!!).. You people need to seriously re-evaluate your lives when you cheer the state funding the murdering unborn children and decry and defame a man who himself delivered over 4000 babies and believes that every life is sacred..

Posted by: King Krunknificent | October 14, 2011, 10:09 pm 10:09 pm

Ron Paul 2012 Defender of Liberty ! Restore America Now! Ron Paul a Uniter not a Divider! Vote Ron Paul Ron Paul2012.com Read about him before you judge him, like Mr. Cain said you got to be careful what you get off the Internet these days, not everything you read is true! No to 999 it’s a bad idea for poor people and a slam dunk for the Elite like Mr. Cain! Especially if you live in a state with both a sales tax and a state income tax! People do the MATH…..If you make less than 50K a year Mr. Cain’s 999 will wipe you out! OH except though if you buy used goods, it won’t hurt so bad, funny I don’t know of any grocery stores that sell used food, or how many people are going to buy used clothes? We all will if Herm Cain is elected! More of the status quo!

Posted by: Tony Rome | October 15, 2011, 1:29 am 1:29 am

It is not a woman’s choice to murder their unborn child. Denying life to an unborn child so they never see the light of day is evil. If you support abortion, you are as crazy as Al-Qaeda who want to murder (abort) all Americans.

Our Government makes it illegal for women fo offer sex for money and illegal to put certain drugs into their bodies and illegal to kill yourself but damn if you want to murder your unborn baby who are we to tell you what to do with your body. Our government is bipolar.

Any Roman Catholic who claims that they personally don’t support abortion but believe its ok for another woman to chose to abort (murder) their child is a hypocrite and as bipolar as our government.

Posted by: Jack Union | October 15, 2011, 4:10 am 4:10 am

I am a Ron Paul supporter and I am pro choice. I can certainly see why so many people think this ad means that Ron Paul wants the government to stop a woman from having an abortion. They think that because he doesn’t say otherwise and most people on the pro life side of things think that. I don’t know why he is airing this commercial. The hot topic on everyone’s minds is the economy stupid. And Ron Paul has a stellar record of trying to protect us all from the federal reserve meddling that destroyed the housing market.

I can tell you from reading Ron’s articles that he staunchly believes that the federal government doesn’t have the right to tell anyone anything. Too bad he didn’t say so in this ad. I will chalk this up to a bunch of conservatives thinking this will get him votes and forgive him for not being perfect.

Because bottom line, the most important pressing issue now IS the economy and only Ron Paul would protect us from government destroying things even more…just like he has for 25 years. I trust a man to behave in the future the way he has in the past and Ron has ALWAYS voted against the government using its power to rob you blind.

Posted by: Jennifer Hyatt | October 15, 2011, 6:14 am 6:14 am

I’m sick of ABC and other mainstream media organizations that tell me how to think. You have to be an idiot not to see the anti-Paul spin in this article.”He failed to mention it at recent stops in New Jersey, New York and New Hampshire.” You can fill an encyclopedia with what he didn’t mention. This insults my intelligence.

Posted by: bigdowner | October 15, 2011, 7:09 am 7:09 am

This puts the lie from all paulists that paul isn’t an enemy to women’s freedom. Doesn’t believe thee federal govt. Should regulate it and yet voted for a ban. So much for Dr No.

Posted by: Gerry | October 15, 2011, 9:10 am 9:10 am

Ho hum, another anti-woman Republican “leader”. Not even news anymore.

Interesting, though, that he did his residency in the late 60′s in Texas, which is presumably where and when this incident occurred. Since when are abortions performed via C-Section? And if he really “witnessed” this event, why didn’t he try and actually DO anything about it, if he was so distraught over it? Ya know, ‘put your money where your mouth is’. Did he try to save the baby? Adopt it? Or try to find it a home? Or did he just stand there, mute? Doesn’t he have enough courage of his convictions to actually DO something in a case like that? I’m sorry, but his story doesn’t pass the sniff test for me. It smacks of a desperate Republican candidate pandering to a very specific demographic of potential primary voters………….

Posted by: Searambler | October 16, 2011, 9:39 am 9:39 am

Jack Union wrote, “Our Government makes it illegal for women fo offer sex for money …”

Well, except for those places where prostitution is legal. Like Nevada. I don’t know of any federal law against prostitution, as far as I know that is entirely up to the states.

Posted by: Searambler | October 16, 2011, 9:41 am 9:41 am

… spewing hatred at the man because he believes in liberty and freedom of choice.. Posted by: King Krunknificent | October 14, 2011, 10:09 pm.

You mean he believes in “liberty and freedom of choice” as long as the woman chooses not to have an abortion. Paul calls himself “strongly anti-abortion”. Which by definition means he is against a woman’s free choice in the matter. He believes that the government should be able to regulate abortion. Does it really matter if the government is federal or state? Government regulation is government regulation, practically speaking. His argument is disingenuous………

Posted by: Searambler | October 16, 2011, 9:49 am 9:49 am

yes, because it lets states compete for a better and better system. if you live in one state and things are doing poorly, and the state next to you is doing well you can look at why and get some good ideas form society as a whole.

if the Federal Gov’t gets involed, if you havn’t noticed it helps some states, but it also hurts other states. This country should not be about picking winners and losers, and its seems to be whats happening now with Wall St. who was picked as a winner! by the Federal Reserve Bank who was able under the Federal Goverment’s watch to print an unknow amount of money, the constitution does not allow for this private bank. o sry 99% you lose because they were too big to fail. LOL
the consequences! people rightfully riot is discontent.

just imagine if the state decides to pass a law that says everyone must were shackes if they want to live there. people can move to another state. If the Feds do it you have to move to a different country, o no u can’t youd be illegal stuck with it!

The system of sound money, and individual liberty is not perfect, but if you believe the current system is heading towards perfection you will have given away mare than the choice of being pro-life or anti-life. pro-choice or anti-choice.

Republican or Democrate, should follow our constitution, its the best piece of paper to come along so far. I don’t need a Federal Government telling all the people what to believe as if it were king.

btw, if we had a global gov’t and the pope ruled wouldn’t you be damn happy your state still had the right to choose?

Posted by: k9unleashed | October 16, 2011, 3:34 pm 3:34 pm

Ron Paul is fantastic!Against Fetal Slavery and the endless wars in the Middle East….People who support Abortion are the spiritual ancestors of those who supported Slavery.They have yielded the moral high ground to condemn ANY sort of discrimination and human rights violations…If abortion on demand is a personal “right” then so is rape,racial discrimination,wife beating and child molestation…

Posted by: robert m. simon | October 16, 2011, 8:25 pm 8:25 pm

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