Abortion is the topic of a new television advertising battle between an independent group and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Here’s the ad that started the fight, a 30-second spot being aired by the group BornAliveTruth.org. It features 31-year-old abortion survivor Gianna Jessen:
“Can you imagine not giving babies their basic human rights, no matter how they entered our world? My name is Gianna Jessen, born 31 years ago after a failed abortion,” Jessen says in the ad. “But if Barack Obama had his way, I wouldn’t be here. Four times Barack Obama voted to oppose a law to protect babies left to die after failed abortions. Sen. Obama, please support born-alive, infant protections. I’m living proof these babies have a right to live.”
Obama has already responded with this ad, which aims to link the group’s ad to his GOP opponent:
“John McCain’s attacks — the sleaziest ads ever, truly vile,” the narrator states. “Now, votes taken out of context, accusing Obama of letting infants die? It’s a despicable lie. Even the bill’s Republican sponsor said it’s untrue. Obama’s always supported medical care to protect infants. McCain — he’s running on a platform to ban abortion, even in cases of rape and incest. Sleazy ads, anti-choice, that’s John McCain.”
A little background: Obama did oppose the Born Alive Infants Protection Act in the Illinois Legislature, saying it would undermine Roe v. Wade. On the federal level, the act was approved by Congress in 2002, with the Senate giving unanimous consent. It was signed by the president in August 2002.
The law extends legal rights to infants born alive after failed abortion attempts and requires efforts to save them.
BornAliveTruth.org, which was founded by Jill Stanek, is spending $350,000 to air the ads in the two states.