This is a portion of President Obama’s interview with Katie Couric last night:
Katie Couric: Do you favor a government option that would cover abortions?
President Obama: What I think is important, at this stage, is not trying to micromanage what benefits are covered. Because I think we’re still trying to get a framework. And my main focus is making sure that people have the options of high quality care at the lowest possible price.
As you know, I’m pro choice. But I think we also have a tradition of, in this town, historically, of not financing abortions as part of government funded health care. Rather than wade into that issue at this point, I think that it’s appropriate for us to figure out how to just deliver on the cost savings, and not get distracted by the abortion debate at this station.
If the president doesn’t want his health-care reform to be “distracted” by “the abortion debate,” why is it so important to him that it be a part of his plan?
The National Right to Life Committee, by the way, is plenty “distracted”:
“The Kennedy bill and the House Democratic leadership bill would result in the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade,” said NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson. “These bills, which President Obama is pushing hard, would result in federally mandated coverage of abortion by nearly all health plans, federally mandated recruitment of abortionists by local health networks, and nullification of many state abortion laws. They would also result in federal funding of abortion on a massive scale. The pro-life movement needs to go to Condition Red on these bills, because they pose a mortal threat to the unborn and they are on a fast track to enactment.”
More here.