Obama Hits McCain on Abortion Rights

Abortion rights was going to be an issue this election year of course, but up until a few days ago it probably wasn't going to be a super mega major issue. In fact, abortion was barely mentioned last week at the DNC. "By his nomination of Gov. Palin, McCain has made his opposition to a woman's right to decide a major campaign issue," according to Obama adviser Kate Michelman. Now the Obama camp has released a radio ad campaign in seven swing states attacking McCain's abortion stance.

Politico has the transcript:

"Let me tell you: If Roe vs. Wade is overturned, the lives and health of women will be put at risk. That's why this election is so important," says the nurse-practitioner who narrates Obama's ad. "John McCain's out of touch with women today. McCain wants to take away our right to choose. That's what women need to understand. That's how high the stakes are."

An announcer then claims that "as president, John McCain will make abortion illegal," before playing an exchange on "Meet the Press" in which McCain told moderator Tim Russert that he favors "a constitutional amendment to ban all abortions."

"We can't let John McCain take away our right to choose. We can't let him take us back," says the ad.

The ad had a soft launch before the Palin pick but now it appears it's being stepped up. Obama had hoped to court female voters by discussing less divisive issues like health care but the Palin pick changes that. Palin, the new darling of the far right, is anti-abortion to the extreme, even in cases of rape and incest.