Last Friday/Saturday, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence spoke at the 11th annual pro-life Values Voter Summit in Washington, DC.
I would like to include representative quotes, first an extended quote from Mr. Trump, who spoke on Friday, then a number from Gov. Pence.
Mr. Trump spoke to the largely Evangelical audience about many issues. Of critical interest to pro-lifers was his view on appointments to the Supreme Court:
But one of the most important [issues] – some people think it’s actually the most important – is the filling of the seats [on the] United States Supreme Court. You see what’s happening right now? Essentially it’s four and four. And you see what – how bad it is. We’re going to pick great judges. I’ve already put a list of 11 Federalist Society, highly recommended, got uniform great reviews on these 11 people. And we are going to put truly great people. Maybe we use Judge Scalia of the ultimate example of what we’re looking for, OK?
This will determine whether or not we remain a constitutional republic, frankly. That’s what’s going to happen. I have pledged to appoint judges who uphold the Constitution, to protect your religious liberty, and apply the law as written. We reject judges who rewrite the Constitution to impose their own personal views on 300 million-plus Americans. We’re not going to have that. I’ve made public a list of judges, as I said, that will guide my selection process. Hillary Clinton has refused to provide such a list. And we brought it up.
Let’s see a list. You ever saw the list you would walk out of here not feeling very well. Because she knows the extremist judges she would pick would be rejected by the overwhelming majority of the American public. They’d be rejected. ….
Gov. Pence, whose history of pro-life advocacy goes back decades to his time in the House of Representatives, spoke on Saturday at the Summit, affirming his and Mr. Trump’s pro-life credentials in numerous passages. For example
Let me make it crystal clear: People who know me well know that I’m pro-life, I don’t apologize for it. I want to live to see the day that we put the sanctity of life back at the center of American law, and we send Roe v. Wade to the ash heap of history, where it belongs.”
He added, to loud applause,
Let me assure you the Trump-Pence administration will stand for the sanctity of life and defend the unborn from the first day we take office. I’m truly grateful for Donald Trump’s strong commitment to the sanctity of life. He understands the moral imperative of advancing the cause of life.
And Pence said
When President Trump takes office we will work with the Congress and sign into law the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. We will end late term abortions nationwide. As my running mate said not so long ago, “We should not be one of seven countries that allows elective abortion after 20 weeks. It goes against our core values.”
Pence reminded his audience that while Clinton is pledged to trying to end the Hyde Amendment
A Trump-Pence administration will uphold the Hyde Amendment and prevent the taxpayer dollars of millions of pro-life Americans from being used to fund abortions
In conclusion, Gov. Pence reinforced a central point made by Trump on Friday
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly when it comes to life and all of our liberties, Donald Trump will appoint justices to the Supreme Court of the United States who will strictly construe the Constitution of the United States in the tradition of the late and great Justice Antonin Scalia.
There is a great deal more that could be said, and will be explored over the days to come. I would end with the third “obvious” point: there is no length to which they would not go to prove that such an “episode” disqualified Trump from continuing to run for President.
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
