Kraichgauer wrote:
As I recall, before Reagan turned the abortion issue into a Republican party plank, abortion was largely a non-partisan issue. Jesse Jackson was a pro-life liberal, and George W. Bush was a pro-choice conservative.
Even Reagan was an "I'll never do it" pro-lifer, not a "you should never do it" pro-lifer. Don't forget he appointed O'Connor, who was instrumental in keeping the court on the pro-choice side for decades.
You must mean George H.W. Bush, the older guy, right? I think George W. Bush was pretty clearly not pro-choice; don't forget he's the one who prohibited use of new stem cell lines from aborted fetuses in research. His entire campaign strategy turned on getting out vote of the religious right.
Yes, I definitely meant George H.W. Bush.