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Ralph Reed Calls His Abortion Plank Criticism Personal![[Reed]](reed.jpg)
Aired May 6, 1996 JUDY WOODRUFF, Anchor: Whether it's the language of the Republican platform on abortion or high-profile comments by some of the key players, history has shown the precision of language counts. Christian Coalition chief Ralph Reed caused a stir in recent days with remarks that left some people thinking there was room for interpretation of his group's position. Well, Ralph Reed joins us now from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Thanks for being with us. RALPH REED, Executive Director, Christian Coalition: Thank you, Judy. Good to be with you. WOODRUFF: Bay Buchanan says you've raised the white flag of surrender. REED: You mean, on the abortion plank? WOODRUFF: Yes. REED: Well, I think that's incorrect, and Bay and I had a good conversation earlier today, and I think she understands now where we stand at the Christian Coalition. Sometimes these things get confused when they move through a media filter. What I have said very simply, Judy - so there's no ambiguity - it is the official position of the Christian Coalition that there can be no retreat, no backpedaling, no watering down, no signal of equivocation sent at the Republican Convention in dabbling with the pro-life plank. We think that plank needs to remain unequivocally, unambiguously and eloquently pro-life. What we have said is we do not object to inserting, for example, a sentence that condemns Bill Clinton's veto of the partial birth abortion ban, a veto that's been condemned by Pope John Paul II and Billy Graham. We think that could strengthen the plank. It's a change, but it's not a material, substantive or fanatic change. WOODRUFF: But would you categorically rule out any sort of change, specifically language that would not include a call for a human life amendment? REED: Well, I think that, as you know, Judy, is a decision that ultimately is going to be made by the nominee, Bob Dole, in concert with the 107 members of the platform committee. I will just tell you what my personal position is. It's really identical to Henry Hyde's position, who is the newly named chairman of the platform committee. We believe that the Republican Party has become a majority party because it has stood four-square for the sanctity of innocent human life and for the legal - and, yes, the constitutional - protection, by amendment, if necessary, of every innocent human life. I think a retreat from that position would be not only a political mistake, I think it would be morally wrong. WOODRUFF: But if that's the case, then, why do you say in your book - and I'm referring- I haven't read your book yet- but the excerpt in Newsweek this week - where you say that pro- lifers could draft other language that would be as `morally compelling'- was how you put it? ![[Quote from Reed]](quote.gif)
REED: Well, because I think that to be as morally compelling, it has to include constitutional protection. Look, Judy, the reality is this - when we've had disenfranchised minorities in the past, whether it was African-Americans prior to the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments, or women before the 19th Amendment giving them the right to vote, we have always codified their inclusion in the body politic and in the family of humanity in the Constitution, because we believe that if it ultimately wasn't codified in that document, then it wasn't ultimately safe. I think what I say in the book - which will be out in a couple of weeks - is that if that is all we do is affirm support for an amendment, and we don't try and create humane and compassionate alternatives to abortion, we don't appoint pro-life judges, we don't try and move through state legislature, we don't pursue other strategies, I think that would be a mistake- WOODRUFF: - But- REED: - But to retreat from constitutional protection would be wrong, and I'm not for it. WOODRUFF: But you were talking- and you are talking in your in your book- about drafting new Republican Party platform language. REED: Well, what I think I was attempting to do was to provoke a discussion, and obviously, I succeeded [laughs]. So, I think to a degree I succeeded in what I was trying to do. But if somebody is suggesting that that language that's in my book is going to be offered as an amendment to the platform in San Diego, that's dead wrong, because in the excerpt, I specifically say, `The Christian Coalition will not go to San Diego and offer alternative language.' That is not our policy. WOODRUFF: But, you know, some people are saying, Ralph Reed, that this is a deliberate effort to sort of shake the trees on this issue right now, to get this debate out there, and frankly, to see how much flexibility there is among your constituents in the Christian Coalition and elsewhere in the Christian right. REED: Well, I don't know that it was systematic or deliberate. I do think that, you know, Phyllis Schlafly has proposed alternative language in the past, others have proposed alternative language. This was just simply my own personal contribution- WOODRUFF: - Wait a minute. You said you don't if it's systematic. I mean, you must know whether you were deliberately trying to see whether there was flexibility out there. REED: - was not. I can't speak for anybody else. I can only speak for myself. All I'm saying is others have proposed other language. I was just throwing this out as a theoretical way to continue the discussion and to continue the dialogue. It has done so. I think this is a healthy debate, it's good for the party, it's good for the country. WOODRUFF: But aren't you having frequent conversations with Scott Reed, who is the manager of the Dole campaign, among other things about how Mr. Dole is going to deal with the abortion issue? REED: Well, I'm having a lot of conversations with a lot of people, including Bay Buchanan and other pro-family leaders and our own members. I think if you asking me what do I think the outcome is going to be - not a whole lot. I think it's a much ado about nothing. There might be a sentence added into the platform that would condemn Bill Clinton's cruel and inhumane veto of the partial birth abortion ban. WOODRUFF: And what do you say those 45-50 percent the Republican Party voters who believe that women have a right to choose? REED: I- first of all, that is not what the data that we've got shows. We did a survey with the Luntz Research Corporation prior to the primaries that showed that 70 percent of Republican primary voters did not want the platform to be weakened or watered down. That's the majority position. It's Bob Dole's position. And it's our position. WOODRUFF: All right, well, Ralph Reed, this is an issue we're going to be coming back to I'm sure. REED: Indeed. WOODRUFF: Thank you for being with us. REED: Thanks so much, Judy. |
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