Read beyond the headline before freaking out: Obama: No litmus tests on abortion for court pick

[cali]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he will not insist that his Supreme Court nominee pass any "litmus tests" over supporting abortion rights, but made clear he will choose a candidate who will consider personal privacy and women's rights when ruling on cases.

"That's going to be something that's very important to me," Obama said in response to a question about a woman's right to choose.

"I think part of what our constitutional values promote is the notion that individuals have protection in their privacy, and their bodily integrity, and women are not exempt from that," Obama said.

The president noted that the debate over abortion rights has long divided the country, and he chose a response that did not box him in. At the same time, Obama underscored his belief in a right to privacy.

<snip>

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_SUPREME_COURT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2010-04-21-11-57-34

[tkmorris]

1. That's a well-honed political statement from him

And please don't read that as a criticism. Such is exactly what is called for right now. He can't really gain anything by talking about the criteria for his pick right now but it would be easy to stick your foot in your mouth if you do. He didn't.

[cali]

3. oh, I completely agree.

he deftly avoided the traps with that statement.

[Sebastian Doyle]

2. AP's headline does seem to be in conflict with their own article.

I saw this headline, and then heard the soundbite of Obama speaking during the AP radio newsbreak a few minutes ago, and knew the headline was misleading. But that's the whore media for you.

[cali]

4. that's fine. Obama threaded the needle on this.

[Radical Activist]

5. Bush said the same thing

but we know what kind of nominees we got.

[cali]

7. no he didn't. he said nothing remotely like Obama said

[Radical Activist]

8. Bush says 'no litmus test' on abortion for Supreme Court nominee

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P1-110768649.html

Bush used the exact same messaging strategy as Obama is, but with a different position on the issue.

[cali]

9. Exactly- a different position on the issue.

[Arkana]

11. Yeah, but Bush was anti-choice and Obama is pro-choice.

If you honestly think Obama would put an anti-choice judge on the court you're smoking some SERIOUS ganja.

[Radical Activist]

12. Well, like I wrote...

"Bush used the exact same messaging strategy as Obama is, but with a different position on the issue."

My point is that we know what kind of justice we're getting, regardless of the recycling talking points.

[Arkana]

6. Meh. Everyone says that.

You know damn well that one of the questions posed to the eventual nominee is going to be "Would you overturn Roe?" or something like that.

[chelsea0011]

10. I'm tired of hearing about the "litmus test" on abortion. Abortion is the law of the land

and if some nominee said he/she supports it, so be it.