George Bush Sr. on Abortion

President of the U.S., 1989-1993; Former Republican Rep. (TX)

Shifted towards pro-life camp seeing callousness of abortion

Bush's mind worked by drawing on deeply engrained principles, & he constantly sifted information. This made him open to profound growth. He read that the number of abortions in D.C. had eclipsed the number of live births. This callousness toward life deeply disturbed him and he began moving more firmly into the pro-life camp. It wasn't as if he were at one point on the continuum one day and at the opposite point the next day. He had a constantly engaged mind, a habit he passed on to his children. Source: Courage and Consequence, by Karl Rove, p. 50 , Mar 9, 2010

Slowly moved along continuum to pro-life

I saw how Bush's mind worked, drawing on broad principles that were deeply engrained, and how he constantly collected and sifted information. This made him open to profound growth. He read in the paper that the number of abortions in DC had eclipsed the number of live births. This callousness toward life deeply disturbed him and he began moving more firmly into the pro-life camp. It wasn't as if he were at one point on the continuum one day and at the opposite point the next day. Source: Courage and Consequence, by Karl Rove, p. 50 , Mar 9, 2010

Supported family planning as ambassador & Congressman

President Bush had vetoed the Family and Medical Leave Act twice and had backed off women's rights/ Though a supporter of family planning when he was Ambassador to the United Nations and as a Texas Congressman, Bush became an anti-choice Vice President and President. With rates of crime, unemployment, welfare dependency and homelessness climbing, the Bush Administration seemed increasingly out of touch. Source: Living History, by Hillary Rodham Clinton, p.115 , Nov 1, 2003

Continued global gag order on family planning

In Kazakhstan, I visited a small women's-wellness center funded through US foreign aid. Because of the unavailability of contraception, abortion had become a common form of family planning under communism. The Clinton Administration's policy was to make abortion "safe, legal and rare." We worked to discourage abortion and minimize the spread of sexually transmitted diseases by providing aid for family planning and improved maternal health. This policy contradicted the global gag rule that had been imposed by President Reagan, continued by Bush and rescinded by Bill on the second day of his Presidency (later reinstated by George W. Bush). The doctors at the Almaty clinic told me that the rates of both abortion and maternal deaths were decreasing, further proof that our practical policy was more effective at making abortion rare than the Republicans' more visceral anticontraception approach. Source: Living History, by Hillary Rodham Clinton, p.431 , Nov 1, 2003

Pro-life; against advocating abortion in any form

If there was an issue in the campaign that was clear, it was the abortion question. My opponent strongly supported the “choice” position, and I strongly supported the “life” position. I am not “imposing” my views, because I clearly stated them in running for office, and I am not about to change.

I strongly support family planning and have always favored disseminating information on birth control. I do not favor advocating abortion in any way, shape, or form.

Source: Letter from George Bush in All The Best, p.420 , Mar 29, 1989

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*Former Presidents:* George W. Bush(R,2001-2009) Bill Clinton(D,1993-2001) George Bush Sr.(R,1989-1993) Ronald Reagan(R,1981-1989) Jimmy Carter(D,1977-1981) Gerald Ford(R,1974-1977) Richard Nixon(R,1969-1974) Lyndon Johnson(D,1963-1969) John F. Kennedy(D,1961-1963) *Former Contenders:* V.P.Al Gore Pat Buchanan V.P.Dick Cheney Sen.Bob Dole Ralph Nader Gov.Sarah Palin *Political Thinkers:* Noam Chomsky Milton Friedman Arianna Huffington Rush Limbaugh Tea Party Ayn Rand Secy.Robert Reich Donald Trump Gov.Jesse Ventura	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty

Page last updated: Dec 15, 2011