Sen. Kerry says language used by both sides in abortion-rights debate often 'misleading and unconstructive'

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), who supports abortion rights, on Monday during a speech at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., said both abortion-rights supporters and abortion-rights opponents sometimes use "misleading and unconstructive" language and urged both sides to find "common ground," on the issue, the Boston Globe reports (Klein, Boston Globe, 9/19).

Kerry during an interview in July 2004, while running for president, said, "I oppose abortion, personally. I don't like abortion. I believe life does begin at conception. ... But I can't take my Catholic belief, my article of faith, and legislate it on a Protestant or a Jew or an atheist ... who doesn't share it.

We have separation of church and state in the United States of America."

Kerry has a 100% voting record with NARAL Pro-Choice America and frequently has spoken of his commitment to abortion rights (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 7/6/04).

Gary Bauer, president of the conservative American Values group, said he doesn't "want to discourage anyone from giving a speech in moving in my direction, but this is one of these issues where words aren't enough."

Kerry in the Senate has voted against bills that would restrict abortion rights.

NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan said Kerry's speech highlights what her group "has been saying for years: This decision is a personal one between a woman, her family, her doctor and her God."

Kerry after the speech said he is aiming to push advocates on both sides of the abortion rights debate to "be more honest about the complexity of the moral decision here" and understand the genuineness of one another's convictions (Boston Globe, 9/19).