Repent and apologize,"holier than thou" Brownback

By Michael Gaynor

Anyone who does not work to ensure that a pro-life Republican is elected President in 2008, and tries to tear down someone who can, figuratively has babies' blood on his ot her hands. Republican presidential very, very longshot Senator Sam Brownback is staunchly pro-life, which is wonderful, but he's using scurrilous campaign tactics, which is wicked. There was a bit of humor when the Brownback for President Campaign officially proposed a new word be added to Webster's Dictionary, "Mitt-amorphasis." But Senator Brownback's selfish hostility to fellow pro-lifers who also aspire to be President of the United States is not funny or helpful to the pro-life cause.

Senator Brownback is targeting fellow Republican presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney and Tom Tancredo as though they are pro-abortion Democrats, like Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards, the top tier of the Democrat crops of pro-abortion presidential hopefuls.

The Romney and Tancredo campaigns are calling for apologies for the Brownback campaign's misleading automated phone calls to voters.

Is Senator Brownback too proud to make them?

"Mitt Romney is telling Iowans he is firmly pro-life. Nothing could be further from the truth," said the Brownback campaign's phone message.

The message goes on to attack the former Massachusetts governor's wife, warning, "His wife, Ann, has contributed money to Planned Parenthood." Fact: Mrs. Romney wrote a $150 check to Planned Parenthood in 1994. Fact: Mrs. Romney choose to become pro-life and now serves on the board of Massachusetts Citizens for Life. Opinion: Holding a husband responsible for every $150 his wife spends is absurd.

Brownback spokesman John Rankin: "We stand by the accuracy of our statement that Mrs. Romney financially supported Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the world."

$150 in 1994, BEFORE she became pro-life, to be specific, which the Brownback campaign chose not to be!

Senator Brownback, if your message was that Mrs. Romney HAD made a small contribution to Planned Parenthood years ago, it would be old news and out-of-date, but true.

BUT, your message is that Mrs. Romney "has contributed money to Planned Parenthood."

"HAS" is present tense, not past.

Neither of the Romneys is currently supporting Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood realizes it, and so should you and your telephone script writer(s).

The Romneys ARE firmly pro-life and their conversions should be welcomed. Like President Reagan, they were converted to that position. Perhaps something like your own conversion to Roman Catholicism. When Jesus said that one without sin should throw the first stone, He was not encouraging you and your telephone script writer(s) to throw stones, figuratively speaking, at other converts. It really is...unbecoming, Senator. It discourages conversion to the pro-life position, which is something you should be encouraging, instead of discouraging, Senator.

Romney spokesman Tim Albrecht expressed outrage at what he called "despicable, negative phone calls."

I'd say that a reasonable reaction and a fair characterization.

"They should apologize to Ann Romney and Governor Romney for this personal attack," Albrecht said.

Right. The sooner, the better.

The Brownback campaign has also been making phone calls in Iowa criticizing Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo for taking campaign money from a Planned Parenthood backer.

"Say no to Tom Tancredo and his Planned Parenthood friend and help end abortion in America," the caller says, according to a script confirmed by the Brownback campaign.

Congressman Tancredo said Senator Brownback is a longtime friend who "is well aware of my lifelong commitment to the unborn" and called on Senator Brownback "to cease with the maliciously misleading push calls intended to harm [Congressman Tancredo] and apologize."

But the Brownback campaign is standing by its attack on Congressman Tancredo too (if not refusing contributions from anyone who does not agree with Senator Brownback on all significant issues).

Mr. Rankin commented that Congressman Tancredo "says he is committed to being pro-life but has accepted thousands of dollars from the founder of a major Planned Parenthood network."

Ho hum.

If Congressman Tancredo did not vote pro-life, that would be significant. If a Planned Parenthood supporter wants to make lawful contributions to pro-lifers like Congressman Tancredo, I'm not going to condemn the recipient for accepting the contribution in the absence of evidence that the contribution compromises the pro-life recipient's principles. The telephone message did not offer any evidence of that, much less proof.

Such desperation tactics are not only despicable, but futile, Senator Brownback.

© Michael Gaynor