Rove hits Obama on abortion

NY Times:

Karl Rove used a speech on Friday before a prominent anti-abortion group to attack Senator Barack Obama for his abortion rights positions and praise his opponent Senator John McCain for his family values.

Mr. Rove, the former top adviser to President Bush, told members of National Right to Life that Mr. Obama was threatening “to strike down all the good work that you’ve done over decades” through his support of the federal Freedom of Choice Act and other pieces of legislation that would advance abortion rights.

“This is a man who stands up and says he is going to bring Republicans and Democrats together to achieve great things for the country,” Mr. Rove said. “How can you claim to do that if you are at the same time supporting the divisive practice of using taxpayer dollars to fund abortion? You can’t. You cannot square that circle.”

And he ticked off a list of positions Mr. Obama has taken on abortion-related bills, pointing out that the Illinois senator and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, received a zero rating from the N.R.L.C and a 100 percent rating for his Senate votes from the abortion rights group, Naral Pro-Choice America. Naral endorsed Mr. Obama in May.

Mr. Rove also took aim Mr. Obama’s recent efforts to court “pro-life and values leaders” and try to “convince them that he’s a reasonable person.”

“I understand what he’s trying to do,” Mr. Rove said. “But there is a difference between talk and action. And in this instance, his actions over the years are far more important than any reassuring words that he can offer in a private conversation.”

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This is a good line of attack on Obama on not just abortion but on other issues. Focus on what he is doing not what he is saying. When the two do not add up he should be attacked for trying to mislead people about his true positions and also attacked on credibility. You cannot always take him at this word. Some of his most ardent supporters are finding that out now.