Jim Gilmore on Abortion Senate challenger 2008; previously Republican Governor (VA)

Abortion before 8 weeks not OK, but shouldn’t be prohibited

A: Well, OK is not exactly the way I would put it. But what I would say is this: There has to be some time for the baby to form in the womb, which I think happens at about eight weeks. And after that, I think that abortion should be limited except to save the life of the mother.

Q: Between the beginning and eight weeks, abortion would be OK if necessary?

A: Not OK, but the question is, should the law prohibit it at that point? And I’ve never taken that position. On the other hand, my record has governor of Virginia with the pro-life movement has been very strong. We passed a 24-hour waiting period, parental notification, & informed consent. I signed the partial-birth abortion ban. And I think I have furthered our pro-life movement very substantially, even though not everybody would agree with every nuance of my position.

Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided; good day when repealed

ROMNEY: Absolutely.

BROWNBACK: It would be a glorious day of human liberty and freedom.

GILMORE: Yes, it was wrongly decided.

HUCKABEE: Most certainly.

HUNTER: Yes.

THOMPSON: Yes.

McCAIN: A repeal.

GIULIANI: It would be OK to repeal.

TANCREDO: After 40 million dead because we have aborted them in this country, that would be the greatest day in this country’s history when that, in fact, is overturned.

Right to abortion in the first 8 to 12 weeks of pregnancy

A: I do. My views on this, my beliefs on this are a matter of conviction. And they’ve always been the same, and they’ve never changed, the entire time that I’ve been in public life. However, my record as governor of Virginia, I think, has been one that the pro-life community, of which I’m a part, would be very proud: passing a 24-hour waiting period, passing informed consent, passing parental notification, signing the partial-birth abortion law in Virginia. So I think the record is there. But my views -- my views are strongly and fundamentally believed and been held that way.

Embryonic stem cell research experiments with people

GILMORE: We can’t create people in order to experiment with people.

HUCKABEE: I would concur. I don’t think it’s right to create a life to end a life. That’s not a good health decision.

HUNTER: No. I’d like to show Mrs. Reagan the alternatives, which are adult stem cells.

Informed consent and 24-hour waiting period