Unreported by the mainstream media, in Tuesday's Presidential Pro-Life Forum organized by PersonhoodUSA, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum each stated unequivocally that if elected president they would take all actions possible to define unborn humans as "persons" from conception.
For background, read 2012: Obama vs. an Evangelical, or vs. a Mormon? and also read Presidential Candidates: Abortion & Marriage Top Issues as well as Iowa Christian Presidential Forum Riles Media
UPDATE 2/5/12: Romney is GOP holdout on personhood pledge
UPDATE 1/10/12: Ron Paul "signs" personhood pledge, sort of; still nothing from Mitt Romney
-- From "Four top GOP candidates would ban abortion in rape, incest" by Jay Bookman, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 12/28/11
In November, 58 percent of voters in Mississippi rejected a so-called “personhood amendment,” which stated that human life begins at the moment of fertilization and gave human embryos all of the legal protections of a person. Destroying an embryo by any means would be considered murder.
The amendment would have outlawed abortion even in cases of rape and incest, as well as embryonic stem-cell research.
Mitt Romney has ducked the issue, arguing that human life begins at conception but concluding that such decisions should be made at the state rather than federal level. Jon Huntsman has said the personhood movement “goes too far.”
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From "GOP Candidates Fight for Iowa Pro-Life Vote" by Rebekah Metzler, U.S. News & World Report 12/28/11
Four GOP presidential candidates discussed their pro-life views with about 25,000 participants in a tele-town hall sponsored by Personhood USA that was also broadcast on a conservative talk radio show on Tuesday night.
All four had previously signed a "personhood" pledge distributed by Personhood USA, declaring they would pursue legislation to declare that life begins at fertilization, if elected president.
Bachmann was the only candidate to call out rivals for their inconsistency on the pro-life issue. Secure in her record and demonstrating an obvious grasp of the key words and issues pro-life voters care about, she discussed the importance of not relegating pro-lifers to the sidelines.
Santorum, well known for arguing the pro-life cause during his time in the Senate, also sought to convince voters of his bona fides.
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From "GOP Candidates Reveal How They Would Enact Pro-Life 'Personhood' Laws" by Christina Wilkie, Huffington Post 12/28/11
The candidates took questions from some of the listeners as well as from Personhood USA's CEO Keith Mason, while syndicated conservative radio host Steve Deace served as moderator of the forum, which was broadcast on his program and 88 radio stations nationwide.
Personhood USA is best known as the group whose pledge requires that signors "defend all innocent human life," and reaffirm that "Abortion and the intentional killing of an innocent human being are always wrong and should be prohibited."
Personhood USA spokeswoman Jennifer Mason told The Huffington Post Tuesday that all seven candidates had been invited to participate.
[Each candidate was asked] what they would do in the event that the Supreme Court ruled Personhood legislation unconstitutional.
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From "Gingrich, Perry dismiss ability of courts to end anti-abortion law" by Julian Pecquet, The Hill 12/27/11
Republican presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry said during a GOP candidates forum Tuesday night that the Supreme Court should not be able to challenge anti-abortion measures.
Gingrich said legislation he would support as president would prohibit judicial review. Perry simply asserted that he would ignore a negative ruling by the Supreme Court in such a case.
. . . the Texas governor responded that “obviously, you would enforce the right to life” rather than the court’s decision.
As for Gingrich, the former House Speaker said the solution would be to “write the bill so it is not appealable.”
“I think you could write an exclusionary” clause, he said.
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