A series of TV and radio ads began to hit airwaves this week in key battleground states to counter recent claims by a pro-Obama Christian group that the Illinois senator is the most pro-life candidate out of the two major presidential contenders.
Family Research Council Action PAC announced Tuesday that it was launching an initial $100,000 TV and radio ad campaign to “educate voters” on Sen. Barack Obama’s promise to make the “radical” Freedom of Choice Act his top priority as president.
“The ‘Freedom of Choice Act’ will overturn virtually all federal and state limitations on abortion,” the conservative public policy and advocacy group warned.
FOCA would make partial-birth abortion legal again, repeal all parental notice laws on abortion, and provide unlimited tax funding of abortion, said FRC Action PAC president Tony Perkins.
"Senator Barack Obama has done his best to hide his radical views from voters. Four times as an Illinois legislator, he voted against laws that would have ensured equal medical care for babies that survive an abortion attempt,” he added.
“Last year, when he addressed Planned Parenthood he declared that his 'first act' as President would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) into law. This ad campaign will spotlight Senator Obama's radical pledge to Planned Parenthood.”
The FRC ad campaign is in response to the recent Matthew 25 website called www.prolifeproobama.com that claims Obama, who has a 100 percent pro-choice Senate voting record, is more pro-life than McCain, who has a 100 percent pro-life Senate voting record.
Matthew 25, a group of pastors and Christians who endorse Obama, argues that the Illinois senator’s economic and health care plans as well as his proposed programs would do more to reduce abortions in America than the policies supported by his Republican rival.
“After 35 years, a new approach is needed,” writes Douglas W. Kmiec, the site’s spokesman. “Too many unborn lives are being lost as we wait for judges to get it right."
“Barack Obama's strengthening of support for prenatal care, health care, maternity leave, and adoption will make the difference," maintains the former professor and dean of the law school at The Catholic University of America.
But in stark contrast, the opposing FRC ads state, "Barack Obama: dangerous values."
"What would you do as president? Fix the economy, end the war, restore our schools?" the ad says in the beginning. The ad then shows Obama stating that the first thing he'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act.
"Really? Obama's top priority as president will be a law to reinstate partial-birth abortion?" the ad continues.
It further quotes Obama as saying, "On this fundamental issue, I will not yield and Planned Parenthood will not yield."
Initial ads will run this week in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Michigan, with additional television commercials airing in the Washington, D.C. area.
Radio ads will target Christian radio stations that earlier this year carried the Matthew 25 campaign.
Obama and McCain face off for the third and final presidential debate Wednesday night. McCain currently trails Obama by 8 percent in national polls.
