Saturday, October 29, 2005
Mark Souder on Miers
SOUDER: NOMINATE CLEAR PRO-LIFE JUSTICE THEN DUKE IT OUT IN THE SENATE
The Annual Allen County Right to Life Banquet was held at the Grand Wayne Center on Thursday evening. Presidential adviser Tim Goeglein was the featured speaker of the evening. Goeglein, pictured above, talked about pro-life issues but did not comment on the failed Harriet Miers nomination other than to remark that it had been a difficult week.
However, 3rd District Congressman Mark Souder had prepared a message for the audience of over 600 persons. Diane Souder, wife of the Congressman, delivered his statement. In part, Souder said:
I believe [that Harriet Miers], based upon what appeared to be her dedicated conservative Christian commitment, ... would have been pro-life. I believe that she worked hard and achieved honors when it was hard for female attorneys to do so.Photograph © 2005 by Mitch Harper
But what I - and other conservatives - were hoping for was someone we knew had a pro-life record. As a practical matter, I believe - ironically - that Harriet Miers would not have been confirmed in part because she is now perceived as too pro-life and also potentially too Christian on other issues like faith-based grants, prayer in school and intelligent design.
What I am saying, actually, is this: I question whether an openly pro-life judge can be confirmed in the present U.S. Senate. But we in the pro-life movement are asking this question: if that is the case, why not nominate an experienced judge with a pro-life record and have a clear battle?
Pro-lifers in Washington and across America are as upset about the underlying assumption - that we should hide our views to win - as we were about Harriet Miers.
