Ground Game

Abortion doesn't show up in voter surveys as a top issue in the general election. Nonetheless, it's always an issue that can help or hurt a candidate depending on how they handle it. John McCain has a consistently pro-life record, but has run into trouble with some conservative leaders for his support of stem cell research. Meanwhile, Barack Obama is solidly pro-choice, but has been reaching out to evangelical leaders on issues like poverty as a way to circumvent the abortion question.

Today it was reported that the Christian Defense Coalition is launching an effort to tag Obama as the "abortion president." The accompanying picture is fairly shocking. CBN's David Brody:

Folks, The Brody File has been telling you this sort of effort was coming. Some of these pro-life groups look at the polling and find that many Americans either think Obama is either pro-life or they're not sure. This campaign is an attempt to set the record straight. Don't think for a minute this is one 'fringe" group. This effort represents the broader feelings with many conservative Evangelical groups.

However, also in the past week, Obama gave an interview with a Christian magazine in which he said he doesn't believe "mental distress" is a qualification for an individual seeking a late-term abortion:

"Now, I don't think that 'mental distress' qualifies as the health of the mother. I think it has to be a serious physical issue that arises in pregnancy, where there are real, significant problems to the mother carrying that child to term."

Much like with recent rhetorical shifts on Iraq, FISA and gun rights, Obama faces a trade off here between independent voters, disaffected Republicans and the progressive Democratic base. It's unlikely that Obama will convince many voters he is a pro-life candidate. But he is earning some tepid praise from conservatives, like Red State diarist Leon H. Wolf, who writes:

It is good to know that whatever Barack personally feels about abortion, he has recognized that certain extremist groups with their extraordinarily liberal positions do not deserve to be part of the national conversation, and for that Obama deserves to be praised."

Therefore, the trade off question is if Obama can dilute opposition to his candidacy on the abortion question enough that some conservatives voters either feel comfortable voting for him, or sitting the election out.