Elections Have Consequences Exhibit 2: McCain Wants Less Abortion Talk

     McCain says that while he remains prolife and proud of being prolife, he thinks the GOP should de-emphasize this a little and remember to be "big tent."

     "Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said that the Republican Party, which lost minority, women and young voters in 2012, needs to have a "bigger tent" during an appearance on "Fox News Sunday."

      "I think we have to have a bigger tent," McCain said. "And obviously, we have to do immigration reform. There's no doubt whatsoever that the demographics are not on our side."

       "McCain said his party needs a "much more positive agenda" rather than being simply the anti-Harry Reid, anti-Obama party. McCain said the GOP news to de-emphasize the abortion issue."

        "And as far as young women are concerned, absolutely, I don't think anybody like me -- I can state my position on abortion. But to -- other than that, leave the issue alone," McCain said.

        "I'm proud of my pro-life position and record," McCain said, clarifying that he did not mean he was now pro-choice. "But if someone disagrees with me, I respect your views."

      http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/mccain-gop-must-have-bigger-tent-de-emphasize

      It's amazing to me how much things have changed over such a short time. After all, one point of holding views is to desire they got put into effect which comes from actually discussing them in the political arena. Yet here is McCain saying it's fine to be pro-life but don't talk too much about it.

      It really is not at all long ago that abortion was seen as an issue Democrats wanted to de-emphasize. Even in the last few years we've heard about polls that show that most Americans now consider themselves "prolife." Of course, part of this is that it was very clever packaging to call themselves prolife: who wants to say "I am not prolife?" It's sort of being forced to answer a "Do you still beat your grandmother?" question.

     Abortion-opposition to it that it- used to be seen as a political winner for the GOP going back to Nixon who begun the GOP move against abortion. During the campaign, the Romney team would complain about questions about abortion being diversions from what really matters. Yes, we have opinions about abortion but that's got nothing to do with an election.

      So things have turned 180 degrees and very recently. The Dems have discovered that abortion and women's reproductive rights more broadly is a winning issue. The GOP wants to talk about something else.

     There is still much work to be done to be sure. Much of the assault against a woman's right to choose and her reproductive rights more broadly have come at the state level. Still, the sharp turn in the debate is a very positive development. If Obama can appoint multiple SJC justices things bode quite well.