President Barack Obama's stance on the abortion issue is unchanging and extreme. His record of senate votes, campaign statements, and presidential appointments reveals a deep and long-standing support for pro-abortion policies. 2009

Obama nominates Indiana district court judge David Hamilton as his first federal appellate court nominee. Judge Hamilton is a board member of Indiana ACLU, and the author of a seven-year-long series of rulings obstructing Indiana's implementation of its law providing for informed consent on abortion. Obama issues executive order on funding embryonic stem-cell research Obama nominates Governor Kathleen Sebelius as director of Health and Human Services. Sebelius, a pro-choice Catholic, has a long pro-abortion record in the state of Kansas. Obama reverses Mexico City Policy Obama appoints Thomas Perrelli, the lawyer who argued that Terri Schiavo's husband had the right to end his wife's life, to serve as Associate Attorney General, the Justice Department's third highest position. Obama chooses Tim Kaine to be chairman of the Democratic Party. Though he has stated a person moral aversion to abortion, Kaine has regularly opposed legislation that constrains abortion. The Obama administration publishes a statement repeating its support for Roe v. Wade. Obama nominates David Ogden as Deputy Attorney General. Ogden has come under scrutiny for his Supreme Court brief in which he denied that women experience negative effects after receiving an abortion. Obama nominates Elena Kagan, a well-known supporter of abortion rights, to the position of Soliciter General. Obama begins to overturn legislation introduced during the Bush administration allowing doctors and hospitals to refuse to perform abortions if they choose. Obama administration declines to invite pro-life groups to a summit on health care sponsored by the White House. Numerous abortion advocacy groups, including Planned Parenthood, received invitations. After creating a position to promote women's rights internationally, Obama nominates abortion advocate Melanne Verveer to fill the role. Verveer was previously chief of staff to Hillary Clinton under the Clinton Administration. Obama overturns the executive order under the Bush administration to pursue alternative forms of stem cell research in place of embryonic stem cells. Obama names Tina Tchen as director of his newly created White House Council on Women and Girls. Ms. Tchen raised several hundred thousand dollars for the Obama administration's presidential campaign and has held the position of vice president of the National Organization for Women, an organization that has been vocally pro-abortion. The Obama administration advocates for the right to an abortion at the UN Commission on the Status of Women meeting. The administration also downplays the negative effects resulting from abortion at the meeting. Obama pledges $50 million in support of the UN Population Fund, an international agency that has strongly supported pro-abortion policies in countries battling poverty. For example, the organization has worked extensively with the Chinese government officials, whose notorious population control methods include forced abortions and involuntary sterilizations. Obama names Harold Hongju Koh as the State Department's top lawyer. Koh has publicly promoted abortion as an international right. Obama nominates Harry Knox to his White House advisory council for faith-based issues. Knox, director of the strongly pro-abortion Human Rights Campaign, joins a panel that is largely comprised of pro-abortion members despite the its purported mission to help reduce abortions in the US. Nominee for assistant attorney general for legislative affairs, Ron Weich, has been a strong opponent to legislation restricting abortions. Obama releases the guidelines to his plan to use taxpayer money to fund embryonic stem cell research. Obama releases a new budget allowing the Legal Services Corporation to use taxpayer money to support pro-abortion litigation. Obama releases a new budget heralding the use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortions in Washington D.C. The new budget also eliminates funding towards abstinence-only education. Obama nominates Thomas Frieden as head of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Frieden previously served as New York City health commissioner, where he oversaw the distribution of 26 million complimentary condoms to the public. He has been a public advocate of abortion rights in a city that has spent millions funding the procedure for its poor residents. Obama appoints Sonia Sotomayor as his Supreme Court nominee. Her nomination will likely maintain the 5-4 majority on the Supreme Court in favor of abortion.

2008

Obama nominates Rahm Emanuel to his White House Chief of Staff. Emanuel has consistently voted in opposition to pro-life legislation and in support of pro-abortion and stem cell research legislation throughout his entire political career. Obama's transition team publishes a pro-abortion "wish list" assembled by dozens of pro-abortion groups. The document outlines a radical abortion agenda for Obama's first 100 days that would include taxpayer-funded abortions and compelling pro-life doctors to assist in abortions. Obama selects Ellen Moran, the former head of the radical pro-abortion political group Emily's List to be director of White House Communications. Obama appoints Melody Barnes, board member of the radical abortion lobby group Emily's List, as head of the Domestic Policy Council. Obama appoints former Senator Tom Daschle to be Health and Human Services Secretary. Daschle had a long history of pro-abortion voting. Planned Parenthood hailed his appointment, saying "Planned Parenthood is excited about the opportunity of having true partners in the White House and HHS . . ." Update: Former Senator Daschle has since withdrawn his nomination due to controversy involving unpaid taxes. In a forum at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, Obama says that the issue of when a child gets human rights is "above his pay grade" despite the fact that he is a lawyer and the issue of human rights is most immediately a legal question. Obama nominates Dawn Johnsen as a Department of Justice Review Team and later secures her as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of the Legal counsel. Ms. Johnsen previously served as Legal Director for NARAL from 1988-1993. Obama nominates Hillary Clinton to be Secretary of State. Clinton has been a fervent supporter of abortion, having publicly promoted the establishment of abortions an international right. Obama nominates Jeanne Lambrew to become deputy director of the White House Office of Health Reform. Lambrew worked on health policy under the Clinton administration and is an abortion advocate.

2007

Obama receives his third consecutive 100% rating for his Senate voting record from NARAL. Obama co-sponsors the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) which would gut all national and state restrictions on abortion. Obama has promised that the first thing he will do in office is sign FOCA, despite the fact that it is one of the most sweeping pieces of pro-abortion legislation ever proposed.

2006

Obama receives his second consecutive set of 100% ratings from NARAL and from Planned Parenthood. Obama votes against the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.

2005

Obama receives a 100% rating for his United States Senate voting record from NARAL. Obama votes against the confirmation of Chief Justice John Roberts on political grounds while acknowledging that Roberts is highly qualified.

2002

Obama votes against 'Born Alive' legislation a second time.

2001

Obama votes against 'Born Alive' legislation in Illinois, effectively denying medical care and human rights to children born as the result of a failed abortion. The legislation that Obama voted against was supported, in identical form, by every member of the United States Senate.

1997

Obama votes 'present' on a Partial-Birth Abortion Ban in a strategy coordinated by the Illinois branch of Planned Parenthood designed to defeat the measure.

1990

Obama argues in an unsigned law review article that "the state may...have a more compelling interest in ensuring that fetuses carried to term do not suffer from debilitating injuries than it does in ensuring that any particular fetus is born."