MEDIA ALERT: Charmaine Quoted in The Wall Street Journal On Abortion Politics & Judges

Charmaine was interviewed by LAURA MECKLER from The Wall Street Journal, McCain Speech to Shed Light On Judicial Philosophy:Social Conservatives Look for Assurance Of Common Agenda, May 6, 2008; Page A8,

In town-hall meetings, Sen. McCain makes a point to explain his positions on terrorism, taxes, the economy, energy and health care. But in his prepared remarks, he never mentions abortion, same-sex marriage, judges or gun rights. When asked, he often responds quickly and moves on.

McCain and Huckabee

How Important is Pro-life?

“Imagine if you were an economic conservative and someone never talked about tax policy unless they were asked about it,” said Charmaine Yoest, [Ph.D.] a vice president at the Family Research Council, a conservative advocacy group focused on social issues.

Asked whether she thinks Sen. McCain really cares about the abortion issue, she said, “I don’t know, and that’s his problem.”

When asked in February what social issues are most important to him, Sen. McCain didn’t directly answer. “It’s hard for me to rank them because a lot of us who are social conservatives focus on what we think are the threats to them,” he said. “It’s not so much that you have priorities…It’s very difficult for me. I can’t prioritize them for you.”

John McCain is now giving a speech on the abuse of power by the courts — liberal judges have no self-restraint and are making law based on their “own experience” — not legislators’ and the founders’ intent. Liberals want “judges who push the limits of constitutional law.”

And McCain is right. The country must have conservative judges.

Thank you (foot)notes:

John McCain’s body language gives his positions away. See Is John McCain Courting the Religious Right? by Your Business Blogger(R)

Full Disclosure: Charmaine served as senior advisor to the Huckabee presidential campaign.