Amy Klobuchar says pro-lifers are part of the Democrat Party, wants to build 'big tent'

By Samuel Smith, Deputy Managing Editor Thursday, February 13, 2020

Democrat 2020 hopeful Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said on national television this week that there is room for pro-lifers in the Democrat Party.

On the day of the New Hampshire Primary, Klobuchar appeared on ABC’s “The View” where she was asked by co-host Meghan McCain about whether “there’s room for pro-life Democrats to vote for you.”

The question came days after fellow 2020 hopeful Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders declared that being pro-choice “is an absolutely essential part of being a Democrat.”

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Klobuchar, a 59-year-old attorney who is also a member of the United Church of Christ, responded first by affirming that she is “pro-choice” and has “always been pro-choice.” This can be verified by her voting record in support of taxpayer-funded abortion and her support for Planned Parenthood. 

“But I believe we are a big tent party and there are pro-life Democrats and they are part of our party,” Klobuchar said. “I think we need to build a big tent. I think we need to bring people in instead of shutting them out. That also includes independents right here in New Hampshire and moderate Republicans.” 

.@MeghanMcCain on @TheView: “Do you think there’s room for pro-life Democrats to vote for you?”

Sen. Amy Klobuchar: “I”m strongly pro-choice. I have always been pro-choice, but I believe we’re a big tent party … I think we need to bring people in …” https://t.co/ECpbtTFzQBpic.twitter.com/xMgs6zTE9C

— ABC News (@ABC) February 11, 2020

Klobuchar surprised many Tuesday when she placed third in the New Hampshire presidential primary election and won the most support among voters who attend religious services weekly, according to exit polls.  

Klobuchar has earned a 100 percent grade from the lobbying arm of the nation’s largest abortion corporation, Planned Parenthood. 

To earn a 100 percent grade from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, members of Congress must “always vote with Planned Parenthood.” 

Klobuchar vowed in December to reverse pro-life policies instituted by the Trump administration within the first 100 days in office.  

The Trump administration has taken several steps to end taxpayer-funding of organizations that perform or promote abortion domestically and overseas, including banning Title X family planning funds from going to clinics that refer or provide abortions. 

Last year, Planned Parenthood left the Title X program rather than have clinics stop promoting or performing abortions. 

“In the first 100 days I will remove Trump’s ‘gag rules,’ which I can do with no need of congressional involvement,” Klobuchar told The Guardian in an interview. “I will reverse funding decisions right away, and make sure that we only nominate judges for confirmation who are consistent with [Roe v. Wade].”

The question has been raised for years about whether there is room for pro-life Democrats in the party. 

Democrat National Committee Chair Tom Perez made headlines in 2017 when he said the party would withhold support from any candidates who did not consider themselves to be pro-choice. That statement was criticized by a number of prominent Democrats such as then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. 

The head of the Congressional Campaign Committee said months later that there is no “litmus test” on abortion. Currently, there are two Democrat senators considered to be pro-life. Former pro-life Democrat Joe Donnelly of Indiana was defeated by Republican Mike Braun in the 2018 election. 

Although Sanders said that being pro-choice is absolutely essential to being a Democrat, he received pushback in 2017 after he campaigned on behalf of a mayoral candidate in Nebraska who supported a bill that would have required doctors to notify women of their right to an ultrasound before an abortion. 

Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who came in second in the New Hampshire primary Tuesday, reiterated his support for a late-term abortion last week while speaking on “The View.”

“[M]y point is that it shouldn’t be up to a government official to draw the line,” Buttigieg said. “It should be up to the woman who is confronted with the choice.” 

Buttigieg has been criticized for citing the Bible in an attempt to defend his support for late-term abortion by saying there are parts of Scripture “that talk about how life begins with the breath.”

Elected mayor in 2011, Buttigieg was in office during the time abortionist Ulrich George Klopfer operated the Women's Pavilion abortion clinic in South Bend where he injured several women during abortion procedures. 

In a previous comment to CP, Rose, founder of the pro-life group Live Action, accused Buttigieg of having “protected” Klopfer who performed thousands of abortions at that clinic.