GOP’s tolerance tested

NEW YORK – Responding to an unpopular national party platform plank calling for a constitutional ban on abortions, moderate pro-choice Republicans reaffirmed this week their commitment to preserving a woman’s right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.

Dominated by conservatives, a policy committee at the Republican National Convention proposed constitutional bans on abortion and gay marriages that were endorsed without debate Monday as part of the party platform.

As a gesture to party moderates who opposed one or both of the bans, however, the platform also included “unity” language pledging to respect differing opinions on the controversial issues that have precipitated sharp divisions among Republicans.

The moderates wasted no time in testing the level of tolerance for dissent and promptly called press conferences on Tuesday and Wednesday highlighting their dissatisfaction with the anti-abortion plank.

At the Sky Club at the top of the MetLife building Tuesday, more than $1 million reportedly was raised by the Republican Majority for Choice at a gala dubbed “The Big Tent Event” to reflect tolerance for opposing views. The money raised at the event will be used to fund political action committees dedicated to electing pro-choice Republicans. A similar fund-raising effort was held Wednesday morning at the Sheraton New York by the WISH List group, an organization dedicated to electing pro-choice GOP women to office.

Both organizations are supported by Maine Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan M. Collins, two Republican women with long histories as pro-choice advocates. Snowe said both events, which collectively attracted more than 1,000 people, served as staging grounds to emphasize the importance many Republicans place on abortion rights.

“It does really display the extent to which a number of Republicans will go to raise that position,” Snowe said. “They want to make sure they’re not dismissed. Some say there are too few pro-choice Republicans, but I have been amazed at how many people attending the convention from different states have approached me to say they support my stand and approach. There’s greater support there then people have been willing to acknowledge.”

Also, while their voices may have been heard only as whispers when the platform was created, moderates have shouted their attitudes from the convention podium. Dwarfing all others was California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger who barely disguised his pro-choice views during a passionate and animated speech to the delegates Tuesday night that emphasized Republicans need not agree on “every single issue.”

“Here we can respectfully disagree and still be patriotic, still be American and still be good Republicans,” he said.

“That speech was terrific and he sent the right message with that line,” Sen. Collins said Wednesday.

Moderate Republicans such as Maine delegates Kevin and Karen Raye from Perry who attended both pro-choice events have firsthand experience concerning the level of intensity and division the abortion issue brings to state and national GOP conventions.

“If I had my way there’d be no mention of the issue in the platform at all because I don’t see it being an issue that unites Republicans,” Kevin Raye said of the conservative-dictated abortion plank. “Moderates are a big section of the party, and without moderate, pro-choice Republicans, we wouldn’t be the majority party.”

At the Madison Square Garden convention center, Republicans agreed not to fight the abortion battle and remained loyal to the policy favored by President Bush in an effort to display party unity in what is perceived as a very close race for re-election. Someday, as observed Tuesday evening by Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Arlen Specter, the fight over the abortion platform plank will have to be waged.

It’s a debate Raye said won’t be going away anytime soon.

“How many times have you seen people debate this issue without moving each other?” Raye asked. “Minds aren’t changed because it’s a heartfelt issue on both sides.”