by David Nather –
This was supposed to be an election in which the economy dominated the debate, social issues took a backseat and the culture wars were put on hold.
Yet in the homestretch of the 2012 campaign, abortion politics is coloring races up and down the ticket.
And it’s by design.
Democrats have gone all in for abortion rights, with none of the hedging or defensiveness they’ve shown in recent years — a subtle but striking repositioning with political consequences that extend far beyond Nov. 6.
The evidence of it is impossible to miss. The airwaves are choked with messaging about women’s reproductive health. Abortion rights advocates had prime speaking roles at the Democratic convention. Contraception advocate Sandra Fluke is a prominent campaign trail surrogate. Cecile Richards, head of Planned Parenthood, recently introduced President Barack Obama at a Virginia campaign rally. [Read more…]