Freedom of Choice Act goes from ‘first thing’ to non priority
Answering a question about the controversy surrounding his upcoming commencement address at Notre Dame, President Obama said during a press conference that the Freedom of Choice Act wasn’t that important:
Now, the freedom of choice act is not my highest legislative priority. I believe that women should have the right to choose, but I think that the most important thing we can do to tamp down some of the anger surrounding this issue is to focus on those areas that we can agree on. And that’s where I’m going to focus.
The Freedom of Choice Act, which Obama cosponsored as a senator in 2007, would basically codify Roe v. Wade into law.
While running for president, Obama said signing the act would be a priority — for day one. He told the Planned Parenthood Action Fund on July 17, 2007:
Well, the first thing I’d do as president is, is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. [Applause.] That’s the first thing that I’d do.
It’s impossible for a presidential candidate to say he would sign a new law as “the first thing I’d do as president” when the law has yet to pass. But it was clearly a priority for Obama when he was speaking to Planned Parenthood. As president, speaking on national TV, it’s another story.
Sources:
The White House, April 29, 2009
NEWS CONFERENCE BY THE PRESIDENT
Laura Echevarria, July 17, 2007
