Kansas City Star editorial page columnist Barb Shelly is miffed. In today's "The (mis)labeling of Kathleen Sebelius," she explains why:
In other words, this image that's being projected of Sebelius as some radical defender of the abortion industry is very much overstated. She's a pragmatic executive and it's ludicrous that her confirmation process has become so politicized.
Sebelius is, of course, Barack Obama's health secretary nominee. In that capacity, she'll wield considerable influence over governmental policies concerning abortion. Shelly argues:
I'll say this again: Sebelius is a moderate governor in a state that happens to be home to one of the few doctors willing to perform late-term abortions. Just like many other Kansans, that doctor, George Tiller, has exercised his constitutional right to contribute to political campaigns. Some of his money went to Sebelius.
Shelly doesn't detail how much of Tiller's money went to Sebelius. Earlier this month, the Associated Press reported that the nominee "got nearly three times as much political money" from the abortionist than she had reported to the Senate Finance Committee.
And how "moderate" is Sebelius on abortion? Her own archbishop requested she not receive Holy Communion. He explained why:
For more than 25 years, Gov. Sebelius has advocated and supported legalized abortion. She has opposed such modest protections as parental notification for minors, waiting periods, informed consent and improved regulation of abortion clinics.
Author George Weigel has written in the respected journal First Things that ". . .Kathleen Sebelius is an abortion radical by any reasonable definition of the term. . ."
Regardless of where one stands on abortion, there's no denying that Sebelius is among its most ardent defenders. Abortionist Tiller understands this. So does Barack Obama. Yet columnist Shelly of the Kansas City Star doesn't. Or perhaps she's just not willing to admit it.
