Abortion opponent Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue and known to Floridians for his role in the Teri Schiavo case and his challenge of Jim King in a First Coast state Senate race, will campaign in Iowa this week. He plans to launch television ads in the Hawkeye State, attempting to raise the profile of his underdog bid to knock off President Barack Obama in the Democratic primaries.
I use the words and imagery that most tea-party and pro-life activists use every day, said Terry on Wednesday. History will show that Mr. Obama is the worst president in U.S. history; he is at war with life and liberty, and is enslaving our children to unfathomable debt. This commercial makes that case with precision, and without apology.
Terry has expressed the fact that he is a heavy underdog to defeat Obama, but he insists that he needs to highlight his opposition to abortion, including running ads that show aborted fetuses. The ad, due to run on Thursday, focuses on other issues. The pro-life activist took aim at Republican congressional leadership and the GOP front-runner, arguing they were not doing enough to challenge Obama.
I am simply saying what John Boehner or Mitt Romney should say daily, insisted Terry. Apparently they do not possess the courage or clarity of thought.
Terry will be in Des Moines campaigning while the ad runs on three stations there and another three Thursday in Sioux City.
In the ad, Terry calls Obama the worst president in American history and accuses him of having a socialist agenda. He hammers the president for bailing out big business while running up the national debt. Terry also hits him on social issues in the ad, noting that the president continues to support abortion and federal funds going to Planned Parenthood, and he refuses to enforce the Defense of Marriage Act.
Terry repeats his contention that the Republican establishment cannot be trusted to stand up against Obamas policies.
Who will stop this madman? asks Terry in the ad. The establishment? John Boehner? Mitt Romney?
Im asking for your vote in the Iowa caucus against Obama, said Terry in the close of the ad. I can defeat him here if YOU put principle ahead of party; life and liberty ahead of comfort and slavery.
While there had been speculation that other Democratic candidates would emerge to challenge Obama, the likes of former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio passed on taking on a sitting president. Former U.S. Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska, who ran for both the Democratic and Libertarian nominations and made a spirited attempt to be George McGoverns running mate at the 1972 Democratic convention, has left the door open to entering the primaries but has done little to lay the groundwork for such a bid.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
