By Kathleen Gilbert
September 15, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – When Republican nominee John McCain appeared on the September 12 edition of “The View,” he may not have been prepared to defend himself against the accusation that he would re-establish slavery if he took office.
During his appearance on the show, Sen. McCain was asked to discuss his plans to overturn Roe v. Wade. McCain answered, “I think what we would be doing is appointing or nominating justices to the United States Supreme Court and other courts who strictly interpret the Constitution of the United States.” McCain said that Roe v. Wade should be overturned by a Supreme Court that would interpret the Constitution more accurately, and leave legislation on abortion to individual states.
“I believe Roe v. Wade decision was a very bad decision,” McCain stated.
“My interpretation of the Constitution of the United States is that the US Supreme Court enforces the Constitution of the United States and does not legislate or invent areas that are, according to the Constitution, the responsibility of the legislation.”
When asked by Whoopi Goldberg, a vehement supporter of abortion and member of the Planned Parenthood board of advisors, if he wanted “strict Constitutionalist judges,” McCain responded, “I want people who interpret the Constitution of the United States the way our founding fathers envisioned for them to do.”
At this point Goldberg interjected, “Should I be worried about being a slave, about being returned to slavery? Because certain things happened in the Constitution that you had to change.”
While Sen. McCain responded that Goldberg had made a “good point”, Justin McCarthy of NewsBusters.com disagreed, remarking, “The ‘View’ co-host should know that, unlike the legalization of abortion, slavery was abolished through a constitutional amendment, not a Supreme Court decision.”
Michael van der Galien of PoliGazette.com called Goldberg’s question “a clear sign that she has no idea whatsoever what she is talking about,” and pointed out that she apparently mistook “constitutionalism” to mean “that one opposes amending the Constitution in an attempt to abolish injustice.” McCain, however, was talking about reversing Roe v. Wade, which is not a constitutional amendment, but five Supreme Court Justices’ interpretation of the Constitution.