The Obama family takes to the stage as the gathering draws to a close on Thursday, September 6, the final day of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. See the best photos from the Republican National Convention.
Editor's note: Timothy Stanley is a historian at Oxford University and blogs for Britain's The Daily Telegraph. He is the author of "The Crusader: The Life and Times of Pat Buchanan."
(CNN) -- This week the Democratic National Convention isn't running away from the abortion issue. Almost all of Tuesday night's speakers made some reference to reproductive freedom, from Nancy Keenan of NARAL to Michelle Obama.
So confidently and constantly was it mentioned that it became something of a litany. Deval Patrick is for it, Martin O'Malley wants it passionately, Julian Castro sees it as a fundamental right. In case you missed it, the Democrats really, really believe in reproductive freedom.
The electoral message is that Mitt Romney and the Republicans are waging a war on women, or at least a concerted effort to limit access to contraception and abortion. The goal is to expand the gender voting gap to the Democratic Party's advantage. And also to turn out the base -- reviving the liberal coalition that put Barack Obama in office in 2008
By contrast, Romney seems to be avoiding abortion talk as much as possible. He mentioned it only once in his convention speech, and the ticket has been beset by rumors of flipping and U-turning on the issue. No one doubts that the GOP is as anti-abortion as ever, but it seems to regard the matter as a distraction from this election's central issue -- jobs.
Historically, this finds us in a very unusual situation. It used to be Republicans who used abortion as a wedge issue against Democrats. Now it's the other way around.
For more than 30 years, Republicans used abortion partly from conviction, partly to win religious voters and partly just to keep the Democrats on a back foot, forcing them constantly to equivocate in a manner that made them seem muddled or the prisoner of the feminist lobby. When they ran for the White House in 1992, Bill Clinton and Al Gore had both "evolved" on the issue so dramatically or cynically that even the spokeswoman for the National Right to Life Committee described the position as "pretty slippery."
In office, Clinton stuck to a formula of "safe, legal and rare" that seemed to acknowledge that abortion was something troubling that ought to be reduced. His wife went further. When she was setting herself up for a presidential run, Hillary Clinton described abortion as a "sad, even tragic choice" that she hoped would "not ever have to be exercised." Yet neither Bill nor Hillary Clinton lobbied for legal limits that would reduce the number of procedures significantly.
Until recently the Democratic message has been that abortion is almost too complex for a definitive stance. Recall the painful contortions that John Kerry went through in 2004, trying to explain how a faithful Catholic could regard abortion as a matter of private conscience. The electoral problem was less Kerry's thoughtful attempt to resolve a painful conundrum than it was George W. Bush's comparative clarity.
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All that changed under Obama. Evidence suggests that this is not a man who has ever doubted that the abortion rights position is both constitutional and ethical. As a state senator he voted "present" on a bill that would have compelled doctors to provide life support to fetuses that survived a termination procedure and were not expected to live. Obama argued that the language of the bill extended the legal protection to a "pre-viable" infant and so would not be constitutional. (PolitiFact notes that Illinois "already had a law on its books from 1975 that said if a doctor suspected an abortion was scheduled for a viable fetus -- meaning able to survive outside of the mother's body -- then the child must receive medical care if it survives the abortion.")
As a presidential candidate, he trumpeted his support for Planned Parenthood and abortion rights. As president, he reopened the flow of tax dollars via U.S. foreign aid to groups that provide abortion overseas, and he refused to use his authority to support a bill that banned gender-selective terminations. The White House said that bill would "subject doctors to criminal prosecution if they fail to determine the motivations" behind abortions, according to news reports.
The Democratic Party's platform theoretically contains no limit on access to abortion. In another historical switch, the Democratic platform is now the more radical.
The political meaning of the president's approach to reproductive rights is hard to fathom. Conservatives insist that the so-called war on women is a cynical distraction from the poor performance of the economy. But it's hard to imagine that working. Pollsters repeatedly say that abortion rights ranks low on voters' list of priorities, and with unemployment seemingly stuck at higher than 8 percent, some may resent the attempted obfuscation. Pollsters also report that the "pro-choice" position is at a record low. If the Democrats wanted a moral issue to beat the Republicans with, they'd probably be better off focusing on same-sex marriage.
But maybe it all comes back to likability -- something that Obama easily outranks Romney on. Todd Akin's appalling comments on sexual assault, Paul Ryan's attempt to distinguish between legal varieties of rape, and the conversation among conservatives about abortion in cases of rape and incest -- all of these have communicated the sense that the Republican attitudes toward women are old-fashioned, bordering on medieval. It smacks of precisely what conservatism promises not to be: the state telling people what to do with their lives.
And the language is far removed from the experience of most people, for whom all rape is rape and contraception is a reality, not a theological challenge. Perhaps Obama is using abortion less as a specific issue to wedge between Republicans and women than as a way of accentuating the infamous Romney "weirdo factor." The narrative throughout Tuesday's proceedings has been that the Democrats are as diverse and ordinary as the rest of America, contrasted with the wealth and social Old World attitudes of the Republicans.
The president's approach is a big gamble. It is true that likability matters, and there's no doubt that the news cycle on moral issues currently favors the president (thanks largely to Akin). But the constant reference to abortion rights Tuesday night was at risk of coming off too strong. Abortion is a complex, painful issue that touches upon faith, gender and class.
It is not a matter that lends itself well to electioneering. More importantly, there's a danger that in pushing the "war on women," Obama may seem distracted from the real challenges facing America. Jobs, debt and health care are what matter most to voters in 2012. It's still the economy, Mr. President.
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The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Timothy Stanley.
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U.S. President Barack Obama kisses first lady Michelle Obama after giving his acceptance speech on Thursday.
Barack Obama embraces his wife, Michelle, after giving his acceptance speech on Thursday.
Barack Obama waves on stage on Thursday as he makes his acceptance speech.
U.S. President Barack Obama accepts the Democratic Party's nomination on Thursday.
Barack Obama speaks on stage to accept the nomination for president on Thursday.
First lady Michelle Obama, with daughters Malia, left, and Sasha, smiles as Barack Obama delivers his acceptance speech on Thursday.
Barack Obama delivers his acceptance speech on Thursday.
First lady Michelle Obama introduces her husband on Thursday. She gave a full speech on Tuesday night.
First lady Michelle Obama sits with Jill Biden as Vice President Joe Biden speaks on Thursday.
Attendees watch a video tribute for Barack Obama on Thursday.
Barack Obama waves from the stage on Thursday.
Crowds react to a speech at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday.
Vice President Joe Biden gives his acceptance speech to run for a second term on Thursday.
Actress Eva Longoria speaks at the DNC on Thursday.
Biden walks onstage during the final day of the convention on Thursday.
First lady Michelle Obama sits with Dr. Jill Biden on Thursday as Joe Biden accepts the vice presidential nomination.
Caroline Kennedy addresses delegates on Thursday.
U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts waves onstage Thursday.
Obama campaign co-chair Eva Longoria waves to the audience on Thursday.
Attendees hold signs that say "Thank You" for miltary veterans on Thursday.
First lady Michelle Obama attends the final day of the Democratic National Convention on Thursday.
Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords stands on stage during the final day of the Democratic National Convention.
U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia speaks to delegates on Thursday.
Loretta Harper of Nevada cheers on Thursday.
Singer Mary J. Blige walks on stage on Thursday.
DNC Chair and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, left, talks with Democratic National Committee Chair and Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz on Thursday.
Vice President Joe Biden waves as he stands with his wife Jill Biden and family after being nominated on Thursday.
An Uncle Sam impersonator makes his way across the floor at the Time Warner Cable Arena on Thursday.
Actor Jon Hamm, right, attends the final day of the Democratic National Convention on Thursday.
Gus Mansour holds up a poster of President Barack Obama on Thursday.
Actress Scarlett Johansson addresses delegates on Thursday.
Actress Kerry Washington speaks to delegates on Thursday.
Musican Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters performs during the final day of the Democratic National Convention on Thursday.
Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden gestures during his speech to nominate his father Joe Biden for the office of vice president on Thursday.
Delegate Brian Fadie of Nevada watches the program on Thursday.
Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm gestures during her speech on Thursday.
Caroline Kennedy speaks to the delegates on Thursday.
Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, right, recites the Pledge of Allegiance on stage with Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz on Thursday.
Delegates sit around a large cutout of President Obama's head during the final day of the convention on Thursday.
A woman salutes during the DNC on Thursday.
U.S. Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts takes the stage on Thursday.
Musician James Taylor performs at the convention on Thursday.
Supporters pray during an invocation on Thursday.
Singer Marc Anthony walks onto the stage to sing the national anthem on Thursday.
Attendees sing and dance as musician James Taylor performs on Thursday.
Two women run for cover from the pouring rain during the final day of the convention on Thursday.
People in the stands wait for the start of the third day of the Democratic National Convention on Thursday.
President Bill Clinton speaks on Wednesday, September 5.
Former President Bill Clinton embraces President Barack Obama at the end of his speech Wednesday.
The crowd cheers as Bill Clinton makes his case Wednesday for the re-election of Barack Obama.
A person holds a sign that says "Bin Laden Is Dead, GM Is Alive" on Thursday.
Bill Clinton formally nominates President Barack Obama for a second term in his highly anticipated speech.
First lady Michelle Obama receives a standing ovation Wednesday. Bill Clinton praised the president for having "the good sense to marry Michelle Obama."
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks on Thursday.
Delegates wave union signs supporting Barack Obama on Wednesday.
U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts waves to the crowd Wednesday. A consumer advocate, she complained that people today "feel like the system is rigged against them."
U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland speaks on day two of the DNC.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel claps while listening to Wednesday's speeches. He spoke Tuesday night.
Cuban-American actress and talk show host Cristina Saralegui endorses President Barack Obama on Wednesday.
Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards walks off stage after her speech Wednesday.
Delegates cheer during Wednesday's program.
Audience members wave signs Wednesday in support of the American auto industry.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi speaks Wednesday.
U.S. Rep. Karen Bass of California speaks before delegates on Wednesday night.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan speaks on Wednesday.
A guard stands by as former North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt speaks on Wednesday.
A choir performs on stage during the DNC on Wednesday.
Two men in vests hold a pile of American flags on Wednesday.
People pose during the official convention photography during Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention at Time Warner Cable Arena on Wednesday.
A tri-colored hat sporting the Democratic party's mascot sits on a chair on Wednesday.
Sikh supporters hold up a sign on Wednesday.
A woman reacts as Missouri Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, speaks on Wednesday.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, speaks to delegates on Wednesday.
Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas leads the Pledge of Allegiance as the West Charlotte High School ROTC presents the colors on Wednesday.
Delegate Gloria Goodwin wears earrings depicting President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday.
Ruby Gilliam of Ohio salutes the flag on Wednesday.
Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas waves after leading the Pledge of Allegiance on Wednesday.
Priscilla Marquez and Evie Walls from Arizona pose in the Google photo booth on Wednesday.
A police officer stands near golf carts outside the Time Warner Cable Arena on Wednesday.
First lady Michelle Obama wraps up day one of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Tuesday, September 4.
A sea of signs welcomes the first lady onto the stage Tuesday at the Time Warner Cable Arena.
Delegates listen to Michelle Obama's speech Tuesday. The first lady offered a personal perspective on why her husband should be re-elected.
Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro and his brother, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, wave to the audience Tuesday.
Julian Castro gives the keynote address Tuesday night. "Mitt Romney, quite simply, doesn't get it," he declared.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick speaks during day one of the Democratic National Convention at Time Warner Cable Arena on Tuesday.
Lilly Ledbetter, whose fight for equal pay resulted in the Fair Pay Act, takes the stage on Tuesday.
First lady Michelle Obama's brother, Craig Robinson, and President Barack Obama's half-sister, Dr. Maya Kassandra Soetoro-Ng, speak on Tuesday.
People hold signs Tuesday that read "Forward" and "Not Back."
Actor-producer Kal Penn speaks on Tuesday.
People listen to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Tuesday.
Rahm Emanuel, who served as President Barack Obama's first chief of staff, addresses the crowd Tuesday.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius walks onstage Tuesday.
Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland takes the podium on Tuesday.
Robert Rios from the Virgin Islands waves a state flag on Tuesday.
Stacey Lihn of Arizona speaks on Tuesday as her husband, Caleb, holds her crying daughter, Emmy, and other daughter, Zoe Madison.
A detail of the prosthetic legs of Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran who is running for the U.S. House from Illinois, is shown at the podium on Tuesday.
President of NARAL Pro-Choice America Nancy Keenan speaks on Tuesday.
Audience members wave American flags Tuesday.
Maria Ciano, who grew up a conservative Republican, addresses the DNC crowd Tuesday
Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy holds his child as he speaks to the media Tuesday. He is a son of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.
U.S. House candidate Joe Kennedy III of Massachusetts takes the stage Tuesday.
Joe Kennedy III speaks Tuesday during the Democratic National Convention.
A video tribute to the late Sen. Ted Kennedy is displayed Tuesday in Charlotte.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi speaks onstage with other female members of Congress on Tuesday.
Pelosi and other female members of Congress applaud on Tuesday.
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar sports a cowboy hat while taking the stage Tuesday.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada speaks to an applauding crowd on Tuesday.
DNC delegates cheer during Tuesday's program.
Former President Jimmy Carter addresses the convention in a videotaped message.
Former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine speaks to the convention.
A man from the Texas delegation stands under a campaign sign.
A baby sleeps during Tuesday's speeches.
North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue welcomes the convention to her state.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson attends the convention.
Newark Mayor Cory Booker points to the crowd during his speech on Tuesday.
A woman cheers during Tuesday's program.
Security personnel looks out at the crowd as U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer speaks on Tuesday.
Hoyer gives a thumbs up.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic National Committee chairperson, opens Tuesday's program.
The third-grade class from W.R. O'Dell Elementary School in Concord, North Carolina, recites the Pledge of Allegiance.
Dr. Lorrie Rickman Jones of Chicago cries as she watches Tuesday's speakers.
Law enforcement officers prepare to face off with protesters during a march outside the Charlotte Convention Center on Tuesday.
People in the Wisconsin delegation area sit in front of a digital image of the Lincoln Memorial hours before the start of the convention on Tuesday.
Newark Mayor Cory Booker, left, laughs with stage manager David Cove during a walk-through on Tuesday.
A worker checks the stage hours before the start of the convention on Tuesday.
First lady Michelle Obama is interviewed before the start of the convention on Monday, September 3.
Michelle Obama and actor and former Obama administration aide Kal Penn bump fists after a rehearsal for her speech on Monday.
A man prays during a public prayer service at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre on Sunday, September 2, ahead of the convention.
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