The statement
Log Cabin Republicans

Mitt Romney has "a pro-choice record."

Log Cabin Republicans on Friday, October 19th, 2007 in

Pro-choice is his record, but not his position

Mostly true

Mitt Romney acknowledges that he has not always opposed abortion.

When he ran for office in Massachusetts -- unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 1994 and successfully for governor in 2002 -- he often said he supported abortion rights. There are numerous examples to choose from, we'll look at two of his more plain-spoken statements here:

"I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this country," Romney said in a 1994 debate with Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy. "I believe that since Roe v. Wade has been the law for 20 years we should sustain and support it."

In a 2002 debate, Romney said there was no difference between his views and that of his Democratic opponent, Shannon P. O'Brien. "I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose. I will not change any provisions of Massachusetts pro-choice laws,'' he said.

In 2007, Romney says his views have changed. "And I get tired of people that are holier than thou because they’ve been pro-life longer than I have," he said at a Republican debate on Aug. 5, 2007.

(Politifact looked at Romney's abortion record previously; check out that story here.)

The sly TV ad from the Log Cabin Republicans merely states, "A pro-choice record," leaving out a verb like "has" or "had." The ad could do a better job at pointing out that Romney no longer stands by his pro-choice record, but it doesn't want to. The whole point is to shine a light on where Romney once stood on abortion. His record on abortion is not entirely pro-choice, given his current position opposing abortion rights. That's why we find this attack Mostly True.

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About this statement

Sources: The Log Cabin Republicans, "Romney’s Real Record," Oct. 4, 2007.

Massachusetts Telegram and Gazette, "Debaters brawl on taxes and abortion; Candidates jab, accuse, deride," Oct. 30, 2002.

The Boston Globe, "The Kennedy-Romney Debates: Debate Excerpts," Oct. 26, 1994.

ABC News, Debate Transcript, Aug. 5, 2007.

Written by: Angie Drobnic Holan
Researched by: Angie Drobnic Holan
Edited by: Scott Montgomery

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