RNC Chair Steele, Former Rep. Ford Discuss Abortion, Health Reform at Forum

February 9, 2010 — Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele and potential Democratic Senate candidate Harold Ford at a University of Arkansas at Little Rock forum on Thursday discussed a range of issues, including abortion and health care reform, the AP/Baxter Bulletin reports. Ford, a former member of Congress who represented Tennessee, is considering challenging Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) in the Democratic primary.

During a question-and-answer portion of the forum, Steele and Ford were asked about abortion rights, which is an "issue that has vexed both of them politically," the AP/Bulletin reports. Ford described himself as "pro-choice" but also said that he is opposed to abortion later in pregnancy. The AP/Bulletin reports that Ford has been targeted for giving contradictory explanations of his position on abortion-rights.

Steele, who has received conservative criticism for saying that abortion is an "individual choice," said that he supports the Republican Party platform's opposition to abortion. However, he also said that the decision should be left to the states, adding, "This is a decision that in my view should be more left to communities to decide than the federal government to decide."

When discussing health care reform, Steele said that most U.S. residents are not opposed to health reform but want it "in a way that represents real effort to build consensus towards national health care reform as opposed to the partisan back and forth they've seen over the past year." Ford, who has said he supports a public plan option, said that the recent election of Republican Sen. Scott Brown (Mass.) could mean that Democrats in Congress "have to start over" on health reform efforts (DeMillo, AP/Baxter Bulletin, 2/5).