‘92 DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION : Denied Stage, Casey Calls Abortion a Party Litmus Test
Pennsylvania Gov. Robert P. Casey, the most prominent Democrat in a state Bill Clinton considers vital to his presidential election chances, complained Monday that leaders of the party’s convention are bowing to wishes of “the radical far left” and denying him a chance to air his opposition to abortion rights here.
Casey charged that Democratic leaders have made support for abortion rights a litmus test for participation in party functions. He added that he speaks for a majority of Democrats who oppose unrestricted abortion rights and that it was “politically dumb” for the party to ignore those voters.
“I’m trying to get my party to be a mainstream party and not have a radical, extreme position,” Casey said.
Even as Casey denounced the stance of party leaders, at least 5,000 supporters of abortion rights staged the convention’s biggest march so far.
Casey, who strongly supported the restrictive Pennsylvania abortion law that was largely upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last month, said Democratic Party Chairman Ronald H. Brown has not responded to a letter he sent July 2 requesting that he be allowed to speak at the convention.
Monday, Casey sent a similar letter to Texas Gov. Ann Richards, the convention chairwoman.
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