All of us at RNC/Life wish each of you a happy Thanksgiving, a blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with renewed hope in the promises of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. In gratitude for your faithfulness to the truth and support of our work, we continue to ask His blessings upon you and your families that you may know the joy of a peaceful heart as you continue your pursuit of justice for the precious little ones.

We Give Thanks for your generous expenditure of time and money in helping us do our job pro-life leaders at the local, state, and national levels who provide us with valuable insight and information fax machines, e-mail and the internet - tools that help expand our outreach and influence unconditionally pro-life officeholders who never forget the babies children and grandchildren whose innocent, smiling faces remind us every day of why we must remain in this battle for the soul of our country columnists and commentators who swim against the secular tide, proclaim the truth and report the facts hibiscus, primroses and pansies Pope John Paul II the spiritual conversion of former abortionists mothers and fathers who cherish their babies crisis pregnancy centers pro-lifers who have hung in there for 25 years pro-lifers who joined the cause yesterday medical science and technology that is pushing viability back to the petri dish genetic discoveries that will heal and cure our own mothers, who sacrificed much for us foster parents everyone in our Alton, IL and Washington, D.C. offices who are always ready to help the spouses of those active in the pro-life movement who unselfishly lend their love and support in so many ways adoptive parents girls and women, boys and men, who defy the ways of the world and remain chaste until marriage those who love and care for their elderly parents the pro-life plank in the Republican National Platform people who care for AIDS babies beautiful music teen agers who visit people in nursing homes people who go to the hospitals and rock the crack babies our talented, eagle-eyed proof reader the annual March for Life girls and women who courageously reject abortion and let their babies live prayer people who pray the families of children with disabilities, who are an inspiration to those around them pro-life delegates to county, state and national conventions of political parties Mother Teresa of Calcutta stamps we don't have to lick friends who know how to solve our computer problems parents and children who honor their grandparents and great-grandparents Italian food Life abstinence educators stockbrokers and money managers who refuse to invest in corporations that support Planned Parenthood, perform or promote abortions, or manufacture contraceptive/abortion-causing drugs pro-life public interest law firms peaceful, pro-life protesters pro-life radio talk show hosts those on the staffs of Members of Congress and congressional committees who work for pro-life policies day-in and day-out ministers, priests, and bishops who preach the gospel of life sunsets pro-life bumper stickers Life Chain the miracle of Christmas
"God bless us, every one."

ELECTION 97

New Jersey - Christine Todd Whitman narrowly escaped defeat in the November 4 election, receiving 47% of the vote to 46% for her Democrat opponent Jim McGreevey, regaining the Governor's seat by only 27,000 out of 2.3 million votes cast. The radical, pro-abortion Governor, with all the power of incumbency, plus enormous sums of money, was initially expected to win easily. But, her poll numbers began to drop like a rock as pro-life activists followed her campaign around the state reminding voters of her veto of the partial-birth abortion ban. Jim McGreevey, a relatively obscure state senator and mayor of a small New Jersey city, attacked Whitman's record on high property taxes and automobile insurance rates, rapidly cutting into her base of support. Libertarian candidate Murray Sabrin, who attacked Whitman on her anti-life position in addition to fiscal issues, garnered 5% of the vote, and Conservative Party, pro-life candidate Rich Pezzullo received 2%.

Republican officials, alarmed at the probability that Whitman could be defeated, put on a full-court-press in the media. Pro-life Senator Rick Santorum, who fought so hard to pass the ban on partial-birth abortions in the U.S. Senate, went to New Jersey to campaign for the woman who vetoed the ban in her state. Michigan Governor John Engler, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Jack Kemp, Steve Forbes, Ohio Congressman John Kasich, former Vice President Dan Quayle, and Republican National Committee Chairman Jim Nicholson, all of whom claim pro-life credentials, traveled some distance and went to considerable trouble, to campaign for her and to convince voters that, despite her radical views on abortion, she should be reelected. An appropriate comparison would be that of Abraham Lincoln, after finishing the Lincoln-Douglas debates, going out to campaign for a pro-slavery candidate. Their efforts were joined by the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) president Kate Michelman, who sent out a "Dear Pro-Choice Friend" letter urging support for Whitman. Stalwart pro-life leader, Rep. Chris Sniith (R-NJ) remained true to his convictions and did not campaign for Mrs. Whitman.

Governor Whitman's veto of the partial-birth abortion ban almost brought her down. Any hope of a Whitman candidacy for national office in 2000 has been dashed. Those who are looking for Party unity should look to candidates who are both pro-life social and fiscal conservatives who can unify the Party and win elections more easily.

Pro-life voters, whether Republican, Democrat or Independent, place the right to life above party considerations. They will vote with integrity and they will disdain Party leaders who use the precious right to life as a political tool to get votes and then turn around and support candidates who work to destroy everything we are working for.

What the Pundits are
Saying About Whitman's
Close Call

"Ms. Whitman, once seen as a rising GOP star, was eclipsed Tuesday... ." (AP, 11/6/97); "Near-loss dims Whitman's star in Washington" (Newark Star Ledger, 11/6/97); "Whitman has had her wings clipped." "Whitman's 47 percent is a record low for a winning candidate." "On a national level, the shining star of the Republican moderates lost some of her luster." "A measure of respect may also have been lost on the national stage." (Bergen Record, 11/6/97); "She [Whitman] has gone out of her way to separate herself from much of her party. She would be a red flag for the social conservatives." (Political reporter Stuart Rothenberg in the Bergen Record, 11/6/97); "Frankly, the Governor never had a chance of being on any national ticket that I can imagine. Northeast moderate Republicans like her are sort of a fossil, a kind of curiosity." (Russ Baker, political scientist at Rutgers University in the Newark Star Ledger, 11/6/97).

The New York Post notes: "She vetoed a ban on partial-birth abortion. Her [Whitman's] sympathy for ... just about every other form of trendy liberal social activism clearly turned off core conservative voters. It is largely a reflection of the Democratic Party's weakness that she managed to win anyway. But the closeness of the contest (and the likely extinguishment of Whitman's much - heralded national potential) is proof of one thing: The days of country-club Republicanism are definitely over." ("Inside Politics", The Washington Times, 11/7/97)

Virginia - The new Governor of Virginia, Republican Jim Gilmore, defeated his Democrat opponent Don Beyer by 56% to 43% in Tuesday's election. Gilmore, who supports legal abortion through the first three months of pregnancy but not thereafter, was attacked by Beyer in radio ads as being "against a woman's right to choose", giving the public the impression that he is pro-life. The ads proved to be a fatal mistake for Beyer because they, together with his attacks on Gilmore's reportedly close association with Pat Robertson, created the perception that Gilmore was a solid, pro-life, pro-family candidate. This allowed him to capitalize on the desire of the voters to elect people who are both cultural and fiscal conservatives, a combination that continues to be a winner for Republican candidates who are in touch with the people. Thankfully, Republican Mark Earley, who was elected Attorney General by 57% to 43%, is a solid pro-lifer. We hope that Governor Gilmore will open his mind and heart to the reality that the unborn child, from the moment of conception, is a unique individual defenseless human being deserving of legal protection.

Oregon - The Oregon Catholic Conference, which spearheaded the nearly $4 million campaign to terminate the law allowing physician-assisted suicide, in a statement issued November 5, called election day "a tragic day for Oregon, the nation, and the world." "Oregon has become the first jurisdiction in the world to fully embrace the culture of death," the Conference said. "May God have mercy on us and on our nation." National Right to Life Committee director of media relations, Laura Echevarria, issued a statement saying, "This tragic vote means death rather than positive treatment for countless numbers of the most vulnerable in our society." "Euthanasia in Oregon will not remain 'voluntary' for long. All it will take is for a court to rule that denying assisted suicide to people who have never asked to die, but are unable to speak for themselves, violates state constitutional equal protection provisions. This is exactly what courts have done in the past concerning denial of life-saving medical treatment."

New York - Pro-life Republican Vito Fossella defeated Democrat Eric Vitaliano, who is also considered to be pro-life, 62% to 38% in Congressional District 13. That's the seat recently vacated by former Congresswoman Susan Molinari, who was an active and aggressive advocate for abortion-on-demand. Congressman Fossella put together a winning coalition of pro-life, pro-family and fiscal conservatives who delivered his landslide victory on November 4. Mr. Fossella completed the RNC/Life Candidate Questionnaire perfectly, indicating he supports legal protection for the right to life from conception until natural death without discrimination or condition.

Florida - Jeb Bush, son of former President George Bush, in his race for governor has picked a pro-abortion-choice running mate in Secretary of State Sandra Mortham. Grassroots pro-life supporters of Jeb Bush have had their enthusiasm for his campaign dampened substantially by his decision. They are questioning why Jeb Bush, whom they consider to be solidly pro-life, would deliberately advance the political career of someone who does not recognize the inherent, God-given right to life.

Mississippi Governor Marks 25th Anniversary
of Roe v. Wade

Pro-life Republican Governor of Mississippi, Kirk Fordice, has issued a proclamation naming the month of January 1998 as a "Month Of Prayer To End Abortion." The proclamation, written in commemoration of the more than 25 million babies killed since 1973, asks for prayer that "the hearts of mothers and fathers will be turned to their children, born and unborn; that churches in Mississippi will continue to respond appropriately to those considering abortion by offering loving altertnatives to women in crisis; that government officials wifl continue to do all possible to protect the lives of the unbom; and, that those to whom God has given the gift of heating will use their gift not to destroy lives, but to save them." If your Governor is pro-life, why don't you ask him to do the same? Contact RNC/Life for a copy of the proclamation.