Politics

Antiabortionist Democrat Randall Terry challenging Obama in Iowa

Jeff Winkler Contributor
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The famous (or infamous) anti-abortionist and 2012 presidential candidate Randall Terry is releasing his first TV ad tomorrow, asking Iowans to vote for him in the 2012 caucus. But Terry isn’t one of the many potential Republican hopefuls who will make their case in the premier election state. He’s running against President Obama in the Democratic caucuses.

Terry, whose running mate is effectively a dead fetus, appears to have all the elements of more fringe conservatives. He begins the ad by giving Obama’s full Hussein-y name; borrows Republican Arizona Rep. Ben Quayle’s line about the “worst president in history;” rails against Obama’s “socialist” agenda; and beckons Iowa voters to do something very un-liberal: namely, voting with a sense of principles.

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Terry has been in the public arena since the late ’80s. The pro-life activist founded Operation Rescue, which became famous for blocking entrances to women’s clinics. Apart from his strong protests, he’s also known for strong, media-ready comments about politicians and doctors on the other side of the debate. Terry’s efforts eventually led to a bill limiting protests at abortion clinics.

This also isn’t Terry’s first bid for public office. He attempted a New York congressional run in 1998, as well as a Florida state senate run in 2006. In both efforts, he ran in the Republican primary. On his current campaign website, Terry has several “prototype ads” whose main focus is shocking images of aborted fetuses.

The ad will run prime-time in the Des Moines market on all the major local affiliates — CBS, NBC, FOX, CNS and ABC.

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