During the third presidential debate Wednesday night, Barack Obama responded to charges that he opposed a ban on late-term abortion and voted down a measure that would provide medical attention for a child born after a failed abortion. It was the first time the issue was raised in a presidential debate this election season. Obama stated he did not support the ban because it failed to provide an exception for the mother’s “health and life,” a position McCain associated with extremists. Obama also stated that McCain’s other charge was untrue. The reason he opposed such a bill, he said, was because there was already a law in place protecting children in such a situation and that it would undermine Roe v. Wade. To watch a longer portion of the candidates’ exchange, see the video below.

–Erica Landau

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