Why Bush Opposes Dred Scott - It's code for Roe v. Wade

Why Bush Opposes Dred Scott - It's code for Roe v. Wade. By Timothy Noah

"In the Oct. 8 debate, President Bush baffled some people by saying he wouldn't appoint anyone to the Supreme Court who would condone the Dred Scott decision...What was the meaning of this borderline-incoherent ramble? Apparently, it was an invisible high-five to the Christian right... To the Christian right, "Dred Scott" turns out to be a code word for "Roe v. Wade." Even while stating as plain as day that he would apply "no litmus test," Bush was semaphoring to hard-core abortion opponents that he would indeed apply one crucial litmus test: He would never, ever, appoint a Supreme Court justice who condoned Roe.

Bush has a history of addressing the Christian right in code... let's not forget that Bush actually believes that God told him to become president. In an age less prone to religious hysteria than our own, this would be judged impious. Even now, it's pretty frightening to a significant minority, and Bush is going to need every last vote he can get. Hence the use of code phrases and jargon... if you happen to believe that abortion should remain legal in the United States, don't even think about giving Bush your vote."