Casey embraces his 'independent streak'

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THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The following are excerpts of reporter Charles Hurt's recent interview with Senate candidate Bob Casey Jr., Pennsylvania Democrat and state treasurer:

Question: How would you have voted on the Senate immigration bill, which critics say would grant amnesty to some 10 million illegal aliens?

Answer: Even though that bill had a number of problems with it, if the choice was either voting for that or doing nothing, then I would have supported the bill.

[Sen. Rick Santorum] started his media campaign on that issue, which I thought was kind of bizarre that an incumbent with 12 years and is in leadership would have his first ad about an issue about which I think he has got a bad record. He has voted against border security, I think, seven times. He voted the wrong way in terms of holding employers accountable several times.

Q: The recent Senate bill to bolster state laws that require minors to notify their parents before getting an abortion was opposed by most Democrats. How would you have voted on that bill?

A: I would have voted for it.

Q: As a pro-life Democrat, how comfortable will you be joining a caucus that is almost entirely pro-choice? Will you stand up to leadership on those issues?

A: On the issue of abortion, my position has been different than the national party for a long time. Even though there is significant and intense disagreement on both sides of that issue, there actually is something everyone agrees on: reduce the number of abortions.