Lessons From 2002.

It would be a huge mistake to allow the disappointing loss in Louisiana's December 7 senatorial runoff to in any way take away from or diminish the marvelous November 5 results. As you'll recall pro-lifers worked overtime to increase our numbers in the Senate by two and in the House by 2--5, depending on the issue.

Incumbent pro-abortion Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) narrowly prevailed over pro-life Suzanne Terrell for several reasons unrelated to the abortion issue. What we can say for sure is that Landrieu followed the script written by fellow pro-abortion Democrat Mark Pryor in Arkansas: obfuscate, feint, and be all-things-to-all-people.

Like a football halfback running in the open field, Landrieu cut back, reversed fields, before finally bullying her way past the truth on her way to the end zone. She is no slouch as a candidate.

Pro-lifers worked very hard in Louisiana to clarify, to educate, and to edify the electorate, as you did all over the country last month. In the final analysis we didn't prevail in Louisiana probably because Landrieu successfully clung for her political life to the very popular pro-life Louisiana Sen. John Breaux (D).

There are just a couple of items I would very much like our readers to consider late in December 2002. Next month we commemorate a very solemn occasion--the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. What can be said that hasn't been said before, besides the very important fact that you must order many additional copies of NRL News's Special January 22 Commemorative Issue (see ad, page 27).

Many things, beginning with what you'll find in three stories: NRLC President Dr. Wanda Franz's column on page three and Director of Education Dr. Randall K. Bannon's story on page 18 which explain and interpret the latest abortion numbers from the CDC; and my story on page 17 that puts into perspective the remarkably positive news from a survey of public opinion taken by the Buffalo News. What do these stories tell us?

That the number of abortions continues to drop, people who reconsider their opinion are MUCH more likely to become more pro-life than pro-abortion, young people "get it"--abortion is wrong, and most people's first instinct when someone they care about tells them they're thinking about an abortion is to say please don't!