KERRY TAKESEARLYLEAD.(John F. Kerry)

As NRL News goes to press, pro-abortion Massachusetts Senator John Kerry has taken an early lead in the delegate count for the Democratic nomination for president. As of this writing, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, North Carolina Senator John Edwards, retired General Wesley Clark, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, and the Reverend Al Sharpton are still in the race.

Two candidates have already dropped out of the running following disappointing results in the early primaries and caucuses: Rep. Richard Gephardt (Mo.) and Senator Joe Lieberman (Ct.). Former Illinois Senator Carol Moseley Braun dropped out prior to the initial voting.

On February 3 Kerry carried three states and two caucuses while Edwards and Clark each won one state (South Carolina and Oklahoma, respectively). Dean has yet to win a primary. But win or lose, all have been equally strong in their pro-abortion positions, even stridently so.

Indeed, even as the political landscape changes weekly, one constant is the running battle over which Democratic presidential contender is "best" - - most supportive of unrestricted abortion. Kerry and Dean have traded barbs about who had the "better" record on abortion.

Kerry claimed, "I'm the only candidate running for president who hasn't played games, fudged around." He went on to add, "If you believe that choice is a constitutional right, and I do, and if you believe that Roe v. Wade is the embodiment of that right... I will not appoint a justice to the Supreme Court of the United States who will undo that right."

Not to be outdone, Dean responded by emphasizing his own involvement as a member of the board of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and calling into question Kerry's position on parental notification. Dean challenged Kerry, saying that "Senator Kerry has a bit of explaining to do on his position on abortion rights."

During an interview on Fox News, Kerry was asked to explain his position on parental notification. Kerry explained that he supports parental notice with a judicial bypass, but then stated, "... I think you've got to have some kind of responsible structure hopefully, and absent that you've got to respect the choices of individuals" (emphasis added).