John McCain is a difficult case for the pro-Life movement. Many have already concluded that we ought to rally behind him because he is not Barack Obama. Fair enough: Obama has stubbornly continued to defend abortion even to the point of supporting outright infanticide. (As evidence, see his repeated votes against protecting babies who survive abortion attempts).

Some have observed that his passion for killing preborn children exceeds even that of NARAL – comprised of folks who actually get paid for the killing.

But the problem for many of us is the overwhelming evidence that John McCain is simply not committed to ending abortion. His largely pro-Life voting record is seriously compromised by contradictory statements and actions over a long career. McCain continues to add to our ambivalence every day he pounds the campaign.

Take his recent statements at the ballyhooed forum orchestrated this weekend by Rick Warren, celebrity evangelist. During the discussion, McCain was asked “at what point does a baby gain human rights?” His answer was strong and fundamentally sound:

“A baby’s human rights begin at the moment of conception.”

Then – we are all left wondering – how can John McCain defend the practice of slaughtering human embryos in order to harvest their stem cells? Even worse – how can he advocate that American taxpayers actually pay for the heinous barbarity of treating human beings as a mere cash crop?

John McCain’s support for harvesting stem cells from defenseless babies goes beyond his votes: He was one of 58 senators who signed a letter to President Bush in June of 2004 demanding that Bush renege on his promise to America and open the federal purse to private sector companies built on the dead remains of America’s innocents. (Personally, I’ve always suspected that McCain was playing crude life politics to win the backing of Nancy Reagan and demonstrate his ‘ornery independence’ among moderate business groups).

And just last week, McCain screeched out of his way to throw a grenade at social conservatives by suggesting that he was considering Tom Ridge as his Vice-President pick, despite Ridge’s pro-abortion views.

In explaining his impressions of Ridge, McCain is quoted by the AP as saying, “… the pro-Life position is one of the important aspects … of the Republican Party…[but] …Tom Ridge is one of the great leaders and happens to be pro-choice.”

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of John McCain is his record on the judiciary.

At the Warren forum, McCain sang the old standard about picking justices for the nation’s high court who were committed to strictly applying the Constitution – and not ‘legislating from the bench’. Republicans have been winning federal seats for years on just that practiced melody.

But when the opportunity arose, when the Senate struggled to deal with President Bush’s nominations to the federal bench, comprised of just such persons, McCain was the principal betrayer of the faith. He was a central character in the “Gang of Fourteen” drama scripted by Ted Kennedy to block the majority of Bush’s appointees.

So … where are we left? In a bad situation, largely of our own making.

At the moment (if 'moment' can be used to describe a months-long dalliance) when America needed leadership – most of the pro-Life movement sat around sipping tea waiting for a strong leader to emerge. McCain outwitted us through his back-door deals with Fred Thompson in the primaries.

Now we are left to console ourselves with the lame hope that McCain will prove himself worth electing.

[Editors note: The Board of ICL has yet to make an endorsement in the presidential race, and will likely take the matter up at the September Board Meeting].