Republicans stress anti-abortion credentials

Republicans reaffirmed their hard line on abortion but adopted a more-moderate stance toward climate change, reflecting the views of both John McCain and the conservative base.

In its platform debate, the Republican Party stuck to its call for a constitutional amendment banning abortion despite opposition from presidential candidate Mr McCain, and toughened already uncompromising language on the issue.

At the same time, the party weighed an energy policy acknowledging the human imprint on climate change.

Party platforms are a statement of principles that are not binding on the candidates or the next president, and they are typically given little attention after they are adopted.

That means nothing written into the platform will tie Mr McCain’s hands in the campaign.

Still, the two days of platform hearings in Minneapolis focused the party on a review of what it stands for and exposed familiar divisions between conservative and moderate elements.

The 112-member platform committee approved planks on the economy and social issues, after strengthening statements in favour of gun and property rights and the swift deportation of illegal immigrants convicted of gang crimes.

Issues remaining to be dealt with on Wednesday include global warming, embryonic stem cells and how far to go with an official English language requirement.

The panel opened meetings with a draft document about half as long as the swollen 2004 platform, and party officials were determined to keep it relatively succinct.

“If we want the American people to read this, we’ve got to produce it in a length that they’re comfortable with,” said North Carolina Senator Richard Burr, leading the meetings with California Representative Kevin McCarthy.

It would put the party on record as accepting that economic activity contributes to global warming, in line with Mr McCain’s views.

But the platform is loaded with caveats about the uncertainty of science and the need to “resist no-growth radicalism” in taking on climate change.

It warns that empowering Washington on the matter would have painful consequences, hardly a rousing endorsement of Mr McCain’s ambitious plan for mandatory federal emission cuts in a cap and trade programme.

The platform will be adopted at the Republican National Convention next week in St Paul, Minnesota, after the committee finishes with it at the Minneapolis Convention Centre.