According to the Obama campaign, the National Right to Life PAC is placing anti-Obama robocalls in Indiana. Here’s the script, according to the Obama campaign (audio here):

“Hello, this is National Right to Life PAC, asking you to vote against Barack Obama in tomorrow’s primary election.
Barack Obama has said that his first act as President would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, which would enshrine abortion on demand into federal law and would require tax funding of abortion. This bill would legalize partial birth abortion again.
Barack Obama even voted against saving the lives of babies who survive late term abortion.
You can vote in either party’s primary. If you vote in the Democratic primary, please do not vote for Barack Obama.”

Tim Roemer, a pro-life former Indiana congressman who co-chairs Obama’s National Catholic Advisory Commitee, decried the calls as a ploy to help Hillary Clinton win the state:

“As a pro-life Catholic Democrat, one of the main reasons I endorsed Barack Obama is because he approaches issues from a non-ideological standpoint, and on issues like abortion, he deeply respects the views of folks on the other side of the argument….
National Right to Life is running these calls because they know that Senator Clinton will be the easier Democrat to run against in the general election—and this is their way of giving her a helping hand in this tough primary battle.
Senator Obama and Senator Clinton have virtually identical records on the abortion issue. I want Hoosiers to be absolutely clear: These calls we’re getting are nothing more than a ploy….”

Is Roemer right? Does National Right to Life, which recently endorsed John McCain, prefer Clinton because she’d be easier to beat than Hillary Clinton? God-o-Meter has noticed the beginning of a trend–at this point, maybe a microtrend–of Christian Right groups coming down harder on Obama than Clinton. Consider that the conservative Catholic League, which mercilessly attacked John Kerry in 2004, has issued three anti-Obama attacks so far this year, versus zero for Clinton. (The Catholic League actually praised Clinton for pressing President Bush to boycott the opening Olympic ceremonies in China).
God-o-Meter will keep its eyes peeled for more evidence in coming days, but it does appear that a handful of Christian Right groups prefer facing Obama in the fall.

6