South Carolina Democratic debate transcript

Kucinich: And we also need to listen carefully to those who are concerned about abortion.

At the same time, a healer as president would help reconcile this nation, and cause a woman's right to privacy to be protected unquestioningly, protect Roe v. Wade, but also go out and listen to people and engage people and open up hearts -- because this is an issue that requires an enormous amount of compassion, and that's the approach I would take.

Williams: Congressman, thank you.

Senator Dodd, you were the only senator on this stage to vote to confirm Chief Justice Roberts. Do you regret your vote?

Dodd: No. I'm disappointed terribly by the decision that he reached the other day, because he did something he said he wouldn't do. He said during his confirmation hearings that he would uphold precedent. That was a very important answer he gave to me. I did not have the same degree of satisfaction when Justice Alito made a similar statement.

And what he did, of course, is walk away from the woman's health. For 34 years, the woman's health has been a major consideration on this issue since Roe versus Wade was first decided.

And to deviate from that, to me, was a major, major setback here. I happen to believe a woman has a right to choose. I've voted that way and done that, supported that for the 26 years I've been in the United States Senate.

But I also think what Dennis just said is extremely important. Abortions ought to be rare, safe and legal. And I think all of us here, regardless of your views on the question, would like to see national leadership in the country that would start providing additional choices so that women aren't faced with just the choice they have today.

Supporting expanding adoption, children's health issues -- these are things I've worked on for the last 26 years, having started the children's caucus in the United States Senate, worked on children's health issues. That's something we need to play far more attention, instead of just going back and forth on this question without dealing with the issue of how we can minimize this from occurring.

Williams: Senator, thank you.

We'd like to ask the same question of all of you, down the line, in order, and it calls for you to say a name or to pass.

And, Governor Richardson, we're going to start with you. The question is your model Supreme Court justice?

Richardson: It would be Justice "Whizzer" White.

Williams: How about someone who is among the living?

(Laughter)

Richardson: It would be -- in this particular case, Judge Ginsburg, who said that this was an erosion of a woman's right to chose and degraded the ability of a woman to protect herself health wise.

Williams: OK.

Again, name or pass, Senator Dodd?

Dodd: Well, I would mention Justice Brennan, but you've excluded him...

Williams: Yes.

Dodd: ... because of obvious reasons.

And I would agree with the choice made by -- Justice Ginsburg. I think she was eloquent in her dissent in this opinion, and certainly someone that I would -- I would respect.

Williams: And, Senator Edwards?

Edwards: I missed it. No past justices?

Williams: A model Supreme Court justice alive today?

And I've just been informed, this is taking so long, you'll be the final person to handle this question.

(Laughter)

Edwards: Ginsburg or Breyer.

Williams: All right. Justice Ginsburg or Justice Breyer, both of them sitting on the current court.

Senator Clinton, a question for you: Did the government -- did any role that federal government plays fail those students at Virginia Tech?

Clinton: Yes.

You know, I remember very well when I accompanied Bill to Columbine after that massacre and met with the family members of those who had been killed and talked with the students, and feeling that we had to do more to try to keep guns out of the hands of the criminal and of the mentally unstable.

And during the Clinton administration, that was a goal -- not to, in any way, violate people's Second Amendment rights, but to try to limit access to people who should not have guns.

Clinton: Unfortunately, we saw the tragedy unfold at Virginia Tech. We now know that the background check system didn't work, because certainly this shooter, as he's called, had been involuntarily committed as a threat to himself and others. And, yet, he could walk in and buy a gun.

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