Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 3, 1995 TAG: 9505030071
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
``I am a doctor who delivers babies,'' he told lawmakers probing his views on abortion.
At a daylong Senate hearing, Foster pledged to lead a national campaign against teen pregnancies if confirmed. ``Abstinence is good for young people,'' he said. ``It prevents AIDS, it prevents sexually transmitted disease, it prevents pregnancy.''
After three months of controversy, Foster slid into the witness chair with a pledge to ``set the record straight.'' He conceded that he earlier understated the number of abortions he performed in four decades as an obstetrician, but said it was an ``honest mistake'' made without a complete review of the records.
``There was never any intent to deceive,'' he said. ``I had no reason to do so.''
The 61-year-old former medical school dean strode into the committee room accompanied by his wife, St. Clair, and flanked by White House aides steering him through his stormy confirmation process.
With all seven Democrats on the Labor and Human Resources Committee expected to support the nomination, Clinton administration officials pinned their hope for approval on three uncommitted Republicans, including the chairwoman, Sen. Nancy Kassebaum of Kansas.
At day's end, all three said they remained uncommitted, with Kassebaum and Sen. James Jeffords, R-Vt., pressing for information on the effectiveness of the anti-teen pregnancy program Foster developed in Nashville, Tenn. Also uncommitted was Sen. Bill Frist, like Foster a physician and Tennessean, who told reporters, ``So far, I'm entirely satisfied with his answers.''
Committee approval would merely lift Foster over one hurdle.
In a nomination caught up in presidential politics, Sen. Phil Gramm has threatened a filibuster. And Majority Leader Bob Dole has said he might keep the nomination off the floor altogether, citing questions about Foster's credibility, rather than abortion.
Win or lose, some Democrats believe they will benefit politically if the Republican-controlled Senate can be depicted as rejecting a nominee for performing abortions only sparingly, and always legally.
Replying to several of the controversies that have dogged his nomination, Foster:
Denied knowing about a program in Tuskegee, Ala., that left men untreated for syphilis until it became public knowledge in 1972. ``I was outraged, frankly,'' he said. ``It was awful.''
Said an earlier comment that ``white'' right-wing extremists opposed his nomination was a ``slip of the tongue'' insofar as it referred to race. By extremists, he said he meant abortion foes who break the law to prevent a woman from exercising her constitutional right to an abortion.
Denied making a statement attributed to him that he had done at least 700 amniocentesis and therapeutic abortions. ``I didn't say it and I didn't do it,'' he said.
by CNB