When the Supreme Court made abortion legal – five decades ago – liberals thought, It’s a woman’s body – she has a right to decide whether to have an abortion.

Conservatives, grimacing, saw abortion as taking an innocent life. To them, it was a choice between right and wrong. And protecting an innocent life was right. They would allow exceptions – most Republicans believed allowing an abortion to save a mother’s life justified. But there was no debate – among Republicans – over whether abortion should be legal for 20 weeks or 12 weeks. Taking an innocent life at 20 weeks was wrong. Taking an innocent life at 12 weeks was just as wrong.

After the Supreme Court ended Roe versus Wade last year, Democrats made abortion an issue in the election – a Republican candidate running for state legislature came to see me. He believed abortion was wrong. But the political pundits in the General Assembly, who were spending money to elect him, had told him, Ignore abortion. It doesn’t matter.

He asked me: ‘Is that right?’

‘If you believe abortion is wrong – oppose it. Don’t play politics.’

‘Does abortion matter to voters?’

‘A lot. And you can’t hide. Face it head-on. Explain to voters why you believe abortion’s wrong – make your case.’

He took the advice of the pundits in the General Assembly, ignored abortion, lost.

What happened next says a lot about politics today.

Right now, abortion is legal in North Carolina for the first 20 weeks a woman is pregnant. It’s her choice.

Republican legislators, fretting over losing votes, afraid of losing their Super Majorities next election, decided to limit abortion to 12 weeks – so abortion’s still legal, just for 12 weeks not 20. The belief Republicans had stood up for – that abortion is taking an innocent life – flew out the window. And right versus wrong flew out the window with it.

That’s a pretty good example of politics today.