Democrats hope to diffuse abortion issue

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 14 (UPI) -- Democratic U.S. presidential candidates say they would like to reduce the number of abortions, in a bid to diffuse the issue before November, strategists say.

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., said she would "continue to do what I can to reduce the number of abortions" during a religious and moral values forum Sunday in Harrisburg, Pa., The Washington Post reported Monday. During the event, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said, "People of good will can exist on both sides."

Obama is backed by two Democrats who are opposed to abortion: Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pa., and former Rep. Timothy Roemer, D-Ind. Both said they believe Obama could reach a consensus.

"He has the unique skills to try to lower the temperature and foster a sense of common ground, and try to figure out ways that people can agree," Casey said. "On this issue, it's particularly hard."

Both Pennsylvania, with its primary April 22, and Indiana, running its May primary, have large populations of socially conservative Democrats.

Clinton also sought to distance herself and the party stance of favoring abortion rights by co-sponsoring with Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid, D-Nev., a significant abortion-prevention bill in January 2005. Obama signed on as a co-sponsor.