Does victory give GOP free rein?


	Coelho: "I am not for abortion. But I'll tell you what, I don't think I should tell women that they are or are not. I think women should have choice."

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republicans are about to enjoy control of both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. Does this mean the GOP will have free rein to pursue its agenda, or are Democrats ready to put up a tough fight?

Former Rep. Tony Coelho, a California Democrat, and Republican former Rep. Bob Walker of Pennsylvania go head-to-head over the issues with "Crossfire" hosts Paul Begala and Robert Novak.

NOVAK: ... A lot of journalists and politicians are saying that the Republicans campaign on economic issues. There is a debate that they're going to (pursue) social issues. And these are very unpopular issues.

Now of course they campaign on social issues as well as economic issues. But I want to just show you what the public sentiment is on a couple of these social issues. Should abortion laws be "more strict" or "less strict?" Forty-seven percent say "more strict" and 12 percent say "less strict."

How about this one? "Cloning designed to result in the birth of a new human being." Nine percent approved of cloning and 88 percent disapproved. We can go down the line. The people are socially conservative, are they not?

COELHO: Are you telling me that this is what the agenda of the Republican Party is going to be come January and February? Is that what you are saying?

NOVAK: I ask the questions and you answer them.

COELHO: You imply that that's what they were going to do. Is this going to be the agenda?

NOVAK: I hope it is. I hope it's part of it. What's wrong with that?


	Walker: "... There are plenty of other people out there in society to advocate. We don't need the federal government doing it."

COELHO: Well, I don't think there is anything wrong with it. I would love to have a debate on this. I think there are a lot of women across this country who want to make sure that they have some choices, and that old white males like me don't make all the decisions. And I think that one of the things we need to be concerned about are what other people think, not just what you and I think.

NOVAK: Let me ask you this: Do you think the American people are for partial-birth abortion and for teenage promiscuity? Answer the question.

COELHO: Let me tell you what, Bob. I am not for abortion. But I'll tell you what, I don't think I should tell women that they are or are not. I think women should have choice.

NOVAK: What about partial-birth abortion?

COELHO: That's what this debate is all about, is choice: whether or not you old white males make the decisions for them or do women make ...

NOVAK: So you're for permitting this barbarous technique that (former New York Democratic Sen. Daniel Patrick) Moynihan said is the next thing to genocide?

COELHO: No, I am not. I think the issue is who makes the decision. That's your problem.

BEGALA: Let me ask you, Mr. Walker, about another divisive social history. Now we were talking about this in the break, (you are) highly respected on both sides of the aisle as one of the leaders in the science and technology committee on Capitol Hill. As such, you must have been troubled by the report in today's New York Times that Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson is imposing a right-wing political correctness on the scientists at the Centers for Disease Control, telling them what public health information they can put out about things like condoms and other touchy sexual issues. (The information put out by the CDC will) no longer be driven by what scientists and doctors think is best, but (its) going to be driven by what right-wing politicians in Washington think is best. You must think that is wrong, don't you?

WALKER: Well, I think that Tommy Thompson has looked at this very, very carefully and determined that there are some things that the federal government ought not be in the process of advocating. You know the problem is that the federal government does two roles here and so on. It's not just the dissemination of information.

It actually gets in the business of advocacy. And I think what Tommy Thompson is saying is that, regardless of what the title might be, that the federal government just ought not to be in the business of advocacy in those areas. And there are plenty of other people out there in society to advocate. We don't need the federal government doing it.

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