Governor Romney, your aides say you see ending abortion as a two- step process -- rolling back Roe v. Wade, which would leave it legal in some states and then a constitutional amendment to ban it nationwide. If abortion is murder, how can you live it with being legal in some parts of the country, and for how long can you do so?

MR. ROMNEY: Well, I think all of us -- I believe almost all of us in the room would say that we’d love to have an America that didn’t have abortion. But the truth of the matter is that -- (applause) -- that’s not what America is right now. That’s not where the American people are right now, and so I’d like to see Roe v. Wade overturned and allow the states and the elected representatives of the people and the people themselves have the ability to put in place pro-life legislation.

And of course it’s our aspiration that at some point we’ll see a nation that doesn’t have abortion. But until that time, I certainly believe that allowing states and citizens and their representatives to fashion their own laws to protect the sanctity of life is very, very important.

I recognize that for many people, that is considered an act of murder, to have an abortion. It is without question the taking of a human life, and I believe that a civilized society must respect the sanctity of a human life. But we have two lives involved here: A mom and unborn child. We have to have concern for both lives. And so the expression of our compassion and our consideration -- and work to change hearts and minds -- and that’s the way, in my view, we’ll ultimately have a society without abortion.

Mitt Romney and the 5th Republican Debate

See Also 4rth Debate, 3rd Debate, 2nd Debate, and 1st Debate

1. Was Fred Thompson smart to have avoided the first 5 debates?
2. Why should we believe that you would be any tougher on illegal immigration than Mayor Giuliani?
3. If abortion is murder why leave it up to the states?
4. Is Hillary Clinton willing to commit troops to Iraq longer than you?
5. Would you wiretap mosques without a judge’s approval?
6. Why did you raise fees and fines as Governor?
7. What do you do if Iran gets worse?