Did George W. Bush arrange an abortion for a girlfriend he got pregnant in 1970? We may never know, thanks to the press's reluctance to deal with anything controversial involving a Republican candidate for president this close to election day. The tale of the alleged abortion is an amazing one and would certainly not be known in the Bay Area if not for the efforts of my favorite KGO talk-radio host, Bernie Ward. Ward spent most of last week talking about it in his 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. time slot. But outside of a mention Friday by the Chronicle's Matier and Ross, and an earlier oblique reference in a Milwaukee Journal column, the print media hasn't touched the story, judging by a Nexis search.

The abortion question was first raised by Larry Flynt, publisher of Hustler magazine and a slew of other raunchy rags, each one filthier than the one before.

Flynt is famous as a porn publisher, as a shooting victim (he's confined to a wheelchair), as a defender of First Amendment rights, as the object of the movie, "The People vs. Larry Flynt," and as the man who exposed the sexual indiscretions of a number of hypocritical Republicans during the Clinton impeachment debacle.

On Oct. 20, Flynt was a guest on CNN's "Crossfire." During the course of the program, he said George W. had arranged for an abortion of a girlfriend in 1970. Nobody followed up on his allegation, and no more was said about it.

Ward got wind of Flynt's allegation. To learn more about it, he went to the CNN Web site to read the transcript of the program and, lo and behold, the transcript of that one program was missing! It later showed up on the Net with the reference to the alleged abortion deleted.

Ward wanted to know more, so he had Flynt as a guest on his show last Tuesday.

During that conversation, Flynt repeated his allegation that a girlfriend of Bush had had an abortion in 1970. That was before Roe v. Wade, thus during a time when most abortions were illegal in the United States.

Flynt said that his investigators have spent eight months checking out Bush's past. During that time, they were able to learn about Bush's affair, about the pregnancy and about the abortion.

But, Flynt, more cautious than you might expect of a man like him, said he is reluctant to provide specific information because the woman who allegedly had the abortion refuses to talk about it. Said Flynt: "The only thing we could not have which we needed to break the story was the girl to come out, and she would not come out."

Because of that, Flynt said, he's been agitating the mainstream press to ask Bush about the abortion. But he's not getting any takers.

However, in defense of the press, it should be noted that George W. Bush has given up talking with the press. With his profound and well-earned ability to say dumb things, he's decided the best course is to say nothing.

How much proof does Flynt have? After the CNN broadcast, he was interviewed in a CNN chat room. As reported on bushwatch.com, a virulent anti-Bush Web site, here's what Flynt said in the chat room:

"When I said that we had the proof, I am referring to knowing who the girl was, knowing who the doctor was that performed the abortion, evidence from girlfriends of hers at the time who knew about the romance and the subsequent abortion.

"The young lady does not want to go public, and, without her willingness, we don't feel that we're on solid enough legal ground to go with the story, because, should she say it never happened, then we've got a potential libel suit."

Later in the chat room, Flynt added: "I'd just like the national media to ask him if abortion is okay for him and his family but not for the rest of America. We're not looking at it as a big issue. We're looking at it as a situation of people not being told the truth. I think the American people have a right to know everything there is to know about someone running for president."

People who follow the news know that Larry Flynt, no matter what you think of him, has a perfect record when it comes to exposing the sexual foibles of hypocritical office-holders. He's never been wrong.

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), November 02, 2000

Answers

Cherri, I know of two women who had abortions earlier in their lives, and now feel it's wrong. Even if this fabrication of Flynt's was true, do you find it impossible to believe someone might change their opinion of abortion at a later point in their lives?

I am pro-choice..no question about it, but I would like to see late term abortions and partial birth abortions done away with. I honestly believe no president is going to be able to do away with Roe v Wade, anymore then they will be able to ban handguns...it's just going to come down to how much they can curtail these activites with new laws, etc. I'd rather see the new laws curtail partial birth abortions and late term abortions, things I don't care for.

Many anti-abortion republican presidents have appointed Supreme Court Justices. (Eisenhower, Reagan, Bush) They choose these men by their merit, and all of the republican appointed Justices have a record of voting pro-choice.

-- kritter (GettingOffTheSoapBox@adelphia.net), November 02, 2000.

Cherri, that's the most nasty rumor going around these days...well, until Gore's camp put out Nader's sex life this morning....gee, a connection? Both rumors sprang from big Gore supporters, duh...

And the lady involved is about to sue Flynt for the fabrication. The "mysterious" informant was a "roommate" from long ago who won't name herself or offer proof....

"People who follow the news know that Larry Flynt, no matter what you think of him, has a perfect record when it comes to exposing the sexual foibles of hypocritical office-holders. He's never been wrong. "

I find this quote impossible to believe. Flynt is the scum of the earth...and so are those who purport to use him as their source.

This is just more personal attacks and trash from the desperate Gore camp...course there are LOTS of folks out there willing to believe ANYTHING...

Say, Didn't Flynt say that Cherri's been banging the TB2K moderator for the last year on the Lincoln Memorial steps in broad daylight in front of boy scouts? It's a rumor, must be true... spread it like the manure it is...

get a grip

-- z (justflabbergasted@muckrakers.com), November 02, 2000.

Isn't it curious that Clinton's pecadillos were "personal", but the Gore camp and it's supporters find them fodder to throw against the Bush campaign? Unlike Clinton's "crimes", for which we have DNA evidence, confessions and maybe if we're really lucky in 25 years audiotape???, the unsubstantiated and laughably fabricated rumors being spread about EVERY SINGLE detractor of the Clinton/Gore regime is sexual? The woman were "trailer trash", Flynt (hey, he's your fave guy, isn't he Cherri?) offers beaucoup bucks to all of the rape victims who often take it after their reps are trashed and their legal bills become insurmountable thereby putting the lie to bed...ooooh, don'tcha just love it Cherri? Let us not forget the tax audits for the less fortunate like Broadderick, etal...obstruction of justice, misuse of power, and I believe blackmail via those "lost and found" FBI files in Lady Hillary's boudoir?

Ah yes, for continuation of the Imperial Presidency, by all means, vote AlWhore.

-- bemused (wretching@toiletsrus.com), November 02, 2000.

Hey Lars! Check this out...

"People who follow the news know that Larry Flynt, no matter what you think of him, has a perfect record when it comes to exposing the sexual foibles of hypocritical office-holders. He's never been wrong."

-- (in@like.flynt), November 02, 2000.

Oh boy oh boy oh boy!!

If Shrubby gets elected, we're going to have a blast! I bet we can waste at least $100 million on an investigation, dominate the news for at least 2 years, refuse to let the Shrub get anything accomplished and then blame him for not gettting anything done! Yeeeehaaaa!!

-- Kenneth Starr (sex@is.evil), November 02, 2000.

This is scurrilous. Bush was an Eagle Scout cherry in 1970.

-- (nemesis@awol.com), November 02, 2000.

Cherri, Larry Flynt is your source? The family and the girl who Flynt claims had the abortion said this was an outright lie, and that they were ready to sue Flynt if he made such a claim about her (she says they never even had sex). If Flynt had the evidence he claims, I believe that he would have put it out by now. I don't think he can afford the cost of putting out a lie though.

Larry Flynt, the porno king who once published a photo of a naked woman being put in to a meat grinder. That's sad, Cherri, I am always amazed at the bedfellows that poltics makes...

You may want to use CBS, or FoxNews article on GWBs 1970"s DUI charge, the source is better,and the muds still dirty ....

-- David (David@bzn.com), November 02, 2000.

And even if the abortion story from 30 tears ago is true, So what?

-- Malcolm Taylor (taylorm@es.co.nz), November 02, 2000.

David,

Medical records are confidential, at least they were at that time. They cannot be revealed without permission of the lady who underwent the abortion. It is only natural that she would deny such a thing, do you think she wants to turn her life into a fiasco like Monica Lewinsky? Not likely.

-- (think@about.it), November 02, 2000.

"And even if the abortion story from 30 tears ago is true, So what? "

Have you been living in a cave for the last 5 years? Haven't you heard that this kind of thing is what is most important to Republicans in Congress? Bush is a hypocrite, a scandalous traitor with a complete lack of moral character, and it needs to be revealed!!

-- Kenneth Starr (I'll@take.the case), November 02, 2000.

I agree Malcom. People who say that people can't make mistakes in the past and then turn around and state that "this or that" is wrong, are themselves hypocrytes. People change, hearts change. Paul the apostle stood up for what he believed, after he had killed followers of Christ...

In this case, Flynt is all words, no proof. He claims he has four affidavits...why doesn't he release them? The cost of his lie would drain his fortune, thats why. Flynt never held back before...but he knows he would loose his money on this nonsense.

-- David (David@bzn.com), November 03, 2000.