Catholics Blast Kerry On Abortion Views

Five swing state newspapers will publish a full-page ad Wednesday chiding Democratic Sen. John Kerry for embracing abortion rights - what an accompanying list of Catholic elected officials and voters argue is a contradiction to his faith.

The ad, titled 'An Open Letter from Fellow Catholics to John Kerry,' was paid for by the Bush-Cheney campaign. It is running in mid-sized newspapers with strong Catholic readership in Pennsylvania, Iowa, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Florida.

'In the most recent debate, Senator Kerry, you said, 'everything you do in public life has to be guided by your faith,' and that 'everything is a gift from the Almighty.' But apparently, when it comes to the issue of the right to life, you follow neither your own faith nor your own reason,' the ad says.

'Senator Kerry, your stand contradicts both your faith and reason,' the ad says.