Beauprez sorry for comment

Blacks say abortion remark offensive and 'unacceptable'

Stuart Steers, Rocky Mountain News

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Congressman Bob Beauprez outraged several black elected officials this week when he said 70 percent of pregnant African-American women have abortions.

Beauprez, the Republican candidate for governor, made the comments in a radio interview on KCFR's Colorado Matters program Monday.

"I've seen numbers as high as 70 percent, maybe even more, in the African-American community that I think is just appalling," Beauprez told the station during a discussion of his position on abortion.

On Wednesday, Beauprez apologized.

"I was wrong about the statistic I quoted in a recent interview," he said in a statement.

"I apologize to the African-American community and anyone else who was offended. I should have verified the statistic before repeating it."

But many of Colorado's black leaders said they were still deeply offended by Beauprez's comments and wouldn't forget them.

"He was trying to create a wedge issue and chose the African-American community as his whipping boy," said Rep. Terrance Carroll, D-Denver. "Apparently, he pulled the figures out of the air."

Beauprez's statement was the latest stumble for the congressman, who has stepped on toes of other minority groups with previous comments.

Denver City Councilwoman Elbra Wedgeworth called Beauprez's comments "unacceptable."

Beauprez is "a nice person," she said, but "last time I checked, he'd never been pregnant and he definitely has never been black."

A federal study in 2005 estimated there were 495 abortions among black women for every 1,000 births. That means that of 1,495 pregnancies, roughly one-third end in abortion, about three times the rate among whites.

Rep. Rosemary Marshall, D-Denver, said Beauprez's comments show a lack of sensitivity to what is often a tragic situation.

"He was trying to push his right-wing, anti-abortion agenda and using an ethnic minority group to do that," said Marshall.

This was the latest stumble for the congressman, who has said his diverse experience as a dairy farmer, banker and developer prepares him to be "a governor for all of Colorado."

"I fit Colorado," Beauprez has said.

Earlier this month Beauprez drew criticism when he chose a running mate, Mesa County Commissioner Janet Rowland, who once compared homosexuality to bestiality.

Last year, Beauprez offended many Hispanics when he commented on the apparently slow-moving extradition of a Mexican national accused of killing a Denver police officer.

"I've vacationed in Mexico before - I know exactly what Mexican time is," Beauprez said.

He later apologized.