I am personally against abortion, but feel that the government does not have the right to intercede. I further feel that men do not have enough say concerning the choice if a woman wishes to have an abortion. If a woman doesn't want the child she may abort that child without the fathers consent. If the child is born, the father is legally bound to support that child. That's a major discrepancy in the laws. I am glad however, that they banned partial-birth abortion.

With significant Democratic backing, the Senate voted 64 to 33 to approve a Republican-sponsored measure that would prohibit doctors from performing the procedure that opponents have named partial-birth abortion. The House is expected to take up and pass a similar measure as early as next month.

Notice how the Times says that "opponents have named it partial-birth abortion". It's called that because that is exactly what it is, late term abortion with a rare medical need. I won't get in to the specifics of what the procedure entails, but it has no place in a civilized society. Politically though, the Times sneaks in this little nugget at the end:

Two Democratic presidential candidates, Senators John Edwards of North Carolina and John Kerry of Massachusetts, who have voted against the ban in the past, were absent today and did not vote.

That is called a cop-out. Put no vote on record that can come back and haunt you. Why else would presidential campaigning interfere with a Senate vote when the election is 19 months away.