Questioned about his vote against the born-alive infants protection act, Obama said: "There was already a law on the books that required lifesaving treatment, which is why ... I voted against it." Obama and his colleagues never cited this law as a reason for opposing the bill in the Illinois Senate. More importantly, that 1975 law only protected "viable" infants--and left the determination of viability up to the abortionist who had just failed to kill the baby in utero.

"Viability" means that stage of fetal development when, in the medical judgment of the attending physician based on the particular facts of the case before him, there is a reasonable likelihood of sustained survival of the fetus outside the womb, with or without artificial support.