HOWEVER the Minnesota Senate race turns out, the voters of that state have been offered distinct alternatives on abortion. Going into Monday’s debate, it was well-known that Norm Coleman is pro-life and thinks Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that announced a constitutional right to abortion, was wrongly decided. And that Walter Mondale is pro-choice–meaning he is for a woman’s right to abort nascent life–and believes Roe was correctly rendered. But the debate sharpened the disagreement and revealed Mondale as a radical abortions rights supporter.

A question posed to Coleman early in the debate was this: “Walter Mondale has said that he absolutely would not support any judicial candidate proposed by the president if that candidate opposed abortion rights. You’ve taken a different position. Why?” Coleman said he opposed the use of confirmation “litmus tests.” Taking his turn, Mondale didn’t back away from his “choice” litmus test–he eagerly embraced it. “When we confirm judges,” he said, “it should be on that basis.”