The Family Leader held a news conference on the steps of the statehouse late this morning to unveil details of “The Marriage Vow”.  It’s a document more akin to a two-page prenup than a brief “’til death do us part” pledge. The group is sending their “Vow” to presidential candidates and to President Obama.  The candidates (and the president) have ’til August 1 to return it with their signature.

AUDIO: News conference 25 min

The candidates who sign the pledge will be promising to be faithful to their spouse and to oppose abortion in all forms.  (UPDATE: Bob Vander Plaats called later and he said the Q&A give-and-take at the news conference was not reflective of the wording in The Vow.  By signing The Vow, Vander Plaats says candidates are pledging to be against the coersion of women to get an abortion.

Here’s what The Vow says on that subject:

“Humane protection of women and the innocent fruit of conjugal intimacy — our next generation of American children — from human trafficking, sexual slavery, seduction into promiscuity, and all forms of pornography and prostitution, infanticide, abortion and other types of coersion and stolen innocence.”  END OF UPDATE.)

In addition, Hurley and Vander Plaats talked about support for divorce reform (a mandatory waiting period) and their opposition to government subsidies for contraceptives, like The Pill.

I’ll be back later with more details.  UPDATE II: Here’s the Radio Iowa story.