Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) said "as president he would only appoint judges" to SCOTUS who support Roe v. Wade. He told Dem women in IA "he would break the tradition that judicial candidates shouldn't be disqualified" over a single issue. Asked at the Hotel Fort Des Moines "if he would appoint judges who would uphold" Roe v. Wade, Kerry said: "Yes. That is not a litmus test, so to speak." In an interview after he said: "I don't want to get into an argument about litmus tests. The focus is on the constitutional right that Roe established in America. I want jurists to agree, who swear to uphold the Constitution." More Kerry: "If some people want to call it a test, they can call it a test." Univ. of WI prof Donald Downs, on Kerry's jud nominee comments: "I can't think of any example where it's been put that baldly." More Downs: "You know that that's sort of behind the agenda of some people, but to come out and say so specifically that's pretty much unprecedented." RNC spokesperson Jim Dyke said Kerry "sounds like he's willing to say anything to get elected." NARAL IA dir. Brenda Kole, who asked the question of Kerry, said: "I was expecting a confident answer from him." But ex-Univ. of WI prof Charles Johnson said Kerry's statements on "regime change" and jud nominees "are either boldly calculated to appeal to liberal voters or careless and potentially damaging" (Beaumont, Des Moines Register, 4/9). More Kerry, after his speech: "Litmus tests are politically motivated tests; this is a constitutional right." He "contrasted" Roe support "because it is a constitutional right" with GOP demands that jud nominees oppose abortion rights and said: "They're trying to undo a constitutional right. That's the difference." In his remarks 4/8, Kerry also "echoed a warning" ex-VP Al Gore made about the president's ability to shape SCOTUS