Republican strategist Rich Galen referenced the oft-repeated myth that then-Pennsylvania Gov. Bob Casey was not allowed to speak at the 1992 Democratic National Convention because of his opposition to abortion rights. During the “Strategy Session” segment of CNN's Inside Politics, Galen stated that it doesn't look like Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) will have to move from the right to the center prior to the 2006 election because Democrats have gone “out of their way to elect” a “pro-life” candidate who wouldn't “be allowed to speak at their convention.”

Galen's speculation that Bob Casey Jr., Gov. Casey's son and a candidate seeking Santorum's Senate seat in 2006, would not be allowed to speak at a Democratic convention because of his opposition to abortion rights is based on a falsehood. Casey's father was denied a speaking slot at the 1992 convention because he refused to endorse the Clinton-Gore presidential ticket, not because of his stance on abortion. In fact, Democrats who opposed abortion rights spoke at the 1992 convention and at every subsequent convention, as Media Matters for America has pointed out (here, here, here, here, and here).

From the August 1 edition of CNN's Inside Politics:

JOE JOHNS (host): It also seems like he [Santorum] continues to really sort of massage the right, to massage conservative voters there in the state of Pennsylvania, but the question is, doesn't he need to move more to the middle as we get closer to this election?

GALEN: Well, it doesn't look that way. I mean, as Donna [Brazile, Democratic strategist and program guest] said, you look at Casey [Jr.], the guy that's going to run against him, he's pro-life. You're going to have -- if he should win, which I don't think he will -- the Democrats would go out of their way to elect a senator that won't be allowed to speak at their convention, but that's another story.