A Repansycan grows in Virginia.

From the Boston Globe (via CNSNews.com) comes the chilling tale of a man afraid to publicly say he thinks children should not be chopped up.

Gubernatorial candidate Jerry Kilgore declined to say during a debate grilling whether he would outlaw abortion if the Supreme Court paved the way for such a law.

Kilgore, a Republican and a former attorney general, and Lieutenant Governor Tim Kaine, a Democrat, clashed in a debate Tuesday. Kilgore, a steadfast abortion foe, was the object of laughter during a painful cross-examination by NBC's Tim Russert, the debate moderator.

Governor Mark R. Warner, a Democrat, is prevented by the state constitution from seeking a second consecutive term. Kilgore and Kaine are locked in a tight race to succeed him.

The host of NBC's ''Meet the Press" had explained that a US Supreme Court with new conservatives appointed by President Bush might reverse its 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion. If that happens and the General Assembly passes a bill outlawing abortion except for cases of rape or incest or to save the mother's life, Russert asked Kilgore, would he sign it into law?

''My response is that's a hypothetical. You don't know what any Supreme Court in the future is going to do," Kilgore replied.

Russert then asked Kilgore whether he would veto or sign a tax increase bill if the Virginia Legislature passed one.

''I would veto it," Kilgore answered.

''That's a hypothetical question," Russert interjected, triggering laughter in the audience.