Says she might support partial-birth abortion ban, with a life exception.

Legislation she vetoed last year — that could be revived in a petition drive now under way — “unfortunately did not contain an exception for the life of the mother,” Granholm said.

Her spokeswoman Liz Boyd said Friday the statements did not represent a change in the governor’s position or an invitation to the Legislature to develop new language.

And supporters of the ban, which had passed overwhelmingly in the Legislature before she vetoed it, dismissed Granholm’s comments as misleading rhetoric.

“I think she’s hiding behind that as a way to try to have it both ways,” said Paul Long, vice president for public policy at the Michigan Catholic Conference.

“It’s very frustrating,” he said. “She was given a bill that provided” an exception to protect the health of the pregnant woman, “and she vetoed it.”

Sue Wagner, executive director of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Michigan, said Granholm used “words I probably would not choose.”

“But actions speak louder than words. She vetoed the bill. That’s what counts.”

…..In the UPN-TV 50 program, Granholm is also asked by host Tara Wall how she reconciles her Catholic faith and her stands on issues such as abortion and gay marriage. Granholm responds that she is “not a Catholic governor; I’m a governor who happens to be Catholic.”