John McCain's War On Women: Choice
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The REAL John McCain is not the "moderate maverick" the pundits like to swoon over. The REAL McCain has spent the last 25 years amassing one of the worst anti-choice voting records in Congress.
If elected president, he has pledged to be the anti-choice movement's most faithful ally, carrying their water and enacting their dangerous agenda:
"If I am fortunate enough to be elected as the next President of the United States, I pledge to you to be a loyal and unswerving friend of the right to life movement." [Statement by Sen. McCain read by Sen. Sam Brownback at the March for Life in Washington, DC, January 22, 2008.]
Learn More About John McCain's War On Women
In His Own Words
Think McCain is a moderate when it comes to a woman's right to choose? Think again. Here are some of the statements McCain has made about choice.
- Sen. McCain told Chris Matthews, "the rights of the unborn is one of my most important values."
[Transcript, Hardball with Chris Matthews, April 15, 2008.] - "I’m proud that we have Justice Alito and Roberts on the United States Supreme Court. I’m very proud to have played a very small role in making that happen." McCain explained further that he "will try to find clones of Alito and Roberts" to fill future court vacancies.
[Transcript, Republican Presidential Candidates Participate in a Debate, May 3, 2007, and Carl Tobias, On judges, don’t doubt McCain’s conservatism: He pledges to appoint clones of Alito and Roberts, Christian Science Monitor, February 11, 2008.] - "If I am fortunate enough to be elected as the next President of the United States, I pledge to you to be a loyal and unswerving friend of the right to life movement."
[Statement by Sen. McCain read by Sen. Sam Brownback at the March for Life in Washington, DC, January 22, 2008. http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=26539 (accessed January 30, 2008.)] - "I'm proud that we have Justice Alito and Roberts on the United States Supreme Court. I'm very proud to have played a very small role in making that happen."
[Transcript, Republican Presidential Candidates Participate in a Debate, May 3, 2007.] - On the Federal Abortion Ban, Sen. McCain said, "Today's Supreme Court ruling is a victory for those who cherish the sanctity of life and integrity of the judiciary. The ruling ensures that an unacceptable and unjustifiable practice will not be carried out on our innocent children. It also clearly speaks to the importance of nominating and confirming strict constructionist judges who interpret the law as it is written, and do not usurp the authority of Congress and state legislatures. As we move forward, it is critically important that our party continues to stand on the side of life."
[Press release, April 18, 2007 (accessed February 4, 2008). http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/f96d220f-b10d-48fe-aee9-d69c0d2802c3.htm] - Sen. McCain said that he has supported "the rights of the unborn" for 24 years "without changing, without wavering."
[Michael Finnegan, Republicans Enter the Ring in Iowa; At a Key Party Dinner, Frontrunners for the Presidential Nomination Take a Beating From Lesser-Known Rivals, L.A. Times, April 15, 2007.] - When asked about whether he supported supplying condoms to Africa to assist in the fight against HIV/AIDS, McCain had the following exchange with a reporter:
Reporter: "What about grants for sex education in the United States? Should they include instructions about using contraceptives? Or should it be Bush’s policy, which is just abstinence?"
Mr. McCain: (Long pause) "Ahhh. I think I support the president’s policy.
Reporter: "So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?"
Mr. McCain: (Long pause) "You've stumped me."
[Adam Nagourney, McCain Stumbles on H.I.V. Prevention, The New York Times, March 16, 2007.] - Discussing his pro-life voting record, McCain said, "I have many, many votes and it's been consistent. And I've got a consistent zero from NARAL throughout all those years... [M]y record is clear. And I think the important thing is you look at people's voting record because sometimes rhetoric can be a little... misleading.... As you know I don't support Roe v. Wade... I thought it was a bad decision, and I think that the decision should be made in the states."
[Transcript, The Full McCain: An Interview, National Review, March 5, 2007. http://article.nationalreview.com/print/?q=MTMxOWRkYjgyNDhjOTU5ZTY2OWU2ZTg2ZmUxMzQ1NjQ=] - "I do not support Roe v. Wade. It should be overturned."
[Ann Althouse, Rudy & Mitt Hem & Haw on Abortion, The New York Times, February 24, 2007.] - Sen. McCain's 2008 presidential campaign website states that he "believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned."
[John McCain for President 2008 campaign website, On the Issues: Human Dignity and the Sanctity of Life (accessed February 4, 2008.) http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/95b18512-d5b6-456e-90a2-12028d71df58.htm]
Also, we let the pols off too easy on the abortion questions. They mimic something about "the sanctity of life" and Supreme Court justice picks, and we just let them off the hook. What a disgusting lack of empathy!
Here's my question for McCain: What do you think it would feel like to be forced to carry a severely deformed fetus to full term?
"What do you think it would be like to be forced to carry a severely deformed fetus to full term?" - Surely, people would agree that would be a terrible ordeal, one we must avoid.
But you know as well as I that there can be equally disheartening ideas - like allowing a pregnancy to be terminated because the women simply doesn't want a baby at this time.
I'm not trying to debate whether abortion should be allowed or denied, but rather, to reduce the rhetoric. Hearing/reading comments and blogs that paint someone using extreme terms is condescending to the audience. Anyone that is pro-life or pro-choice has been labeled that way – with all the accompanying baggage the other side places on it.
In reality, we’re all pro-choice in part, and pro-life. We may place a line in the sand at a different point, but the vast majority are much more alike than not.
I wish we lived in a world without rape, poverty, incest, maternal illness, genetic diseases, contraceptive failure, unprotected moments of passion and human fallibility, but we don't.
I'm really tired of the politicizing of this basic health care need. These crusty old white men have some real control issues. Abortions (don't forget the millions of natural abortions, i.e., miscarriages, that occur every year)will happen whether they say so or not.
I don't believe my views are extreme. I'm just more vocal than most women.
And when he's not too busy inviting Obama to Iraq, I'd like him to visit a battered women's shelter here in town.
That does not make you an extremist. My point is this - there are many cases where having an abortion as a choice should be available. There are some cases where it should not be available.
We simply cannot continue to paint one side or the other with extreme cases and expect to have real dialog and understanding.
I wouldn't expect that you would be for allowing an abortion in ALL cases. Using "...[forcing] to carry a severely deformed fetus to full term..." equates that "all those on the other side" must all feel that way. They want to make all abortions illegal. I don’t believe that is true.
The vast majority are in the middle. Some abortions should be allowed, some should not.
I don't think Sen. McCain wants any empathy for him. To suffer years of torture and captivity is beyond what most people could endure. It happened, he survived, and he doesn’t cling to it.
As for your last comment about inviting Obama to Iraq vs visiting a battered women's shelter...
No matter what anyone does, there's always something else that someone believes is more important to them. I'd prefer to see a clear energy plan. And a smaller government.
I'm sure there are dozens of things McCain and Obama are working on daily. Snippets like "inviting Obama to Iraq" shouldn't be jumped upon as if that's the only thing he is doing.
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Very nicely done! You had me fooled for a moment there.
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