Towards the end of the presidential debate last night, I actually started screaming at the TV when Senator John McCain started talking about abortion. Even my 12-year-old daughter chimed in. It was as if he had no idea what he was talking about. At least let's hope.... And when he said that women's health is "extreme," well, that just about put me over the edge.
Here's a very eloquent take on McCain's assertion that women's health is "extreme," by Cecile Richards of The Huffington Post. Worth checking out!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cecile-richards/mccain-says-womens-health_...
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I just read a column by Kim Gandy, the president of the National Organization for Women. Here's an excerpt that I think is very relevant to what we're discussing here....
"A key component of McCain's plan is that he wants to give people the option of buying health care across state lines. Yet this can undermine existing state insurance requirements - many of which women fought to win - like state laws requiring insurers to cover contraceptives and mammograms and preventing outrageous limits on hospital stays (like the 24-hour "drive-by mastectomies" for breast cancer). Under McCain's plan, insurance companies will just set up shop in states with the weakest consumer protection and coverage laws, so in the end insurance companies make even money while our hard-won coverage rights are lost.
The kind of coverage, not just the fact of coverage, is also critical for women, particularly in the area of reproductive coverage. Comprehensive health care should recognize that reproductive health care is primary care for women, and the Obama plan is the only one to guarantee affordable coverage for maternity care, reproductive care, cancer screening, mental health care and much more -- the kinds of gaps in current insurance coverage that impact women disproportionately.
There are no easy answers for reforming our health care, but Obama's plan takes many steps in the right direction, while McCain's plan takes us backward, virtually guaranteeing less coverage for fewer people. Neither offers a full cure for what ails us, but McCain's plan isn't even a Band-Aid, while Obama's is at least a shot in the arm."
http://www.now.org/news/note/101708.html
October 17, 2008 - 9:51pmThis Comment
I'd have to disagree that Cecile Richards is an abortion supporter. That's how McCain refers to those who support a woman's right to choose. Rather, Cecile Richards is pro-choice; a supporter of a woman's right to choose what to do with her own body. I get really tired of people saying that others are "for" abortion. They're for choice.
I didn't feel that Richards took McCain's comments out of context at all. I was incensed when I heard him comment live during the debate. He completely brushed women's health off as unimportant. And it was not only his words, but also his body language and facial expressions. I was shocked. I would not want my daughters living in a country where he is the leader.
I had a unique opportunity to interview Gloria Feldt earlier today. She was with Planned Parenthood for thirty years, most recently as national President, until her resignation in 2005. One thing she told me that especially hit home was how the opposition to a woman's right to choose is also the opposition to birth control. And, basically, this is the opposition to the empowerment of women.
Think about it. Today, we take contraception for granted. But, back in the 1970's people were saying the exact same things about contraception as they're saying about abortion today. The conversation's exactly the same. Only the issue itself has changed. And it's all about a woman's right to choose.
Interestingly enough, Gloria mentioned that even the male politicians who were the most publicly open about their opposition to a woman's right to contraception back in the 70's were never as blatantly dismissive of women's health as John McCain. I think that's very, very scary.
October 17, 2008 - 3:34pmThis Comment
For those who didn't catch the debate, here's a link to the transcript:
http://www.debates.org/pages/trans2008d.html
And here are the comments that Sen. Obama made on the Illinois bill question and that Sen. McCain made on the question of a woman's heath:
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SCHIEFFER: Response?
OBAMA: Yes, let me respond to this. If it sounds incredible that I would vote to withhold lifesaving treatment from an infant, that's because it's not true. The -- here are the facts.
There was a bill that was put forward before the Illinois Senate that said you have to provide lifesaving treatment and that would have helped to undermine Roe v. Wade. The fact is that there was already a law on the books in Illinois that required providing lifesaving treatment, which is why not only myself but pro-choice Republicans and Democrats voted against it.
And the Illinois Medical Society, the organization of doctors in Illinois, voted against it. Their Hippocratic Oath would have required them to provide care, and there was already a law in the books.
With respect to partial-birth abortion, I am completely supportive of a ban on late-term abortions, partial-birth or otherwise, as long as there's an exception for the mother's health and life, and this did not contain that exception.
And I attempted, as many have in the past, of including that so that it is constitutional. And that was rejected, and that's why I voted present, because I'm willing to support a ban on late-term abortions as long as we have that exception.
The last point I want to make on the issue of abortion. This is an issue that -- look, it divides us. And in some ways, it may be difficult to -- to reconcile the two views.
But there surely is some common ground when both those who believe in choice and those who are opposed to abortion can come together and say, "We should try to prevent unintended pregnancies by providing appropriate education to our youth, communicating that sexuality is sacred and that they should not be engaged in cavalier activity, and providing options for adoption, and helping single mothers if they want to choose to keep the baby."
Those are all things that we put in the Democratic platform for the first time this year, and I think that's where we can find some common ground, because nobody's pro-abortion. I think it's always a tragic situation.
OBAMA: We should try to reduce these circumstances.
SCHIEFFER: Let's give Senator McCain a short response...
MCCAIN: Just again...
SCHIEFFER: ... and then...
MCCAIN: Just again, the example of the eloquence of Senator Obama. He's health for the mother. You know, that's been stretched by the pro-abortion movement in America to mean almost anything.
That's the extreme pro-abortion position, quote, "health." But, look, Cindy and I are adoptive parents. We know what a treasure and joy it is to have an adopted child in our lives. We'll do everything we can to improve adoption in this country.
But that does not mean that we will cease to protect the rights of the unborn. Of course, we have to come together. Of course, we have to work together, and, of course, it's vital that we do so and help these young women who are facing such a difficult decision, with a compassion, that we'll help them with the adoptive services, with the courage to bring that child into this world and we'll help take care of it.
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October 17, 2008 - 9:57amThe next question went on to education.
This Comment
I just have to disagree with you.
You see, the Huffington Post writer misunderstood what McCain was saying.
McCain did not say that women\\\'s health is extreme. He said Obama\\\'s position on abortion is extreme and that he lies about his position.
Note in the quote that he first said that Obama was using his \\\"eloquence\\\" - ie. lawyerly words to say one thing while meaning another.
Then he sarcastically referred to Obama stated position of being for the health of the mother - he was not saying the women\\\'s health is extreme, he was saying the Obama\\\'s position on abortion is extreme and Obama covered it over by saying calling it a women\\\'s health issue.
Obama lied when he denied having voted against the Born Alive act in Illinois - even when every protection he had asked for was put in it. His staff had to correct him after the Saddleback forum where he made the same claim.
Please watch this video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMwDq73gbm4
As women, if we think that letting a baby die after a botched abortion is not an extreme point of view, then God help us.
October 16, 2008 - 8:29pmThis Comment