Even before Todd Akin's odious remarks on abortion and rape victims, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, and their advisers had to expect at least some questions about reproductive rights during the campaign. After Akin's comments, it must have been even clearer to Team Romney that they needed a clear, coherent line in response to inquiries.
Why, then, are they still struggling so badly? Consider, for example, Romney's interview with CBS News last night.
"My position has been clear throughout this campaign," Romney said. "I'm in favor of abortion being legal in the case of rape and incest, and the health and life of the mother."
Except, that's wrong in more ways than one. After the interview, Romney aides said the candidate misspoke and he doesn't support a "health" exemption, despite what he'd just told a national television audience. So much for "clarity."
Moreover, Romney's platform calls for a constitutional amendment that bans all abortions; Romney said he "absolutely" supports a "Personhood" measure that would ban all abortions and some forms of birth control; and in 2007, Romney boasted that that he'd be "delighted" to sign a bill that would no longer allow abortions "at all, period."
In the same interview, Romney said decisions about reproductive rights "will be made by the Supreme Court," adding, "The Democrats try and make this a political issue every four years, but this is a matter in the courts."
Mr. Romney, do you realize that if you're elected, you get to nominate new justices on the Supreme Court, or do you hope voters are unaware of this?
Romney's running mate appears to be struggling, too.
After some provocative comments on the issue last week, Paul Ryan kept the story alive again yesterday.
GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan said Monday he supported removing the term "forcible rape" from his bill banning taxpayer funding for abortions, claiming it was included only as "stock language" and not to limit the definition of rape.
"Rape is rape, period," Ryan, a Wisconsin congressman, said in an interview with Fox News' Bret Baier. "This is language that was stock language used for lots of different bills, bills I didn't author, and that language was removed to be very clear and I agree with that. Removing that language so we are very clear. Rape is rape, period, end of story."
It's true that the "forcible rape" language was eventually removed from the bill Akin and Ryan co-sponsored, but it's a stretch to call this "stock language." It was a new effort on the part of the far-right to redefine rape as it relates to existing federal law. Ryan read the bill and quickly became an early co-sponsor -- before the controversial language was dropped.
Maybe he's embarrassed by his own legislation now, but Ryan can't shrug off his record that easily -- he backed the bill just last year.
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The problem with that interview is that the viewers heard Romney say he was for the health exemption. What they dont hear is his retraction afterwords so they go on believing he is for it. This is a dirty tactic. Say one thing where people can hear it so they think he means it then quietly behind the scene say "NOT!".
When Bush 2 was running I was really scared at the thought he might win. Turns out I was justified. Romney scares me even more. If he wins this country will turn into something no one will be able to recognise when he is done with.
But it won't be Mitt doing the damage. Look how rickety Romney is on his own positions. If he can't be bothered to formulate a firm stance on any of today's issues, can anyone expect him to take the time to comprehend what he'll be asked to sign as president.
Ignorance is bliss, and Mitt's pretty blissful.
The same faces and egos that ran this country down under Bush are waiting at the White House gates to continue the same policies under Romney, their personal executive pen-welding tool.
JMK I agree.Romney put's a lie out there and then in private he take's it back.But it's out there.The man is a liar and a sneak to the nth degree.His face has to many side's, he's for it then he's against it then he's be for it again.He'll say anything and I mean anything to get elected.I hope the democrat's expose his many face's in the upcoming month's.If he lies this much to the American people now, imagine what he would do if elected.
Grover Norquist said it best, "we just need someone with working digits that can and will sign the legislation put before him". That says everything that every American ought to hear, pay attention to and vote for "the other guy"!
Bait 'n' switch.
So people have heard him say both - which does he truly believe the Pinocchio only knows.
R(money) doesn't need to read what his tame Congress (assuming he gets one) sends to him... he will have already been told by his owner... er... er... campaign contributors which bills he will sign and which ones he will veto... Anything which might reduce the cash flowing to the Koch(roach) brothers and the Billionaire Boys Club by even one penny will be an automatic veto. Any tax cut for the Koch(roach) brothers and BBC will be an automatic sign, even if it doubles or triples taxes on the remnants of the middle class.
And whatever you do don't look at the Republican Platform .
Mitts running for President for Pete's sake
And my wife tells me that her fact check group says the Democrats are lying about the Republican position on abortion. It seems Republicans are in favor of exceptions, except until Akin the only exception anybody ever mentioned was the life of the mother. Hell, I don't know what they are in favor of, how can anybody know, unless they actually read the platform, which doesn't contain exceptions. I am sick of the fact checkers with their thumbs on the scales.
Ron your wife and her fact check group are morons then. They are against abortions. Period. They would over turn Roe V wade in a second if they could. That is their plan. Only thing overturning R V W would accomplish would be abortions being performed on black market or back streets. Where it is a risk to the woman. If they think outlawing abortion would stop people from getting them, just look at history.
They're not morons, just unable to see how radical Republicans have become. It's human nature. We have trouble believing that people can be vile, regardless of how much historical and personal evidence there is to the contrary.
First time I heard of the Repucks wanting to stop some forms of birth control. If this is true, EVERY woman in the US should vote against him. Next they resind womens right to vote or force them to have numerous children as the mormons require. Where will this end? I am deeply offended that some grey haired old white men assume the right to force women into reproductive slavery. WOMEN....do not allow this. You all have sisters, cousins, aunts, etc. Someone in your family will need the protection from these crazies. Let your voice be heard or we will all wind up in the dark ages and maybe Afghanistan or Iraq has to come and rescue us (joke, although not funny).
First of all, I know my wife. She isn't a moron. Second, I know what the pro-lifers who are running the Republican party want to accomplish.
My point is the fact checkers (in this case factcheck.com) have bought into the notion that since the Republican platform doesn't mention exceptions it doesn't mean they don't want exceptions. That position is illogical and doesn't reflect the public positions of Paul Ryan and most of the members of the pro-life movement. They want to eliminate a woman's right to make decisions about her own body. They think they know better than the woman. They don't want exceptions.
Tip for the future, if you want to win people to your side, don't call them or their loved ones morons.
Ron the GOTP platform has never made an exception for rape/incest/life of the mother when it comes to abortion. Maybe you might gently suggest to your wife to also use alternate sources when "fact checking" - go back a few years and look at the GOP platforms - none of them have ever made exceptions. The bottom line is to overturn Roe v. Wade. and force women back into corsets, girdles, and have an aspirin between their knees.
What bothers me about this post is that Ron's wife was called a moron. She is doing her best to get information from what she believes is an independent source - one that isn't on either side.
The name calling is just wrong. And I understand why there is confusion - Mitt was voted governor in Mass. because he appeared to be a reasonable, moderate republican. Mass. has a great many independent voters who are socially liberal but fiscally conservative. Case in point, Bill Weld, also a repub, was an excellent governor.
I had always thought of Mitt as being a moderate - being from Mass. I'm not sure what he is, now. Is he just going along with the party line? Does his "exception"statement really come from the heart? Or is it a means to get the independents to vote for him.
Sadly, no one tells the truth anymore - it will cost them votes.
That's not fact checker Ron, and I wouldn't go as far as to call your wife or anyone else a moron. I just find it problematic when people loosely use the term fact checker and then say something that is a dispensation from what fact checker is saying. I looked at the same factchecker.org comment and got something totally different. I can take any statement out of context and restated in a way that makes it mean something totally different from the original statement. Something republicans and teatards think they are good at. But, its nothing more than another outright lie that Democrats want to overturn Roe vs. Wade and abortion rights becomes political every presidential election cycle because that has been the Republican platform for the last at least 3 decades. The greatest challenge post Roe vs. Wade came under the Bush Jr. regime.
The Republicans love guys like Bush Jr. and Romney. Total brain fart after brain fart. Hell I'll sign anything myself for the bank rolls they toss at each other. Not! The POTUS is either for all the People or We the People need to send Romney the clearest message we can, NO THANKS. The last thing we need is another Bush Jr.
Just have your wife research and read their prior platforms and the person-hood bills they tried to pass. Ryan co-sponsored the bill with Akin. “Transvaginal Ultrasound” Gov. McDonnell is heading their platform committee.
In addition during a TV interview, Paul Ryan was asked about Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin's (R) controversial rape comments and referred to rape as a "method of conception." Asked whether it should be legal for a woman to get an abortion if she's raped, Ryan responded, "I'm very proud of my pro-life record, and I've always adopted the idea that, the position that the method of conception doesn't change the definition of life.
The problem that I see with factcheck.org (note: factcheck.com does not exist) is that the "factchecking" depends upon who is writing the article on its website. The contributors are either left-leaning or right-leaning, so the articles are thus. The website says it is "A Project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, which is run by Leonore Annenberg, who has contributed to the McCain campaign, and might indicate it is right-leaning. My opinion is that the articles on factcheck.org are not "fact", as much as they lean toward the writer's opinion guided by their political affiliation, and which has a tendency to sway the opinion of others who may only hear what they want to. It might be a good idea to NOT rely entirely on factcheck.org for anything, left or right.
Of course, the wives and daughters of the RepubliCLOWNs in Congress won't have any problem getting an abortion... all they have to do is take a little vacation to Europe, or Mexico, or the Caribbean, and when they come home, no more problem... In fact, they might even have a doctor with an office in the House or Senate office buildings who will perform an abortion on demand, and have no record of the wife or daughter even being there...
Perhaps your wife it not being totally honest with you or she is looking at the a right wing "fact" checking site. I found that to be true in 2008, the re-thugs were steering sheeple to right wing talking point sites. Usually one quick check to Snopes and you have your answer. And for your information, the re-thugs are doing every underhanded thing they can to do away with abortion rights. Also to do away with medicaid and the food stamp program for everyone. Women , infants, children and elderly. So, re-thugs want to force women to have children, but at birth, they are on the street to starve to death with no medical help or infant vaccinations etc.
Eyes on the prize, Dems. Focus, focus, focus on the platform. It's not weasel words, it's all there in black and white. It's the smoking gun.
Remember that the platform was drafted by the Republican party, voted on by the Republican party, approved by the Republican party. If R-R "distance themselves" from the platform, that means they don't back something drafted and approved by their own party. It means they won't take responsibility for the positions advocated by their own party.
If House or Senate candidates "distance themselves" from the platform, make them explain precisely where and how. And ask why we should vote for them, if they're going to support a party leadership that drafted and approved this thing.
And if candidates do distance themselves, Dems better make sure "the base" hears about it. My guess is "the base" - Erick, Rush, Rickroll and the rest - will be none too pleased.
The platform should be a standard part of every Dem's stump speech, every campaign ad, every interview, every Sunday show appearance between now and November. If it isn't, it means the Dems just aren't trying.
Moreover, although it seems to be a point eluding our expert, savvy, in-the-know, super-connected political press, ahem, excuse me while I shout, EVERY SINGLE WORD IN A PARTY'S PLATFORM GETS VETTED AND APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE BEFORE THE EFF-BOMBING PLATFORM COMMITTEE EVEN INTRODUCES IT FOR A VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, I hate people who use caps and funky fonts to emphasize things, but I have now heard or read five consecutive stories in which Romney was allowed to run away from the platform without this point having ever once come up.
What's sad is that there really are some moderate republicans left - Scott Brown appears to be one. (See, I'm can't even say that for sure anymore.) He's not attending the convention supposedly because he's in the National Guard and there's a hurricane....frankly, I think he wants to win in Mass and doesn't want to be tarred with the repub brush.
And for the press to then say " well he might not sign such legislation , or he may change his mind later " is complete BS , you can then say that about everything the person says , which is exactly how romney plays voters and the press ...
So now the supposed fact checkers are stepping in and filling the blanks for team romney ? So now factcheck will give a thumbs up to romney running against his own platform. Romney will now use them on campaign ads again , he has them chasing their own tails enough , yet they do not have the brain power to call the gop on it ...
The american press are idiots, they can not be trusted with a grocery list , let alone vetting a president
The Democrats make this an issue every 4 years? I beg his pardon? The Republicans are the ones who make it an issue. If they would leave it alone, the Democrats would never mention it.
But in their minds, nobody is allowed to take notice of what they are doing, much less respond to it. So from the Republican point of view, a totalitarian point of view, Democrats are making an issue of it simply by not giving in.
As I recall - the SC DID make this decision already - in 1973. So why would the Dems be the ones raising the issue in every election?
If he is elected he will be appointing the next Court Jester, ooops I mean Justice and his advisor on this is Robert Bork.
This post originally appeared in the Huffington Post. Romney has already said that, "The key thing the president is going to do... it's going to be appointing Supreme Court and Justices throughout the judicial system." He has also said that he wishes Robert Bork "were already on the Court."
1. Bork detests Roe v. Wade (1973), a decision he says has "no constitutional
foundation" and is based on "no constitutional reasoning."
2. In a 1984 case called Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union v. American Cyanamid Co., Bork found that the Occupational Safety
and Health Act did not protect women at work in a manufacturing plant
from a company policy that forced them to be sterilized -- or else lose their
jobs. Thus, as Public Citizen put it, "an employer may require its female
workers to be sterilized in order to reduce employer liability for harm to the
potential children."
3. Bork believes that the government is free to ban contraception outright.
4. Bork even thinks the government can outright criminalize sex. Taken from Think Progress 10/17/11:
@MeddlingMonk
Some part of me wants to make a joke about how Republicans are up in arms over the "forcible rape" statements being made public, yet they seem to act in ways that would force a person to just lie down and accept what's happening to them
That's the whole point. They are furious that Akin opened his big mouth and announced to the world what the rethugs have been saying and doing for years behind closed doors. Akin and lyin ryan attached at the hip! Both writing this legislation.
In listening to all the campaign adds out there on behalf of Gov. Romney, has anyone else noticed they never hear "I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message." Which just further proves if you are rich enough and your supporters are rich enough you can attempt to buy public office.
That's because most of the ads you hear right now are being run by Rove, the Koch fronts and Mitt's totally-not-affiliated-with-my-campaign Superpac that's run by close associates of the campaign. If Mitt said he approved them, he, and a lot of other people I can't stand, would be facing felony charges.
Willard chose as a running mate a GENERAL in the GOP War on Women.
UH OHHH! Mitt said something he wasn't told to say! Maybe he needs a teleprompter?
Poor Willard...
Doesn't even know, himself, what he believes in any more. How in the hell is anyone (conservative or not) supposed to vote for the guy when they have ZERO idea what he really believes?
The worst possible candidate the GOPs could possibly have found.
My guess is that behind the scenes, the RNC is assuring the base that Mitt is on board with the full platform (whether he is or not), and that he just has to say certain other things to try to get moderate/independent votes. The issue isn't what Mitt really believes himself - it's whether they can fool enough voters on the far right and/or in the middle to win the election.
Of course they are having trouble, their Republicans. Feminists scare them.
"Are you Really Pro-Life?" http://nursingclio.wordpress.com/2012/08/27/are-you-really-pro-life/
You mean that pro-life isn't just pro-fetus? Everyone's lives count? Someone better tell the repubs, then....
If the congress cares so much about the economy and jobs why are they so concerned about social issues in there governess. They say one thing to the public and do another in session. More of the lies the american public will be overwelmed by this fall.
This is just a means to distract from the real issues. Frankly, I'd love for these social issues to just go away so that we can concentrate on reality - that at least 40% of Americans don't pay taxes at all. They make too little income. If there were more jobs, people would pay income taxes - and would have money to buy things, not to get government benefits.
But talking abortion speaks to the Repub's base, Teabag Christian conservatives, and they vote. To many in the middle are just disgusted and don't bother to vote.
Though "I wouldn't have used those words" that Ron's wife's fact check girls are morons, I would venture to say very little actual fact checking has happened with the bunch. The continuous lies on the part of the GOP/Tea Party really should bother "Us People".
Why would I want a lying, cheating, misogynistic party in the white house? How can anyone with half a brain vote for men who obviously have no regard for anything other that rich old white guys?
Neither Romney nor Ryan can come close to understanding what the plight of the average human being is. There is not one ounce of humanity or compassion in either one.
Once again Pro Choice is Not Pro Abortion. I have never met a single person who thought abortion was a good idea. It should only be used as a last resort.
I think it's a good idea. We have too many stupid people screwing this country up already. The more people who get abortions, the better. The fact that abortion is almost completely unavailable throughout the south pretty much guarantees that this country is going to end up populated by a huge percentage of mouth breathing, Republican voting, semi-conscious dumbasses.
Yo, guys, let's lay off the name calling. But you're right - the right wing encourages ignorance which spawns voting purely for emotional reasons. "God told me to vote for Romney." "God hates (insert your group here) and told me to vote for Romney." "Those sluts wouldn't get pregnant if they didn't want it - and god told me to vote for Akin." Argh.
Just too much information for Mitt Romney to process at one time . It's not that he lies or flip flops , his best days are behind him. Imagine what he is like at 2 A.M. WHEN THAT IMPORTANT call comes on the red phone. Somebody out there help, the signs are all there early on-set dementia.
Yup... he's got that "deer in the headlights" look like their idol, Ronald Reagan, every time he's caught flipping and flopping... flip flop, flip flop, ad nauseum...
I definitely agree with you. It has been evident since the primarys that Robme has some kind of cognitive issues. I truly believe he is experiencing early signs of dementia ( he is certainly in the age group). Either that or he is just a flat out liar and intentionally lies to the public to disguise his true feelings.
I'm not for Romney but he should tell his people, STFU I said what I said and you people better listen to ME! Shows how he can run his office...maybe do some more firing !
How can the American public even vote for this man. Look at him when he talks-he stutters on the words. He is trying to remember the lies he said the last time. I agree with the one comment. why don;t they worry about fixing problems in America-roads, unemployment things like this. Instead of a social issue which is ultimately a private personal matter. It is indeed sad that these two persons are on the republican ticket. These men have no business trying to run the country. God help the USA if these two cretins get elected. It is like a 5 year old playing with a hooded cobra. WAKE UP AMERICA-WAKE THE HELL UP!
How can voters feel comfortable with a candidate who's taken every position on just about every issue? If Romney has any core principles, he tossed them overboard in his pursuit of the presidency. When he says this is what I'll do as president, why would anyone believe him?
Rickety Mitt isn't the only one who's thrown core principles overboard. The two foundational ideals the right have always stood on as their glorious banner of superiority over everyone else: their Christian religion and their stance on abortion.
And what are they voting for now, a Stericycle Mormon.
We have a decent Christian man in the White House who's dragging this nation upward in spite of the "non-job creators", our do-nothing Congress, and the GOP's endless kow-tow to the rich. That voters want to trade him in for this political Frankenstein's monster shows too much truth about this country and it's childish priorities.
I wonder how R&R treat the reproductive systems of their spouses. immoral souls.
Why is it that every single video I watch of Romney speaking he stutters? He is so caught up in his lying he can't get the words out! Stop stuttering Mitt it makes you look guilty as hell. He is so phony it disgusts me.
My sense has been that it's not a speech impediment in the conventional sense but, rather what poker players call a "tell."
Keep the man out of Vegas, he'd lose his shirt....
The only reason Todd Akin is in trouble with his fellow Republicans because he had the audacity to say out loud what the party line is.
Check out "The Repuglican War on Women" on "Grumbles From an Old Grouch" (grumblesfromanoldgrouch.com). You'll be amazed (and a bit frightened) how many anti-women bills Todd Akin and Paul Ryan co-sponsored.
This is NOT a Democratic of Republican issue this is a Mitt Romney issue. Even if you can't stand the sight of Barack Obama (and I have disagreed many a time), the GOP is nominating hands down the most dishonest man to run for President since Nixon. I would say the same if he was a Democrat.
Mitt Romney (as in the past) has decided to say ANYTHING he has to say to get a vote and LIE about anything he has to lie about to get into office. Then, he will flip on every single promise he made nothing there is nothing voters can do to take back the election.
Just the fact that he "clarified" his views on abortion and his staff had to walk back the clarification just this morning shows he is making up each line as he goes along. Each interviewer will be told whatever he thinks that audience wants to hear. He will make up total lies about Obama praying voters are stupid enough to believe them and the GOP and Super PACs have enough money to run ads repeating those lies until the public believes them.
This man is a pathological liar who is used to getting away with it. There is no polite way to say it. He has selected a far right VP and is trying to trick voters into thinking otherwise until the election is over.
Mitt Romney is a secretive man who has a ton of skeletons in this closet, smirks when he lies (keep an eye out for it in interviews) and screams outrage when he gets caught. He has done that each time too. Apparently, all these games worked to trick the voters of Massachusetts into electing him.. somehow.
If the media has not caught onto this game by now.. shame on them! Some local reporters ARE finally pushing Romney on topics and he normally flubs the answers because he can't recall his position in the prior interview. It's time for the NATIONAL MEDIA to do the same. I would expect Obama to receive similar treatment if he was up to games like this.
How can you give 'personhood' rights to a blastocyst or even an embryo? Life does not begin at conception. Do you know how I know this? Because EVERY woman's body aborts approximately 50% of all eggs fertilized inside her body throughout her lifetime through spontaneous abortion. Which means that if life begins at conception, then EVERY woman in the world is guilty of murder many times over. Think about it. If you think that "God" put a soul in there at conception....why the heck would he put a soul in there only to flush it away? It's ridiculous. You are talking about an entity that has no central nervous system, no ability for cognition and cannot live outside of the womb. It is a very complicated issue with many facets to consider. But Personhood? Absolutely not!
Ah, Mr. Truth Matters, it's because god changed his mind and decided that it was not meant to be.
What astounds me is if god gave people intelligence to make BC pills and test for fetal abnormalities then we should use BC or not pay attention to a fetal test the shows the child to be dreadfully abnormal? Seriously?
Ryan and Romney are so concerned about the well-being of children, .. so why isn't the conversation about stopping incest - seeing the end of that by 2012 or something to that affect. They talk about it as if it's a given. How about all these fertilized eggs that turn into little girls... what's their future in a Ryan Romney world. How about the other problems girls suffer from incest and rape... STDs, AIDS, injury that can be permanent. Then of course death. Many victims of sexual assault are killed. Perhaps Ryan would see that as a better solution... no decision to be made about bringing another child into the world. These men and the people who vote for them are inhumane and the nails in coffin of decent and safe society. They make the same disgraceful determinations about the environment,... so there goes the planet as well. And they call themselves men of religious integrity.
A dead woman is a raped woman. If she lives, she wasn't raped, she complied with the rapist. This is horrible of me to say, but this is what a great many people believe. Because if she's raped she's damaged goods and no one will want to marry her. Or is that in Iran....nope, it's here, the extreme right wing Xtians think the same thing.
The Republican record on the well-being of real live children, past and future, does not bode well for the additional children they want to bring into the world. Here is an article on the well being of US children after 8 years of the Bush Administration. Please remember that social safety nets are a pet cost-cutting area for conservatives, along with living/minimum wages that put food on these kids tables:
"In 2009, 50.2 million people lived in food-insecure households -- 14.7% of households in the US. This breaks down to 9% of households with low food security and 5.7% of households with very low food security, or 10.5 million and 6.8 million households respectively.
That year, 9 million children or 12.1% of children lived in households with food insecurity among children. But compared to the national average of 14.7%, some households were at greater risk.
Gender is key in food insecurity. More than a third of single mother families -- 36.6% of households with children headed by a single woman -- were food insecure. In comparison, the rate of households with children headed by a single man that were food insecure was 27.8%.
Race also matters; in 2009 24.9% of black households and 26.9% of Hispanic households were food insecure.
Over 1 in 10 families with children headed by single mom face hunger in the course of a year. In 2009, 12.9% of households comprised of a single mother with children had very low food security, meaning that one or more members of these families, cut back on meals, skipped meals, or went an entire day without food.
This is about right to privacy and to control one's own body. These guys are trying to take us back to the Inquisition, finding women guilty of sleeping with Incubus and burning at the stake. This has nothing to do with government and everything to do with the church meddling in secular affairs. "The Government of the United States is not in any sense founded upon the Christian Religion." 1797 the treaty of Tripoli, signed by President Washington, and approved by the Senate of the United States. Check out new posts on the Ryan-Romney “Culture of Life” Hypocricy, and Romney’s Cayman Tax Evasion, at Romnification.org
Old flip flopper is at it again! Doesn't he hear how stupid he is? I wonder if he sleeps good at night or does he lay there thinking..." I probably shouldn't have said that..I will change it tomorrow"! Disgusting!! He has his own people saying he misspoke!!!
Last week Paul Ryan said that RAPE=A METHOD OF CONCEPTION. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-slansky-/paul-ryan-said-something-_b_1832377.html IMO, only a psychopath would say something like that, a person to whom a woman is nothing but a receptacle for his sperm and an incubator for his offspring.