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.
Leave a Comment:
Since, with today's laws, a rape can lead directly to the murder of an embryo, and with laws like stand your ground in which the rape victim would be exonerated of murder had she/he been able to use deadly force to protect her/his self,,,, let's find common ground/ dems take the high ground,, and make rape subject to the death penalty..
I have a friend of mine who's husband is on both Medicare & Medicaid... I'd like to know why do the Republicans feel it's alright to interfere with a woman's right to choose, but have no say about what the government should pay for in the lives of men... Her husband is getting testosterone treatments for erectile dysfunction... He is suffering from Diabetes, mood swings, among numerous other things associated with obesity... This treatment for ED has made my friend's life a living hell... She is physically disabled, awaiting approval for SS Disability herself... As a result of these treatments he is after her like a male dog around a female dog in heat... It's like the government is giving him permission to do this... She is his only caregiver, and is devoted to his care... She makes sure that he gets all of his medications whenever they're due, plus any other care that he requires... I feel like by the government being charged for his ED that this is infringing on her rights... ED is in now way a life threatening medical condition... People can live without sex... I feel this is another form of discrimination... This to me is like legalizing rape... She calls me crying, and wishing she could leave, but feels trapped because she has nowhere else to go...
And why won't Diane Sawyer or Brian Williams or Wolf Blitzer report the "after" story since CBS other than FOX seems to be the only network that Romney will speak to? Isn't that what journalists are supposed to do?
So, in the Akin/Ryan/Romney world of fetal personhood, what happens when a pregnant woman assaults the pre-born person by smoking, drinking, taking medication or behaving in some other, dangerous, fashion? If you observe the assault, are you obligated to report it or perform a citizens' arrest?
Better yet, if you walk into a bar where there are women of child-bearing age, how are you, as a responsible citizen, supposed to know which of those irresponsible women might be recently pregnant and thus subjecting the super-young ball of cells person to harm? Clearly, women can't be trusted with these major responsibilities, so a truly small government should require all women to pee on a stick before serving them a drink or selling them a cigarette.
After all, they're just women. They're better off if we protect them from themselves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQQVRJXL5pw&feature=share&list=UU17bXaq5FmAqtmUUx3dWogQ
Published on Aug 21, 2012 by TaylorFerrera
A lot of controversy over Todd Akin's comments on "Legitimate Rape" and the miracles a woman's uterus can do when it happens. But how does the uterus KNOW when the rape is legitimate? Finally, someone with answers - Me.
Lyrics:
How can you tell if it's legitimate rape?
I'll tell you how to spot legitimate rape.
You're not sure if you got legitimate raped?
Well here's a little lesson for you.
Tell me if the following things are true:
I was a little drunk
Illegitimate rape!
I knew the rapist well
Illegitimate rape!
My skirt was kinda short
Illegitimate rape!
I'm married to the man
That's a husband's privilege!
How can you tell if it's legitimate rape?
I'll tell you how to spot legitimate rape.
You're not sure if you got legitimate raped?
Well here's a little lesson for you.
Tell me if the following things are true:
I let him take me out.
illegitimate rape!
I said I was 18.
illegitimate rape!
He didn't have consent.
I'm sure your eyes were saying yes.
I'm pregnant from the rape.
Clearly not legitimate!
So now we all know what's legitimate rape.
We all know who to trust to tell us what's rape.
Republicans who've never experienced rape.
They're the ones I want to decide
That I should keep the baby growing inside.
Because abortion's always wrong.
Glad things are so black and white.