McCain's Pro-Life Record And Why Americans Assume He's Moderate

John McCain was mad. Fuming mad. It was then the early days of his political career, and he had paid an unscheduled visit to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Mesa, which was within his Arizona congressional district. That's when Gloria Feldt, then the CEO of the group's local chapter, got a phone call. "Congressman McCain is here," a staffer told her, "and he is screaming and it is upsetting the patients."

Feldt says McCain had always refused her offers to visit a clinic, but had apparently decided to make a spot visit of his own. What had raised his ire was a shelf containing information about Title X federal funding, which some clinics receive to support non-abortion-related reproductive health care for low-income women. McCain was upset that the clinic provided paper for people to write their representatives in support of the legislation, which requires constant advocacy because Congress must reauthorize it every year. "His immediate and incorrect assumption," says Feldt, "was that we were using federal funds to pay for lobbying." Feldt got on the phone. "He was screaming, 'I am going to defund her, I am going to get the federal government to defund you.'... [H]e rants and he raves and finally he hangs up on me."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[theMightyT]

I wonder if the strategy is to wait til the political doldrums are over - is anyone besides those of us really interested in politics really paying attention right now? I am hoping that after the Olympics are over and the coverage dies down a bit, and the convention has come and gone, maybe end of September - mid October, the 0bama campaign will release the hounds and let fly with the ads we're all hoping will come out - ones that follow in the footsteps of the already-released classy comparison ads, but much, much harder hitting. After all it won't take much to shred the illusions Mc Cain has built up around himself - just use his own words and voting record, and it all comes tumbling down.

Waiting with fingers crossed...

[gintheb]

So am I, T.

[SoCalNick]

It just occurred to me. There is now another BIG difference between McCain and Edwards.

McCain MARRIED HIS Mistress and ditched his kids and sick wife! Edwards stayed with his sick Wife so maybe there is hope for him after all.

[gintheb]

My friends, I must admit that I am becoming more pesimistic about Obama winning the election with each passing day. There seems to be an orchestrated attempt on the part of most of MSM outlets to obfuscate any negative information abotu McCain, while the chorus in favor of him becomes louder and bolder. I heard one commentator on CNN this morning say how John McCain spoke out forcefully about Russia/Georgia in his first announcement, while it took Obama three speeches to speak to the same level as McCain (like we are going to do anything about it). Plus I never underestimate the stupidity of the American electorate (present company excluded of course). The shift on drilling off the coast has gained popularity in the MSM and consequently with about 70% of the public. Now the Dems have capitualted and it makes McCain's "Drill! Drill! Drill!" soultion look all the more strong. Despite all evidence of it helping to the contrary. I was very surpised to hear Alan Combes mention McCain's adultery when they were speaking about Edwards' affair last night. I wish that at least K.O. Rachel and Jihn Stewart will keep it out there. Everyone here is very high minded and think its cool to be "down" with Obama. Just remember to vote on election day and takes as many voters as you can with you.

[jcwtts1]

Don't sweat it, I see about 50 people a week who know I'm interested in the race and no one, no one has mentioned it to me in two months. After Obama clinched people went on with their lives. When I ask people about the race they say, they will watch the conventions... the dem convention specifically. Obama isn't buy chunks of ad time yet, don't worry the race is a sprint this time, while the primary was a marathon. Once we nominate him there is going to be a firestorm of ads, a ton of them, and the McCain people are going to wonder what happened to all their good press and all this "traction" they seemed to have. We're going to blow their doors off electorally and the new rule in Ohio about residency and instant registration and voting, we're going to blow their doors off... ad 20 electoral votes to Obama right now. That is going to hit his major demographics, kids and minority urban voters. I say he gets an overall 3- 7 pt actually voting bump from that. That means we kill it. We still win Michigan, add Ohio in and it is over. We're still going to win in CO, NM, NV, and VA so that basically means a blow out.

J

[kellygrrrl]

one can only imagine what names he called them.

this info needs to be out there to everyone, not just people who read blogs.

PACs and 527s - use the money I have sent to all of you to get this info out there to the masses, please

[JJ30]

I just can't believe that these facts on his record are not coming out to the public. Hillary supporters had better get on the O bus and educate themselves on the real issues instead of acting out of emotion. If McSame is elected, us women can say goodbye to our rights.

[musselmanm]

We, as good Democrats and Good Americans must put forth the truth about Senator McCheeze.
He is and always has been a staunch pro lifer. He also is too old to take a chance on as our Commander in Cheeze. He is also prone to Cancerous Melanomas.
He also always in every instance respondes to world problems with hostile remarks and the threat of our use of force.

While I do agree that nucular power plants are needed, we need to force the storage of spent radioactive material in the state where it was produced.
Perhaps that consequence would slow some states in building unsafe plants and making sure that only under safe circumstances should the waste be stored anywhere on earth.

[Veneita]

why isn't this an anti-choice record?

[galinha]

Sometimes the Obama camp is too nice I must admit. Why isn't every woman (and man) in the United States bombarded with McCain's stand on a woman's right to choose? This won't be a smear attack but a clear statement of fact.

[CtJean]

I think after the convention, O's camp will be much more agressive.

Right now, the convention is taking a lot of time and resources.

Have faith

[jethrock]

Uh... He calls Cindy's abortions "miscarriages"

[CtJean]

Please give us more information.

I hadn't heard about this.

[teron678]

Mc Cain is not Pro-Life saying this ... is a complement ......... the best description of him is anti-woman ... If one looks at his record .. one will see it's a fact ...

Mc Cain is not against Abortion (saving lives) ... he is against women rights

[rowzeer]

If you're really against abortion....why aren't you helping to provide access to health care and family planning or passing out condoms in high schools...because it's not about ending abortion is about controlling womens reproductive (s*x) lives.

[ex-pat]

He likes to obscure a lot of the facts regarding his record
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/13/opinion/13friedman.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[Coinyer101]

if he's so pro-life,why are 4100+ americans dead from iraq?

[applebutter]

Because to some "Christians", some lives are more valuable than others. The life of an American fetus > thousands of Iraqi children. Very sad.

[Candyx]

a question I have often asked. How can you be so pro life but kill children in war. How?

[realtalk]

John McCain is a complete fraud. completely phony!!! Why anyone believes anything he says amazes me.

[zizyphus]

I agree. I just read in the newly published "The Commission" by Shenon, that McCain was in talks for a few weeks with then Democratic Majority Leader Tom Daschle in 2001 to bolt to the Democratic Party. That McCain despised George Bush and Karl Rove. But now look at him. Can't really trust him.

[JimboSlice]

Sounds like the type of man I want with his finger on 1000's of nuclear bombs. John "Hot Head" McCain