McCain Mockingly Suggests That Concerns For A Mother's Health Are Extreme

The differences of opinion surrounding the issue of access to safe and legal abortion, and a woman's right to choose to have one, have long been a mainstay of political debate. But tonight, I believe, featured a historical moment in that debate, because until tonight, I had never seen the matter of a woman's health given AIR SCARE QUOTES. But that's precisely what John McCain did, sneeringly, as he attempted to portray support for a mother's health as an extreme position, when in fact, it is a mainstream position -- ground that even fervent pro-life individuals often concede.

Reached for comment, Megan Carpentier of womens' issues blog Jezebel had this to say:

It used to be that McCain was leading the charge to reform the Republican platform to include exceptions for the life and health of the mother to their anti-abortion plank. That tonight he declared his own position extreme -- let alone called a woman that chooses her own continued existence over the potential future life of a fetus "extreme" -- is a pretty significant and rather disgusting charge.

I concur, absolutely and without reservation.

[WATCH.]

UPDATE:

Cecile Richards, the president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, weighs in:

"Tonight, John McCain showed he doesn't care about women's health when he described protecting "the health of the woman" as "extreme." John McCain doesn't seem to understand that women's health matters. He blatantly showed that he doesn't trust women to decide what is in the best interest of their own health. Barack Obama, on the other hand, stood up for women's health."

Comments

[rabprevent]

PLANNED PARENTHOOD NEEDS TO RUN ADD UNTIL THE LAST DAY PRIOR TO THE ELECTION IWTH MCCAIN'S RESPONSE, IN MY OPINION, THAT WAS THE WORST PART OF THE DEBATE FOR MCCAIN, HE CLEARLY HAS IGNORED WOMEN'S HEALTH BY SUBSTITUTING HIS BELIEFS THAT HE KNOWS WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM.

THAT IS GOING TO HURT WITH THE MAJORITY OF WOMEN WHO EVEN THOUGH DO NOT LIKE ABORTION HOWEVER DO WANT TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE DECISION FOR THEMSELVES.

vote no to mccain and all his cronies!

[Margij]

McCain said that his health care plan would not pay for cosmetics and transplants and that sort of thing. I understand the cosmetics, but anyone waiting on a kidney, heart, lung, liver or other life giving operation, you can forget it under a McCain/Palin administration.

[dennyd]

I thought the exact thing-- was wondering why no one else picked up on that!.. no plan pays for cosmetic surgery--that's not news--

[naeldwyck]

a new kidney is a real luxury, you know

[wagthedog1001]

I think he's still obsessing on Biden's hair. His combover is sexy, but nothing like Joe's transplants.

[WeMustSpeakOut]

McCain talks out of both sides of his mouth-but predominantly out his ass.
The contradictions and hypocrisy from him, his dim-witted attack dog Palin, and the majority of his party are astounding!
"We are PRO-LIFE!" Well, until you are out of the womb-then you're fair game!
"We are against sex education in schools!" It's abstinence only education and if one of our own gets pregnant, it's a family matter and none of your damn business!
"I'll give you a $5000 health care credit! Shop around! If you have a pre-existing condition-your screwed, and forget low rates because economies of scale will be history. Pssst...we'll tax the hell out of your health care for the first time in history! Shhhhh.
But Obama will raise our... er... i mean your taxes and impose big government! He is a bad bad man!
I understand! It's Me..uh... er... I mean Country First my friends! I'm angry! I know how to do this! So there! Take that! You wanna piece of me Obama?! HEH!?!

Terrifying. Imagine life with McPalin at the wheel of their dictator express? We will be looking back at the Bush years fondly!

Hey McPalin-please take your very overinflated fabricated wonder-selves and GO AWAY! Stop setting our country back with your vile hate-mongering and spare us your disturbing Orwellian pitch! Stop flinging your bullshit upon us and just shut up! We have had more than enough!
VOTE!! OBAMA/BIDEN

[ellocoliberal]

That's pretty good......

[ChiGuy]

John McCain is a " smart ", " decent ", " honest ", man.

[huffyISaHottie]

he's a man...one out of four aint too bad

[naeldwyck]

and "healthy", don't forget "healthy"

[ellocoliberal]

how about "president-elect" ?

[Hadok]

From Wikipedia:

The Court's opinion in Doe v. Bolton stated that a woman may obtain an abortion after viability, if necessary to protect her "health." The Court defined "health" broadly:

“Whether, in the words of the Georgia statute, "an abortion is necessary" is a professional judgment that the Georgia physician will be called upon to make routinely. We agree with the District Court, 319 F. Supp., at 1058, that the medical judgment may be exercised in the light of all factors - physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman's age - relevant to the wellbeing of the patient. All these factors may relate to health.”

Add to this the statement from the Planned Parenthood spokesperson: "He blatantly showed that he doesn't trust women to decide what is in the best interest of their own health. "

It occurs to me that the definition of "health of the mother" is so broad that it approaches meaninglessness. So why do we even continue to discuss "health of the mother?" Why should not the Supreme Court simply uphold the right to abortion at any time during the pregnancy prior to vaginal delivery for any reason." (?)

[cubs325]

because this about CHOICE!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!! the individual's right to CHOOSE!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!

not your right to choose for someone else

[ellocoliberal]

ding dong- another empty metal head rings out its chyme- from wikipedia no less. Very appropriate champ.
Get a real dictionary and look up the actual meanings of the words in your post. When you learn what those words mean, you'll see what a tool you are.

we count you among the mcsame tribe.

[Hadok]

Er, um, your ad hominem retort notwithstanding, the question still stands: Why should not the Supreme Court simply uphold the right to abortion at any time during the pregnancy prior to vaginal delivery for any reason." (?)

Care to offer a thoughtful reply to the question??

[revko]

I guess with all the energy he's putting into Joe The Plumber's economic health McCain probably doesn't have a whole lotta' time left for airquote issues like women's health.

It is Joe The Plumber after all.

[Vee]

THANK GOODNESS McCain made that mistake on National Television.

My female relatives who supported him called me the minute after he said that AND PLEDGE THEIR VOTES TO SEN. OBAMA...
What an eye opener, that just shows how little regard he has for common women. Keep on playing this!!

[naeldwyck]

bless them

[nikky]

not only did he make a mistake about the health of a mother but he has a terrorist running around with his campaign because that group todd was involved with can be considered as such

[theMightyT]

hey i have a question - mac cain kept saying that sarah palin understands more about special needs children than most people in America.

I realize that she baby has down's (i think it's down's, right?) but considering that it's still pretty much a newborn, how does that give her insight into school-age kids with special needs (or older kids, for that matter?)

unless i'm missing something, sarah palin has less experience with special needs kids than millions of parents across the country.

and considering how much her daughter is acutally caring for the child, i would argue that perhaps SHE has even more experience with special needs kids than Sarah Palin does. I have yet to see the baby with Palin at any events... it's always her daughter holding the child.

[KahneO]

But her child has Down Syndrome not Autism. Look like he should be more accurate in his assumptions notwithstanding both Special Needs need to be explored more.

[wagthedog1001]

He's SO self-absorbed all other people are just stereotypes to him: i.e. : women, opponent, children, special needs children, you name it. His mind is disgustingly simple and simplifying and condescending.

[keikomocha]

This is the second time John McCain has implied that Sarah Palin's baby has Autism. The baby has Down's syndrome. Amazing that he has it so wrong. Also, I don't believe Palin will help Autistic children.

[calamityjohn]

Thank you for articulating this. My son is 15 and severely developmentally disabled (with - our psychiatrists words: "10/10 severity autism") ... I have been trying to think back on where I was a few months after his diagnosis .. mostly raw emotions and .. if I was honest with myself .. grief cycles .. I really had no concept of what the future had in store .. There was a ton of emotional things to deal with at this point .. and medical issues .. but as far as policy, advocacy, and care issues .. with an infant and small child not so much .

Certainly I was no expert on policy issues ... IDEA (in general and IDEA funding, let alone how IDEA functions in a conservative voucher world), section 504, state service waiting lists, medicaid, special needs trusts, transference of services across state lines, adult placements (group homes, in home, institutions etc.) causality, research .......

I may be wrong but I have yet to see Governor Palin bring public attention to any of these issues.

[sharonh]

HowIronic See Profile I'm a Fan of HowIronic I'm a fan of this user permalink

It is comments like this that make liberals as bad as conservative. If you disagree with me, I am going to wish youdead.

WISH AWAY, hypocrite.

[VetKor51]

BIG mistake on McCain's part! Another example of his faulty judgment.

[wwja]

They only thing that came off as extreme here was McCain. This was one of a few WOW moments in the debate. Probably 2nd after zero, and followed in third by declaring that teachers no longer need certification and should just join the military. Thanks John!

[catzoned]

McCain sure did step in the crap with those women voters he so desperately wanted to vote for him when he implied that womens health was an excuse for abortion. He completely ignores many women who have had to have early c-section deliveries because of toxemia complications. Toxemia is nonpartisan. And to return abortion to the states is to overturn Roe V. Wade. I'm really not surprised by his position as he doesn't believe in equal pay for women either.

[Sparky123]

With a rich wife, he does not even think about equal pay for women.

[TheAndrew]

A moment of truth. Have any articles here discussed his treatment of the women in his life, past or present?

[renoir]

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/23316912/makebelieve_maverick/print

[kelvinstinks]

Any inkling a Hilary voter had about voting for McCain just went out the window. How dare he mock the life of a mother trying to decide such a moral and heartbreaking issue.