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

[deliriousgod]

McCain's new position doesn't jibe with his cancer-surgeries. it was God's will that he have that thing growing on his face and who is he or his doctor to thwart God's will and remove a living organism from his body merely because his health was threatened?

[wagthedog1001]

What if he didn't have the CHOICE to remove that?

[dlswriter]

This is an Obama ad...

This is John McCain's Health Plan... "Health" (airquotes)

[FixTheBroken]

This could actually be a big problem for McCain -- I don't think that many women liked that and it certainly wasn't very classy.

Joe The Plumber dominated the headlines, but that was the most important moment of the debate and certainly underreported.

[ICANSEERUSSIA]

Listen people, McBush AKA Mc L i a r and his trusty side kick and VP choice Sarah McBlunder and his gang of thugs are gonna hit us with everything they have this month! We need to flood Obama's campaign through the home stretch with as much money as we can give through October. We all started very strong and now we all have to pick up even more steam and finish what we started, our families and our soldiers are counting on us to fight the good fight to the end! Let's continue making this about the Economy, Health Care, Equal Pay, Education, Etc and we will win this Election! My family and I are struggling like many other American Families, we have donated a $150 dollars every month even though we really cant afford it but if we lose this election to McCain, the loss will be much bigger. Even my thirteen year old daughter and my seven year old daughter are engaged in this Election and have took money out of their piggy banks to help invest into a better future for not just them but for everyone that believes in Fairness, Justice, Equality and Hope in America. I've always told my children, that the rule is in everything they do in life, you always start strong and you always end strong. Obama/Biden/08

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[sueno]

This was a very scary exchange!
McCain's response was for once candid
and showed a lack of compassion.
He actually mocked his way through the exchange-
He called Ayers a terrorist, with his response last nite,
I would put him on that list too.

[lucite]

Did you catch McCain's facial expression when Obama talked about sex education and pregnancy prevention? "He does not understand"

[timberdoodle]

What is the big surprise on the McCain position on women's issues. McCain has a lengthy history of both using and abusing women. Palin is just another extension of this fact. If Palin had any decent measure of common sense she would have rejected the notion she could be President of the U.S. if the need arose. That fact alone is just ego trumping intellect.

[cosmo86]

I saw where McCain talked a few times claiming that Palins son was Autistic. I thought her baby had downs Syndrome. These are two fundamentally different special needs problems! Also, Palin has not even really began to know what it is like to have a special needs child. She has many more years of learning.

[MissKaren]

There is no way a t hree-four month old baby can be considered "autistic.­" Her baby has Down Syndrome. If McCain is that sloppy in his thinking, do you want him thinking about what Presidents have to think about. His contempt for t he health of women, exhibited in the airquotes, was so extreme and frightening that any woman who votes for him ought to have her head examined.

[katlade]

What I would like to know is who is raising the baby right now. Her and her husband are both busy campaigning. Most parents that I know - especially low income - don't have the benefit of a nanny or secret service so No she doesn't not understand - not in the least. And republicans have never helped any special needs children in any way, shape or form. They cut, cut, cut those programs.

[truesteam]

It is amazing how out of touch McCain is. This health of the mother is serious and affects more women than he thinks.
I had my last child at age 36. I gave birth with a condition that was not detected until that birth. It was a VERY dangerous situation for me. I came through, obviously.
But after, my Dr. told me I was done. No more kids. The chance of a recurrence was too great. My husband "took care" of his end. (I had been through too much).
However, as a mother and woman, I still have a little (irrational) fear that I might have to make an awful decision someday. It haunts me a little, monthly (you know the freak occurrence of one getting by the goalie). For him to put air quotes around women's health as if it is a fake consideration, he is........­....... My PMS is probably all in my head, too.
What is the matter with this man?

[canobserv]

wellll....­the us is a nation of whiners too ....you betcha

[shellyamber]

Like I said in an earlier post, Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) is a medical doctor that supported the DEATH PENALTY for doctors who perform abortions. When it came up in his run for senate that he himself performed abortions on two women (that he admitted to) it was the HEALTH OF THE WOMAN that he said was the reason he performed the the abortions. (althought he is NOT an Ob/Gyn like some articles mention. He isn't board certified in anything in Oklahoma)
So, here is a Republican Senator, who some said would be a good running mate for McCain early in his campaign, that the RIGHT WING DEFENDED when he said he used the HEALTH OF THE MOTHER as his defense in performing the abortions!!!!!

[TXfemmom]

As a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist for many years, I can assure you that the women that Senator Coburn did the abortions on were wealthy or politically connected.

We used to be called out in the middle of the night on "emergencies" with all kinds of bizarre claims about obcessive vaginal bleeding, etc. on patients, and they were always wealthy, connected patients who were having abortions. We had this one Ob/GYN who was pro-life, but he brought this young woman in for one of these in the middle of the night. When the prep for the operation showed not a single drop of blood, I mentioned it to him just as he finished, he looked up, and I told him I better never, ever hear his rantings about abortion ever again, and he never talked about it again.

[villagegal]

There is no "pro-abortion" movement. There is a "pro choice" movement, but that is not the same thing.

[canobserv]

much like there is no pro-life movement..­...they are anti-choice

[jean1]

with a SMALL NARROW definition of what pro-life means. i've never understand WHY anyone isn't concerned with children's health, lack of women's economic equality, women's health acess including elderly... IF they are indeed pro-life.

[logicfirst]

Exactly! We are all "pro life" and we are all ultimately anti abortion. As HRC said a couple years ago on the Senate floor, let's find the common ground and that is that we should all agree that the goal is zero abortion. But as O pointed out last night, that means adequate education and resources to prevent unwanted pregnancy. As for termination of pregnancies that threaten a woman's life, there should be no question. McCain's position on this as he articulated it last evening literally brought tears to my eyes. I thought his selection of Palin was a sad enough depiction of the relative value he places on womankind.­..but last night really brought his position home. McCain seems disdainful of women.

[politicsmatter]

I think that the fact that McCain does not have the agreement of his wife on the abortion issue deifinitely says something. He has proved himself time and time again to be a male chauvinist and doesn't think that women should have any rights. It is disgraceful to think that this country feels this is a political issue; whereas abortion is between the father, mother, the doctor and the parents faith. This is not an easy decision for anyone to make and if a woman chooses not to have one but ends up in the circumstance of pregnancy due to rape or if she may die in an effort to give birth; then the option should be available. Once educated people should be allowed to make their own decisions; just because you are in a bar that doesn't mean you have to drink or if there is a tobacco shop in your neighborhood, that doesn't mean you have to take up smoking. People drive cars everyday with speedometers that can go up to 150 mph, yet still they rarely drive above 70-80 mph; so just because an option is there, it doesn't mean everyone is going to use it. McCain is out of touch and proved that in the debate last night when he chose to be dismissive in regards to this procedure being considered when a women's health is at risk.

[Donnat]

John's probably paid for some in his life time, being the skirt chaser that he is.

[Libbydoe]

One of the reasons that Roe is important is the fact that women in states where abortion was legal had access to the procedure. Whereas in states where it was not legal women had no choice -- unless they had the financial means to travel to an abortion legal state.

For example, if one lived in, let's say, in Philadelphia, PA, when abortion was illegal there, one could easily travel to New York City for a safe, legal procedure. The problem revolves around the woman who lived, perhaps, in the rural south who not have the resources to make the trip. As a matter of fact wealthly people always had the means to obtain abortions by flying to foreign countries even when there were no legal abortions in the US.

Interestingly, yesterday I read an article on the web (maybe in Slate, but I am not sure - correct me if I am wrong), that Barry Goldwater's daughter had an abortion before Roe. I think that illustrates my point.

[RepublicansHateAmerica]

WAIT! He can do "air quotes" but not operate a mouse or keyboard? I'm not buyin' it McCain, doggone it!

[Mammamia]

That's a very good point!

[laragale]

how "Dr Evil" of him.....

[DuPageDem]

Let's apply some air quotes to McCain's record. He served as a "pilot" who managed to crash seven Navy airplanes worth millions of dollars. He is a "hero" who managed to get captured during wartime. He is a "maverick" who voted with Bush 90 percent of the time. He is a "leader" who has accomplished nothing that wasn't pushed through by another senator or purchased by his corporate masters.

His snide dismissal of women's health last night just confirms what his Palin pick already demonstrated: Utter contempt of and condescention toward women.