REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE  
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McCain Mocks Women's Health

McCain showed in Wednesday's debate that he doesn't value women and will gladly belittle anyone who does.
October 17, 2008  |  
 
 
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Finally, John McCain and Barack Obama are put on record on some key women's issues. It could be a revelation for many voters, especially McCain's tone and body language in mocking health exemptions from abortion bans.

McCain had criticized Barack Obama for not supporting an array of anti-abortion bills in the Illinois state Legislature. Obama said he had not backed them because they lacked exemptions to protect the health and life of the mother.

Here's what McCain responded, his voice rising in moral indignation: "He's (for) health for the mother. You know, that's been stretched by the pro-abortion movement in America to mean almost anything. That's the extreme pro-abortion position, quote 'health.'"

The way McCain exaggerated the pronunciation of "health," including putting in hand gestures to indicate quotations, was reminiscent of his running mate Sarah Palin's belittling of "community organizer" in her maiden speech to the Republican convention. That was Palin's thinly veiled mockery of Obama's early organizing experience in Chicago.

McCain's "health" exemption statement Wednesday showed his to be the extreme position: He differed with current law. The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down abortion bans that do not contain exemptions for the health and life of the mother.

McCain said he wants abortion decisions to be decided by the states, ending the federal guarantees for it under Roe. Asked by moderator Bob Schieffer if he would consider someone for the court who "had a history of being for abortion rights," McCain answered in a convoluted way: "I would consider anyone in their qualifications. I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade that would be part of those qualifications. But I certainly would not impose any litmus test."

The third and final network-sponsored debate between Republican presidential nominee McCain and Democratic nominee Obama touched on three key issues: appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court that will affect women's rights well beyond the landmark Roe v. Wade reproductive rights ruling; current state legislative attempts to restrict legal abortion, including health exemptions for the mother; and pay inequities as reflected by the recent Supreme Court rebuff to Alabama factory worker Lilly Ledbetter.

The network debates came as months-long talks continued about a Lifetime TV "conversation" with Obama and McCain on women's issues, with candidates interviewed sequentially rather than participating in a face-to-face debate.

Wednesday night's debate could be a taste of more to come -- or it could be all that women's groups get in terms of grilling the presidential nominees in depth this campaign.

Obama called abortion "a very difficult issue, and it is a moral issue and one that I think good people on both sides can disagree on. But what ultimately I believe is that women, in consultation with their families, their doctors, their religious advisers, are in the best position to make this decision. And I think that the Constitution has a right to privacy in it that shouldn't be subject to state referendum, any more than our First Amendment rights are subject to state referendum."

He talked about the importance of the next president's appointments to the Supreme Court. He said he would "look for those judges who have an outstanding judicial record, who have the intellect and who hopefully have a sense of what real-world folks are going through."

Then he made a segue into the pay equity issue, noting that Congress has failed so far to overturn the Supreme Court ruling against Lilly Ledbetter, for whom a bill is named. The Supreme Court had said her pay discrimination claim against a tire company came too late -- decades after she got her first paycheck that was substantially lower than men doing the same job at the same plant. The fact that she had only learned about the pay disparity recently made no difference to the justices: The time had expired.

"For years, she had been getting paid less than a man had been paid for doing the exact same job. And when she brought a suit, saying equal pay for equal work, the judges said, well, you know, it's taken you too long to bring this lawsuit, even though she didn't know about it until fairly recently," Obama said Wednesday.

"We tried to overturn it in the Senate. I supported that effort to provide better guidance to the courts; John McCain opposed it.

"I think that it's important for judges to understand that if a woman is out there trying to raise a family, trying to support her family, and is being treated unfairly, then the court has to stand up, if nobody else will. And that's the kind of judge that I want."

McCain was dismissive in his comment.

"Obviously, that law (in the Senate) waived the statute of limitations," which critics of the bill to reinforce equity claims have said would open the door for lawsuits based on wrongs that occurred "20 or 30 years (ago). It was a trial lawyer's dream."

Then McCain went on to bring up abortion and Obama's votes in the state legislature. "We have got to change the culture of America. Those of us who are proudly pro-life understand that. And it's got to be courage and compassion that we show to a young woman who's facing this terribly difficult decision."

Talks with the campaigns for a more extended forum on women's issues have gone on since early July. CNN had been brought in as a probable sponsor as well -- and CNN then objected to the direct sponsorship by the National Council of Women's Organizations (NCWO) because some of its members had backed Obama.

NCWO's Kim Otis said only five of the 240 groups had endorsed Obama but they did include some of the heavyweights such as the National Organization for Women. And the candidates had both appeared at African-American and Hispanic forums that included individuals who backed Obama.

On the eve of Wednesday's debate, a person close to the Lifetime campaign talks said "they're still continuing."

A full-fledged debate never was envisioned. The model was more that of sequential hourlong conversations, such as occurred at the Saddleback mega-church in California that had been moderated by its pastor, Rick Warren.

Among women's organizational leaders today, there is no one like Rick Warren, a charismatic figure whose books have sold more than 25 million copies and who is a regular on national TV talking about HIV/AIDs in Africa as well as other issues that go well beyond conservative Christianity. The Saddleback audience of thousands clearly favored McCain, but Warren played it straight between McCain and Obama. And both national nominees had seen something in the debate for them.

The contemporary women's movement appears to have the support of much of the country on equity issues -- whether on the job or in sports programs for girls and women. There is broad backing for reproductive rights. The general public would be shocked to know that access to birth control is something religious conservatives want to limit. Beyond the obvious issues of equality, there's a lack of public awareness of women's perspective and needs in areas such as health and security, to name but two.

But the very success of the movement may have lowered the profile of the women's rights groups and of their leaders, rendering them unable to command the full attention of the national party campaigns. And the current combative political climate makes it difficult for multiparty groups such as the National Women's Political Caucus, which successfully championed bipartisan debate on women's issues through the 1980s.

If Lifetime were to succeed in negotiating sit-downs with the nominees, events could move quickly, perhaps with a televised show next week before the final campaign push. "The campaigns want to save the last two weeks for get-out-the-vote efforts," Otis said.

Many questions remained, including the site, whether or not there would be an audience, and choice of a celebrity moderator.

Still, one person close to negotiations said, "we can move on a dime if we need to."

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Peggy Simpson worked for 17 years for the Associated Press, in Texas and in Washington, D.C.; covered economics and politics for the Hearst Newspapers; served as Washington bureau chief for Ms. magazine; and reported on Eastern Europe's transition from communism to a Democratic market economy as a freelancer during the 1990s. She has taught at Indiana University, George Washington University and the American Studies Center at Warsaw University. She currently is a freelance writer in Washington.
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Why should we be surprised that McCain disrespects women?
Posted by: NoMcCainPalin on Oct 17, 2008 1:29 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
McCain's history shows him to be a notorious womanizer who cheated on his first wife who was disabled after spending nearly every waking hour during the Vietnam War trying to make life easier for him as a POW.

McCain has been overheard calling the "other" woman -- Cindy McCain -- a "cunt."

After marrying Cindy, while going through advanced Navy leadership training, McCain had the following conversation with POW John Dramesi about their future plans, which Dramesi described recently in Rolling Stones magazine:

"I'm going to the Middle East," Dramesi says. "Turkey, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran."

"Why are you going to the Middle East?" McCain asks, dismissively.

"It's a place we're probably going to have some problems," Dramesi says.

"Why? Where are you going to, John?"

"Oh, I'm going to Rio."

"What the hell are you going to Rio for?"

McCain, a married father of three, shrugs. "I got a better chance of getting laid."

Dramesi, who went on to serve as the chief USAF war planner in Europe and Strategic Air Command wing commander, was not surprised by the sexual admission. Wrote Dramesi, "McCain says his life changed while he was in Vietnam, and he is now a different man. But he's still the undisciplined, spoiled brat that he was when he went in."

In 1992, McCain verbally abused female witnesses before the Senate Select Committe on MIA/POW Affairs and brought one woman to tears.

Also in 1992, POW Ted Guy, one of McCain's Senior Ranking Officers at the Hanoi Hilton, longtime friend and admirer changed his mind about the Arizona senator's integrity. The reversal of opinion happened after the Senate MIA/POW Committee shut down and Guy had a series of recorded phone calls with McCain. Said Guy, "I don't trust John anymore. I think he's a total liar."

Finally, if you're an undecided voter, learn the truth about Unfit McCain and his treasonous POW record by clicking on: Vote Against McCain (one of the HOTTEST anti-McCain sites on the Web)

Other websites freedom-loving Americans should visit, especially veterans like myself, are:
How McCain Betrayed His Fellow Vets
Iraq Vets Against the War
U.S. Veterans Dispatch
Vietnam Vets Against John McCain
Veterans Voice
Vote Veterans

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McCain despises women
Posted by: sheena2u on Oct 17, 2008 4:28 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I saw a video where McCain suggested his wife, Cindy, enter a biker beauty contest. Poor, doddering, McCain may or may not have known the contest involved women in g-string bikinis who sometimes had to perform extremely vulgar and explicit sex acts on stage. How's that for lack of judgement and disrespect toward his wife? If he can't respect his own wife, how can he respect the rest of us?

I noticed that after the last debate Michelle walked up to Barack and looked into his eyes supportively, and they embraced naturally. Then they stood together with arms around one another and walked off stage close together. Cindy and John embraced very briefly and stiffly, and they soon stood far apart. However, McCain's body language that spoke loudest was when McCain walked off the stage. He left Cindy to walk behind him just like a Japanese Geisha! I have long thought of Cindy as a Stepford Wife, but this was even far beyond that. She seemed to be left behind, like an insignificant and barely tolerable appendage to McCain.

Several instances, comments, and votes by McCain taken together, present a picture of McCain as a man with unfortunate attitudes toward women amounting to disrespect and loathing. He seems to think women are a lower life form, and only on earth to be at the beck and call of the "entitled male."

Between McCain and the snarky, obnoxious, phoney-baloney Palin, women's rights and women's lives could be set back more than 100 years. They are both against choice, educational opportunities for women, and against equal pay for women.

On the other hand, Barack and Michelle offer a strong and inspiring model of a healthy marriage, love, and respect for children and life on earth. And, Senator Biden and his wife Jill offer a model of deep and abiding love too. Senator authored the Violence Against Women act, and he too is sincere and supportive to women's rights and concerns.

McCain seems to only care about women insofar as he can use them for his own agenda. Maybe that's why he unceremoniously dumped his first wife after her tragic car accident for a younger, richer, version of womanhood who could service him with her political contacts and considerable family fortune. And, maybe that's why he chose the clearly unqualified but decorative Palin for his V.P.

America and America's women and girls deserve better than McCain and Palin, and may the good Lord deliver us from them.

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» Joe Biden = Drug Czar Posted by: 6399

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Standard lines and the little things
Posted by: solrev on Oct 17, 2008 5:29 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
McCain gave the standard anti abortion line about the health of the mother, how is the health of the mother defined and who defines it. His dismissive attitude cost him. What I found more telling was when McCain said, “we have to help them with their decision”. McCain is actually pro choice in that pregnant women have a decision to make. In order to help them the government should make their decision for them, the McCain solution. That seemed a little different from the standard right to life line.

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McCain is right
Posted by: rickiey on Oct 17, 2008 5:35 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Any abortion legislation that contains "health of the mother" essentially gives abortion on demand.

Women who want to choose an abortion, will merely get their doctors to agree that it is necessary for the mental "health of the mother".

Of course, morally, women should have that choice in the first place, but not according to McCain.

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» RE: McCain is right Posted by: NYCartist
» RE: It's my uterus. Posted by: rickiey

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Health Exception is Disingenuous
Posted by: fredddd on Oct 17, 2008 6:09 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
One hears over and over and over comments about "women's health" with regard to the partial birth abortion ban. How the ban disregards womens health, how John McCain cares so little for women's health. One never, never hears form any pro-choice commentary about how the so called "health exception" is actually a farce. Extensive medical testimony by numerous medical experts have shown that this procedure is never needed to protect the health of the women. No one was able to produce even one example of a case where the procedure was needed to protect a womans health. Not one. Even after the case was decided, if such an example could be produced the pro partial birth side could use that case to present a legal challenge to the decision. They have not because there are no examples to be found. Yet, the lie is repeated over and over. What else can one say about a procedure such as this? How could it be defended? That's the best apprently that they can do. Come up with a so called "health exception" that is a farce.

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Not so simplistic
Posted by: BST on Oct 17, 2008 7:11 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
You know, I am voting for Barack Obama although, on some points, I prefer McCain's ideas, especially on health insurance.

Each plan is flawed; there are questions whether either can fly as outlined.

However, I believe we must begin to separate health coverage from employment status. People stay in jobs they hate, for instance, because they're fearful of losing insurance, or move away from everything that's familiar to take a job elsewhere that does offer health insurance.

Regarding McCain's womanizing, yes, he seems to have that sorry history but then, so does Bill Clinton and, allegedly John Edwards. This is an equal-opportunity across-the-political lines behavior. Disappointing whenever it happens, but it isn't just McCain. And Clinton actually cheated on the American people by using the White House as his trysting place.

As to abortion, I'd like to see fathers (not the government) involved in this decision. Women (I am one) have nagged, cajoled and rallied to have men more involved in their children's lives -- and the men I know dote on their children -- but seem to close the door on those men when it comes to making the decision about abortion.

Fathers have rights, too, and I believe they have been badly abridged by allowing abortion to be decided by the woman alone.

Times are a-changing from the days when Roe v Wade was put into place.

There is now contraception for anyone, sex education beyond anything I dreamed of when I was a teenager and there is the imperative to use contraception to prevent STDs, including HIV. We should place less emphasis on abortion and far more on education early on about sexual health. Many so-called liberals are also very mixed in their veiws about abortion.

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» RE: Not so simplistic Posted by: Old Skeptic
» RE: Not so simplistic Posted by: BreeMass
» RE: Not so simplistic Posted by: Junior Barns
» Men DO have a say Posted by: BreeMass
» RE: Men DO have a say Posted by: DaBear
» RE: Men DO have a say Posted by: leta
» RE: Not so simplistic Posted by: helenwheels
» RE: Not so simplistic Posted by: Bittersham2
» RE: Not so simplistic Posted by: bluepilgrim

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A Human Right
Posted by: Last Chance on Oct 17, 2008 7:14 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
All women everywhere deserve a legally protected right to decide if and when to birth their children, period. To help each of them make a rational choice, family planning clinics need to be established in every community in every nation. But this cannot be done as long as macho male supremists like John McCain rule the World. A Barack Obama Administration will change that so women may be truly liberated and their equal rights respected everywhere around the World.

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» RE: A Human Right Posted by: BST
» Men have rights Posted by: BreeMass
» RE: Men have rights Posted by: Lauren
» RE: Men have rights Posted by: leta
» RE: Men have rights Posted by: Lauren
» RE: A Human Right Posted by: Lauren
» RE: A Human Right Posted by: NYCartist
» RE: A Human Right Posted by: Sushi

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You call Your Wife the 'C' word, Ya Got NO RESPECT
Posted by: Purple Girl on Oct 17, 2008 7:17 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Honestly I have no quams about that Word- but most women do.
It refers to a Body part- so does Dick & Pussy- so what
It's a reflection of Temperment- So What. In fact if I'm in a heated debate and the other person resorts to Bitch 'I've Won. and the 'C' only means I won BIG! s actually it sometimes makes me smile to have graduated from a 'B' to a 'C'. I got a great bumper sticker from a friend, hanging in my home office 'You say Bitch like it's a bad thing' LOL! If it had Space I'd Write in the addition 'and I don't stop to put on lipstick, either'
John McCain proved once & for all, his ignorance & contempt for Women when he named Sarah Palin. What an Asshole! (another body part & adjective)

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women's issues are rarely mentioned;no women visible
Posted by: NYCartist on Oct 17, 2008 8:25 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Thanks for the article and to its posting. Women's issues are rarely mentioned in the mainstream media. (I think FAIR documents this) It's also been pointed out,by FAIR, that when abortion is discussed, it's done by men talking about women. There is almost no one pointing out,as does the author here, that it's legal to have an abortion. There are shows on women's reproductive rights on stations like WBAI Pacifica's FM station in NYC. As an older woman, I sometimes get the impression that younger women are just assuming abortion will always be there. Then I realize that it's just that the media is ignoring women and our issues. The result of mainstream media's unbalanced "one side point of view and then balancing it with the other" is that it falsely distorts on so many issues, particularly heinous in re abortion. The majority of Americans overwhelmingly favor choice and abortion.

Every woman needs to see/hear/read what McCain said in that debate on women's health and abortion. Every parent of a girl child needs to see/hear/read it,too. I was angry that after the debate, it was nowhere to be found on the internet as an issue, in the followup, then some small coverage.

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And uh, what about men's health?
Posted by: maxpayne on Oct 17, 2008 9:28 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Shit, I knew that we needed more than just Obama and Mccain debating !

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Figuring out men
Posted by: Lauren on Oct 17, 2008 10:11 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
For those who missed it, the 'soul' of conservatism is a helpful map of who and what ideologies we are up against..

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» RE: Figuring out men Posted by: NYCartist

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"...decided by the states"
Posted by: Sushi on Oct 17, 2008 10:36 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Why is it that the health of woman's biological functions will be in the hands of "the state", yet they don't want to fund any other health issues...just control our reproductive freedoms? I would seriously consider suicide rather than have my government own my body. What if I wanted to get my tubes tied so as to not risk a pregnancy at all? Would I have to get approval through the government first? What if they decided that they wanted me to have children (perhaps for more war fodder or tax base from another wage-slave? Let the "state" lay claims on men's balls and watch them topple the government within a week!

Sushi
"I lost my virginity, but I still have the box it came in."

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» RE: "...decided by the states" Posted by: NYCartist
» Fetal Viabiity Posted by: Arlene

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The debate here is pretty gross
Posted by: DaBear on Oct 17, 2008 2:00 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
To watch this devolve into a man-hate-fest just really blows.

That McCain even used the air quote gesture was enough for me. Offensive to the core.

The rest of the women here reacting-- understandably but very much argued with the sledgehammer where chisels are required--is really disappointing. It's hard to argue for women's health and women's reproductive freedom with men when the women needing feminist males to aid their efforts amongst the male horde are bashing back with gross effect... it's just disappointing.

Yeah, male partners need to be part of the conversation with their female partners in some situations, but men need to understand this is essentially something that's going to happen in her body if the pregnancy is going through to birth, and it takes a pretty crass man to impose his need or desire for children on a woman who doesn't share that outcome; it'll be against her will (fuckin' a, ever hear of rape?!). In many cases, a male's needs or wishes aren't even applicable. So it's complicated but men shouldn't just be shunted off then expected to pony up later or worse, be told to bugger off against his paternal instinct. That's just as crass.

That's a tough enough case to argue with other guys.. and it sure as hell isn't helped by women snarking that he wears a condom and that's it; he's just a sperm donor with a fertilization tool.

And yeah, women also need to get with the program when it comes to men being forced to be fathers against their will (not all queens and princesses are as noble as we'd all prefer, same as kings and princes, BTW). Condoms break, they fail and the 99.9% is horseshit. I know a couple who has three kids, all conceived on the pill and using condoms. I know, sounds crazy, but then again, I got the snip because of a few failures by the panacea condom. Life is dirty, deal with it.

If everyone panders to their fear or the fears of the Other, we'll get nowhere and I hate to say it, but women will suffer first and foremost for it. I'm not saying the women here are "incorrect" or even "wrong" but being as blunt as the shithead male oppressor sure as hell ain't helpin' anybody.

It's really frustrating reading the threads on this one. BUT it's not as frustrating as watching McCrazy show his colors. Rat-fucker asshole...

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» Powerful and perceptive comment Posted by: HeroesAll

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McCain's views of women
Posted by: jabe on Oct 20, 2008 12:34 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I referenced this article in a blog post discussing McCain's views of women.
http://chicagoinsider.us/

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McCain's Views Align with Majority of Americans
Posted by: VMRH on Oct 21, 2008 3:07 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
McCain has said that a Supreme Court nominee's views on abortion cannot be a litmus test. And he has proved by his votes for Ginsburg and Breyer that he means what he says. At the same time, McCain feels that Roe v. Wade was a bad decision, because on such a controversial matter, it should be the people--that is, more than 9 people--who make this call. He says the culture has to change before the law can be changed. These views put him SOLIDLY in the same camp as an overwhelming majority of Americans. McCain's parsing of this difficult issue is commendable, and I support him for the presidency.

Red State Feminists

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