The Real John McCain is Anti-Choice

73% of female pro-choice McCain supporters in battleground states do not know McCain's position on abortion. 1 in 4 believe he is pro-choice.

In the Senate, John McCain has cast 119 votes on abortion and other reproductive-rights issues. 115 of the votes were anti-choice.

Mutliple Choice Mittwit

Mitt Romney's position on abortion
Go check out the video of Mitt Romney's gubernatorial debate with Democrat Shannon O'Brien from 2002, posted by BlueMassGroup. Shannon O'Brien is right on when she says "He's not pro-choice. He's not pro-life. He's multiple choice."

I've transcribed some of the portions of the video that will make the anti-choicers heads explode:

"I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose."

"I am not going to change our pro-choice laws in Massachusetts in any way."

"My position has been the same throughout my political career, and it goes back to the days of 1970. There was a woman who was running for political office, U.S. Senate, she took a very bold and courageous stand in 1970, and that was in a conservative state. That was that a woman should have the right to make her own choice as to whether or not to have an abortion. Her name was Lenore Romney. She was my mom. Even though she lost, she established a record of courage in that regard. She had very strong personal beliefs about what decision she would make for herself and her family if offered to make that choice, but she also made it clear that she thought a woman should have her own right to choose, and believed in the separation of church and state. I have held that view consistently."

"I do not take the position of a pro-life candidate."

Is Lenore Romney rolling over in her grave yet?

Update: The corporate media takes notice: Ruth Marcus, WaPo: Mitt Romney's Extreme Makeover

From there, Romney proceeded to expound one of the odder positions I've heard in years of listening to politicians talk about a subject most would prefer to avoid: "I can tell you what my position is, and it's in a very narrowly defined sphere, as candidate for governor and as governor of Massachusetts," he said. "What I said to people was that I personally did not favor abortion, that I am personally pro-life. However, as governor I would not change the laws of the commonwealth relating to abortion.

"Now I don't try and put a bow around that and say what does that mean you are -- does that mean you're pro-life or pro-choice, because that whole package -- meaning I'm personally pro-life but I won't change the laws, you could describe that as -- well, I don't think you can describe it in one hyphenated word."

Got it? I didn't, and I asked, "Do you support making abortion illegal? I'm not talking about what you would do as governor of Massachusetts."

Romney: "But that's the furthest I'm going to take you right now. I'm governor of Massachusetts, and I'm telling you exactly what I will do as governor of Massachusetts, but I'm not going to tell you what I'd do as mayor of Boston or a congressman or any of those positions."

I reprint so much of Romney's answer (you can read or listen to the full exchange online) because its baroque circumlocutions seemed to say so much about him. It was hard to know what Romney actually thought about abortion rights other than that this was a political minefield it was best to avoid stepping into for as long as possible.

News Round-Up, January 23, 2007

Stories I didn't get around to this weekend, in no particular order:

Yesterday was Blog for Choice day (see photo, above). Why am I pro-choice? Because I believe women are equal and free. In order for women to be equal and free, we have to have the right to make decisions about what happens to our bodies. It's that simple. Digby nails the argument.

Steve Clemons at the Washington Note asks Bill Richardson, do you have a problem with inappropriate behavior towards women? Making lewd gestures to women. Jeez. If I worked with him, I'd already have been fired for kicking him in the jewels. Welcome to the 21st century, Bill.

Scooter Libby is using the Marion Barry defense: "Bitch set me up!" The bitch being Karl Rove.

The NYTimes sez, lower your cholesterol the old-fashioned way, with niacin (vitamin B).

The NYTimes also has a ridiculous article peddling White House spin about how involved Chimpy McFlightsuit is in editing his speeches. Right. The guy doesn't like to read, but he's a great editor.

The US has created a new superbug, an antibiotic-resistant bacteria, in Iraq; according to Wired News, 700 US soldiers have been infected to date.

The WaPo ran an attack-piece on the front page this weekend about the sale of John Edwards's house; TPM has been following the blow-back.

Steve Gilliard's News Blog moved. Note to self, update bookmarks.