- Home
- About Us
- Contributors
- Departments
- Topics
- Back Issues
- Weekly Archives
- AmSpecBlog
- Subscribe
- Newsletter
- Advertise
- Donate
- Contact Us
- Daily Digest
- Templeton Essays
search
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Political Hay
Obama's Phony Health Exception
John McCain took Barack Obama to the pro-life woodshed during the final presidential debate in mid-October. It was a long over-due thrashing and a welcome respite from an otherwise snoozer of an interchange. It's caused the mainstream media and liberal blogosphere to have collective conniptions, meaning the Arizona senator got dangerously close to tender territory that the pro-abortion movement would rather avoid.
McCain's cardinal sin began when he brought up two of Obama's votes in the Illinois Senate -- the first against a born alive infant protection act, the second against a state-level partial-birth abortion ban. In the latter case, Obama responded that he would have supported the ban if it had contained an exception for the mother's health. (Obama also threw in a point about finding "common ground" on abortion, which apparently looks like this).
McCain responded that the health exception has been "stretched by the pro-abortion movement in America to mean almost anything." The remark was accurate, but the Left wasted no time in pouncing on McCain's position and particularly his use of "air quotes" in referring to women's health.
MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews (who appears to have become the networks go-to "straight news" reporter, along with Keith Olbermann) said that McCain made "a big mistake" on the issue. "You can't belittle the health exception with regard to abortion," he said.
The liberal blogs took it even further. In a post entitled "Dear John McCain," one self-proclaimed "foul-mouthed liberal" blogger wrote, "You really are a small-minded anti-choice hater of women … F**k you, Senator McCain."
Of course, most of the pontificating missed the key issue: how have the courts defined the health exception for late-term abortions? Does it "mean almost anything," as McCain said?
We already know where Planned Parenthood and other abortion advocacy groups stand. Abortion should be legal through all nine months of pregnancy, for any reason. That's in contrast to the latest opinion polls on the topic. The vast majority of Americans favor at least some restrictions on the procedure.
What about the courts? As McCain correctly stated, the health exception has been interpreted broadly. In Doe v. Bolton, a decision handed down the same day as Roe v. Wade in January 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that the "medical judgment may be exercised in light of all factors -- physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman's age -- relevant to the well-being of the patient. All these factors may relate to health."
That's the kind of vague language to which McCain referred. In this instance, the issue is not about abortions performed to save the life of the mother or because of life-endangering health risks. Americans support abortion options in those situations. Rather, it's about a broadly defined meaning of "health" that places the convenience of the living above the life of the unborn.
Abortion advocates gloss over that fact because it doesn't poll well. Americans oppose abortions for convenience. Yet Doe leaves the door open for late-term abortions for a host of reasons, including convenience. If bringing the unborn child to term would emotionally harm a woman, she can have an abortion. If her family situation is unstable, she can have an abortion. If having a child would cause psychological stress, she can have an abortion. No limits.
That, by the way, is why pro-life lawmakers refused to insert a health exception in the federal partial-birth abortion ban. Under Doe, it would have made the ban meaningless since a woman would only have to prove emotional or psychological stress to qualify. Does that outweigh the life of the unborn child?
That was McCain's premise. The disagreement is not over health hazards, but convenience. Unfortunately, the point got drowned in a deluge of abortion industry sound bites calling him a woman hater, a tactic the pro-abortion movement thrives on. Anyone who questions the health exception is demonized as anti-woman, yet abortion advocates shy away when asked to define exactly what health means.
If the courts defined the exception to apply only when a pregnancy poses serious or life-threatening health risks, I doubt McCain would quibble. But abortion advocates won't stand for that. In contrast to the beliefs of the majority of Americans, their support is for unequivocal abortion-on-demand, and the phony health exception is a key underpinning.
Funny how the health of the 25 million (or so) unborn females who have been aborted since 1973 never factors into the argument.
Comments
Leave a Comment
Related Articles
ADVERTISEMENT
Are you in a mob?
The Democrats say Obamacare opponents are a mob. Are they right?
Participating in this survey will subscribe you to the American Spectator email newsletter. You may unsubscribe at any time.
ADVERTISEMENT
Tamara| 10.23.08 @ 1:26PM
My question is simple. If a woman's health is TRULY threatened by a late term pregnancy why would a doctor not simply deliver the baby and at least give it a CHANCE? If the mother doesn't want the baby there are people lined up waiting to adopt. Why does the child have to be killed?
The answer to my question is simple too. Any woman who carries a wanted child into the third trimester and is then faced with a REAL life-threatening illness doesn't "choose" abortion; she "chooses" to give her baby at least a fighting chance to live. It's women who just need an excuse to kill a viable baby for their own convenience and selfishness because they didn't make up their mind about an abortion during the first trimester who carry out what in any sane society would be considered infanticide.
This "all or nothing" attitude towards abortion needs to stop. The "right to lifers" and the "pro-choicers" must recognize that abortion will always be with us, but that legal abortion must be limited to the first trimester. Killing babies who are obviously able to live outside their mother's womb is unconscionable. Civilized societies don't sacrifice children to the secular gods of selfishness and convenience.
Ben| 10.23.08 @ 2:15PM
Why don't Catholics be quiet and mind their own business?
http://www.catholicvote.com/
Tamara| 10.23.08 @ 7:34PM
This isn't about imposing religion on anyone, nor is it about early abortion or birth control.
These are all issues that muddy the one that should be central in everyone's mind: Barack Obama doesn't recognize murder when he sees it; and he's compounded this failing by trying to explain it away with outright lies.
What more should anyone need to know about this man?
Scrapiron| 10.24.08 @ 12:50AM
Any Catholic, Jew, or Christian who plans to vote for Hussein should resign from church and burn their bible prior to going to the polls. You aren't following the bible if you follow Hussein and his 'born alive, murder the live baby cult, so quit being a hypocrite. A hypocrite being seen in church won't help you in the after life. I'll voice that opinion to one and all and anyplace.
Acai| 1.31.09 @ 3:55PM
Lets just hope his new policy isnt worse than the one thats currenty in place.
acai| 3.22.09 @ 2:26PM
thanks for the great information.
Acai Berry| 3.24.09 @ 3:03AM
Hi, Really interesting information.Your blog sounds good. Keep posting more tips for health
Acai Berry| 3.24.09 @ 3:05AM
I Love acai berry and these products are very effective for health. Your blog sounds good. Keep posting more information about acai berry.
Acai berry
Matt| 3.27.09 @ 8:13AM
these products are very effective for health.
Personal Checks| 3.27.09 @ 3:33PM
I think if a doctor feels a patient will not survive if the baby goes to term or vice versa, then why not deliver early rather than abort. I do feel that abortion needs to be limited to a certain amount of time unless the baby poses a medical threat to the mom and then the baby could be delivered rather than aborted.
Resveratrol | 3.28.09 @ 4:11PM
Great information. Thanks
RezV| 3.30.09 @ 9:57AM
Thanks for the information. You should post more about health in America, very informative and helpful
Acai Berry| 4.3.09 @ 5:38AM
Thanks for the posting You should post more about health in America.Your blog sounds good. Keep posting more tips for health.
Acai
Acai Berry Information
frozen shoulder| 4.9.09 @ 7:37AM
Excellent article. Give us more information on Obama's health plan
Fat Loss 4 Idiots| 4.12.09 @ 6:58PM
Just stumble across this blog, all I can say is that I love it. Added it to my RSS.
Evelina
Acai Berry| 4.28.09 @ 7:10PM
Tamara said it best; this has never been a black & white issue and I'd say that EVERYONE wants to punish people killing their unborn children out of convenience... So why can't we all just see that there really is no conflict here??
free government grants| 5.10.09 @ 9:24AM
hmmm...,
could be interesting
I was thinkin about this topic
thanks for the post.
Instant Payday Loan| 5.10.09 @ 9:25AM
Hi, interesting post. I have been wondering about this issue,so thanks for blogging. I will probably be coming back to your site. Keep up the good work
free government grants| 5.10.09 @ 9:25AM
hmmm...,
could be interesting
I was thinkin about this topic
thanks for the post.
Acai Berry| 5.14.09 @ 4:42PM
That was really a great post and information - just bookmarked and keep up the good work
greentea| 5.16.09 @ 4:48AM
This site has good information.Thanks
I really enjoy reading your blog. Keep up the good work.
ED| 5.17.09 @ 1:59AM
Kind of a moot point now, but neither side wants the issue "solved." It provides too much ammo during the election cycle.
Found another issue worth talking about too: teen impotence.
acaiberry| 5.18.09 @ 7:33AM
I like your post. Its really informative. But i can't understand why Catholics mind their own business?
Car Insurance Comparison| 6.16.09 @ 6:04PM
Bookmarked indeed!!
Beccy2345| 6.19.09 @ 4:47PM
Abortion rights have always been a polarising issue in US politics. I don't feel that Obama has his pulse on the nation's thoughts though on this issue. The recent murder of the abortion doctor just empahsises that fact. Toronto Real Estate Agent
Beccy2345| 6.19.09 @ 4:48PM
Abortion rights have always been a polarising issue in US politics. I don't feel that Obama has his pulse on the nation's thoughts though on this issue. The recent murder of the abortion doctor just empahsises that fact. Toronto Real Estate Agent
Toronto Real Estate Agent| 6.19.09 @ 4:51PM
Abortion rights have always been a polarising issue in US politics. I don't feel that Obama has his pulse on the nation's thoughts though on this issue. The recent murder of the abortion doctor just empahsises that fact.
Acai Berry| 7.27.09 @ 4:38AM
I do feel that abortion needs to be limited to a certain amount of time unless the baby poses a medical threat to the mom and then the baby could be delivered rather than aborted.
Resveratrol
green tea products| 8.18.09 @ 2:47PM
I don't feel that Obama has his pulse on the nation's thoughts though on this issue. The recent murder of the abortion doctor just empahsises that fact.
resveratrol supplements| 8.20.09 @ 8:55PM
I don't feel that Obama has his pulse on the nation's thoughts though on this issue.
Colon Cleanser| 8.29.09 @ 4:49AM
Well, I don't feel that Obama has his pulse on the nation's thoughts though on this issue. The recent murder of the abortion doctor just empahsises that fact.
Acai Berry| 9.14.09 @ 1:45PM
I don't feel that Obama has his pulse on the nation's thoughts though on this issue. The recent murder of the abortion doctor just empahsises that fact.