McCain Squirms on Birth Control & Viagra
We already know that John McCain doesn’t want women to have a choice when it comes to abortion, but it’s also clear that he doesn’t think giving women more access to birth control is very important. Since more access to birth control is clearly something that would reduce the need for women to have an abortion, it seems McCain is at best clueless, or at worst just doesn’t care about women.
From Pam’s House Blend…
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer Cathleen Decker apparently did some homework, and put Sen. McCain on the spot for votes on regarding making birth control mandatory for health insurance coverage. Per a story in the Los Angeles Times, apparently McCain twice voted against measures that would have required insurance companies to cover birth control — in both 2003 and 2005.
Watch Sen. McCain get really uncomfortable as he’s pressed on the issue:
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I think the telling line is that video is:
It’s…ah…something that I had not thought much about…
Not thinking about fairness between men’s and women’s healthcare coverage; not thinking about women’s issues and women’s healthcare…well!
And as has apparently happened frequently before, Sen. McCain can’t seem to remember much about issues he’s voted on that impact a voting demographic he allegedly wants to cut into…D’oh!
From The Huffington Post…
How damaging is this video, now spreading around the web, showing John McCain squirming, stumbling, and then claiming ignorance about his position on providing women with birth control?
Apparently, very damaging. A Democratic Party strategist familiar with internal polling said McCain’s two votes against requiring insurance companies to cover prescription birth control have been polled in battleground states and had tremendous resonance with women, including independents and Republicans.
From Planned Parenthood…
“Time after time, Sen. McCain has shown that he is out of touch when it comes to women’s health care,” said Cecile Richards, Planned Parenthood Action Fund president. “Birth control is basic health care for women. But yesterday, Sen. McCain ducked a straightforward question about whether he thinks insurance companies should cover birth control. Women in America are still waiting for his answer.”
In 2003, McCain voted NO on the Murray Amendment (S.Amdt 258 to S. 3, vote 45, 3/11/03), which would have improved the availability of contraceptives for women and required insurance coverage of prescription birth control.
Also See:
Are Reproductive Rights Important To Women Voters?
What do you think? Does McCain Care about women’s issues? Are you a woman planning to vote for McCain? How do you feel about his position of reproductive rights? Let me know in comments.
Comments
Comment from Erica
Time: July 11, 2008, 4:21 pm
(Sorry, I know I just went off on another McCain problem related to women. I think he is way out of touch in the area of reproductive rights as well. I love when people think abortions are terrible, yet deny birth control access. Classic stupidity.)
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Time: July 11, 2008, 5:18 pm
[...] on McCain and birth control here. addthis_url = [...]
Comment from Teressa
Time: July 14, 2008, 2:45 pm
So the verdict is that it’s totally okay – and even encouraged – for men to have as much sex as possible through Vigra, but for women to even make choices about the sex they have, well, that’s just too immoral for health insurance companies to really want to mess with. Apparently, too immoral for Mr. McCain as well.
My God, how do people’s heads not explode when they realize this is the kind of cognitive dissonance that they are not only funding, but hold close to heart?!
Comment from David
Time: September 28, 2008, 4:58 pm
It’s not his, or anyone else in governments job to say what insurance should, and should not cover… it’s wrong to require a PRIVATE BUSINESS (such as an insurance company) to pay for something it does not want to.
Want to slam somebody for not covering it? Slam the insurance company. It’s their decision.
Comment from Erica
Time: July 11, 2008, 4:18 pm
As a woman, the disrespect McCain shows for us is just maddening. I am a well-educated (graduated from Harvard), professional woman. I’d like to know exactly why I ought not to care that someone with equal qualifications should receive a higher salary than me. We as women need training and education? More women than men are receiving both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees today. We have BETTER education than men, on average. Training and Education are not the problem. White men who want to keep a 1950s-style old boys’ club are.