The question, "where are the women," has become a rallying cry for those who advocate for women's reproductive rights and who are opposed to the efforts, by the GOP and leaders of anti-choice religious organizations, to avoid having to cover birth control for their employees. This question was asked by NY Democratic Rep., Carolyn Maloney who wanted to know why GOP Congressman Darell Issa didn't include any women on his congressional panel which was convened in order to provide testimony on the HHS contraceptive mandate. But rather than including those who would be directly affected by the policy, the morning session included only males, several of them clergy, one of them a Catholic bishop, and all of them anti-choice opponents of the HHS policy. (The second hearing had two women, both Christian opponents of the policy). Three Democrats, two of them women, walked out of the hearing in protest. The outrage spread to the greater community of those who support women's rights except for one place. In the bizarro world of Fox & Friends, Fox host and unofficial liaison with Timothy Dolan, head of the US Council of Catholic Bishops, Peter Johnson Jr., had no problem with the sexist nature of the panel - but he did have a problem with those who protested.  

This week, a NY Times/CBS poll found that 57% of Catholic voters support Obama's HHS mandate that religious employers provide free contraceptive coverage. But that's something that you won't hear from Fox's Peter Johnson Jr. who has become the Fox News spokesperson for the US Council of Catholic bishops which is headed by soon to be Catholic Cardinal, Timothy Dolan and which vehemently opposes the HHS policy. Johnson, who also does legal work for Dolan's archdiocese, is part of Dolan's posse in
Rome where Dolan will receive his very special red chapeau today.But that didn't stop Johnson from commenting about Issa's hearing. In this eighth biased segment on this topic, Johnson repeated the lie about the birth control policy providing abortion drugs. As usual, he didn't mention Catholic groups, including one headed by a Catholic nun, that support the policy .

On yesterday's Fox & Friends, loyal Catholic Steve Doocy reported that the bishop's "battle" was highlighted by the hearing. He didn't mention the objections raised by the women; but rather, let the uterus free Johnson provide the Fox framing. Johnson, a "knight" of the secretive Catholic order "Knights of Malta," reported that Congressman Issa "had an important hearing" about religious liberty and whether "conscience matters especially with regard to abortion inducing drugs." (Johnson's pants are still on fire with this lie!). He continued - wait for it - "unfortunately the treatment that some of the treatment that the clerics got on Capitol Hill was now what we would anticipate." He accused the Democrats of "wanting their own civil rights issue" in the form of women's rights "trumping" religious rights." The chyron framed the Fox/Bishop message: "Fighting for Religious Rights, Bishops Take a Stand at Capitol Hill Hearing." Johnson continued to blither about religious liberty and "how far Obamacare will go in abrogating the rights of groups like the Catholic Church..." who won't back down.

 Doocy said that Johnson will have a "ringside seat" for Dolan's hatting ceremony. Given that Johnson provides constant validation for Dolan and the boys, it does seem fitting! Maybe Johnson could be an honorary Cardinal or have the opportunity to kneel before Il Papa's Prada pumps. But about those nasty, clergy dissing females who just don't understand that religious liberty trumps women's bodies - Don't they know that "Father" knows best!