As Fox News is America's "pro-life" news network, it is only fitting that alleged Fox "news" host Martha MacCallum is very upfront about her "pro-life" views which encompass the lie that Plan B induces abortion. In validating and supporting the anti-abortion movement, she is always willing to validate their talking points. Such was the case, this morning, when she and her pro-life panel attacked Texas State Senator, Wendy Davis, for her advocacy in defending a Texas women's right to a safe and legal abortion, something which will be greatly curtailed if the Texas "pro-life" bill passes - a reality that Martha & co. dismissed. But what was worse was how MacCallum just couldn't understand why abortion access is so important. Of course, if abortion is criminalized, wealthy white women like Martha, will have no problem obtaining a "procedure" from a reputable doctor while at the same time poor women, many of them minorities, will die in back alley abortions. This could happen, in Texas, if the bill passes. And Fox News thinks that there's no war on women? As the awesome Melissa Harris-Perry would say, "Wow, Seriously?!
After playing video of Wendy Davis on Meet the Press, MacCallum immediately attacked. She said that while while Davis says that Rick Perry is pushing the bill for political gain, doing it for political gain, the same thing could be said about Davis. Tucker Carlson commented that's what politicians do and added "the truth is you're watching the democratic party's one non-negotiable here which is abortion." Tucker didn't mention that abortion is also a non-negotiable and a litmus test for the GOP.
MacCallum said that polls indicate that Texas favor the ban while the graphic showed that 47% strongly support and 15% somewhat support. Meanwhile, another poll shows that 63% of Texas do not support the bill. MacCallum noted that 20 to 25 states have a ban like this; but didn't mention that in Idaho and Arizona, the 20 week ban was found to be unconstitutional and that the other bans relate to "viability" which can be up to 24 weeks.
When Martha asked why abortion is such a non-negotiable, reliable Fox pro-life Democrat Kirsten Powers suggested it was to please Planned Parenthood. She asserted that there is so much wrong with the bill, "it's kind of hard to know where to start" and that she had trouble listening to Davis talk about bullying because Davis doesn't speak for women. (Uh, she speaks for a whole lot of women, Kirsten). She cited polls which say that a majority of women oppose late term abortions. (There are polls that show an almost even split) Powers claimed that with the fetal abnormality exemption, "we're talking healthy babies, so this is very dark" She didn't say that there were no exemptions for rape and incest.
MacCallum validated Powers' "great point" because "when you look at all the other states that have passed, it 20 weeks is very far along." She wondered if Democrats ever feel that this is something that "they should be more negotiable on." (The GOP doesn't!) She seemed shocked that "it doesn't seem to hurt them." Carlson said that he knows Democrats, including Kirsten, who are "troubled by this." He referenced how the Democratic Party's platform supports "unlimited right to abortion up to birth." Powers shook her head in agreement when he said it is "goulish" and that "50 years from now, they'll feel bad about it." (How do ya figure that, Tucker?) He accused the GOP of being intimidated because "they don't want to seem like they're attacking women." (And they have a proven track record of doing so!)
MacCallum accused Davis of "cloaking" the issue in "denying women health care because they're going to lose a number of these clinics. but that makes you wonder how many of these clinics are surviving on the fact that they're performing abortions so many of them would have to close" if the legislation passes. (First, if they're surviving on abortions, why is that a problem? Second, if they close, then women lose access to abortion.) When Powers said that claims about closing are exaggerated, MacCallum responded "great point."
As in the Gosnell discussions on Fox, there was no consideration of the fact that late term abortion is sometimes necessary for the health of the mother. When legislation doesn't take this under consideration, you bet there will be opposition. As Wendy Davis said, late term abortions are rare and usually done in sad circumstances when the fetus or the woman is seriously medically compromised. Fox "news" continually sends the message, as did Powers, that late term abortion is as casual as having a pedicure.
As in Megyn Kelly's pro-life coverage of the Texas bill, there was no discussion about how abortion doctors won't be able to secure "hospital privileges" and this will also prevent women, especially poor, rural women's, from having access to a safe, legal abortion. As in Megyn Kelly's pro-life coverage, nobody mentioned that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists oppose the bill. And that's because alleged Fox News hosts, Megyn Kelly and Martha MacCallum brought in two people to validate the GOP, anti-choice propaganda.
So remind me of how Fox "News" is supposed to be "fair & balanced" when they're blatantly "pro-life." Oh, and memo to Martha and Kirsten: If you don't like abortion, don't have one. Wendy Davis and those who are pro-choice trust women. Too bad you don't!
Texas' Wendy Davis: 'These are matters of personal liberty'
Video on msnbc.com: Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis discusses her battle against a Texas state bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and leave Texas with only five legal abortion clinics.
Don’t listen to these frauds. They don’t practice what they preach, and they know it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeBo_L0RytA