Open Letter to News Men on "This Abortion Thing"

Dear Men on the News,

Tonight I heard Lawrence O'Donnell say "This abortion thing has always been kind of confusing when you try to make sense of what Herman Cain is saying..." He said this to another man. Then he cut to film of three men (Cain, John Stossel and another guy who never spoke) who were also discussing the abortion thing.

Let's start with something really obvious: If you say "This abortion thing" perhaps you shouldn't be discussing it. Secondly, if you can't effectively parse the following, please ask a woman. Almost any woman. She can.

Cain: I'm pro-life from conception.
Stossel: Any cases where it should be legal?
Cain: I don't think government should make that decision.
Stossel: I'm confused
Cain: I'm pro-life period.
Stossel: If a woman is raped she should not be allowed to end the pregnancy.
Cain: That's her choice. It's not government's choice. I support life from conception.
Stossel: So abortion should be legal.
Cain: NO it should not be legal. I believe in the sanctity of life.
    (cut to silent guy with Munchian open mouth)
Stossel: I'm not getting...I'm not understanding. If it's her choice that means it's legal.
Cain: I don't believe a woman should have an abortion. Does that help to clear it up?
                                           (with John Stossel on Fox July 2011)

Cut back to MSNBC and a couple of baffled looking men.

Okay, so Herman Cain is new at politics and hasn't gotten good at outright lying to the press. Give him time.

But, seriously, how is this hard to parse? This is Cain's position (backing quote in parens)

• Abortion should be illegal in the US (No it should not be legal.)
• Women should be able to defy the law if government tries to control her choice. (That's her choice.)

Still not clear?

Pre-Roe, rich women left the US or went to clinics whose addresses were secretly traded when someone got 'in trouble' and poor women used whatever desperate measure was available -- and died far too often.

That's what Herman Cain supports.

Should you need help with "this abortion thing" in the future, please feel free to drop me a note.

Love,

~beth