Monday, July 27, 2009

Creigh Deeds Wins NARAL Endorsement

I just received this press release with very good news, though hardly unexpected. Creigh Deeds, long a defender of a woman's right to choose, just received the NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia PAC endorsement. (Emphasis in third paragraph is mine.)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25, 2009

NARAL PRO-CHOICE VIRGINIA PAC ANNOUNCES
ENDORSEMENT OF CREIGH DEEDS FOR GOVERNOR, COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA


Endorsement highlights organization's dedication to building pro-choice
leadership in the Commonwealth


(Alexandria, VA) - Today, NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia PAC, the Commonwealth's
leading advocate for personal privacy and a woman's right to choose,
announced its endorsement of Senator Creigh Deeds for Governor.

NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia's PAC views this election as critical in
determining the future of reproductive choice for the state of Virginia, and
Senator Deeds is the leader who can help ensure that all Virginians have
comprehensive, affordable, and accessible reproductive healthcare. We have
worked with Senator Deeds over the past five years and know him to be a
thoughtful, consistent, and dedicated pro-choice advocate, invested in
promoting commonsense practices to reduce the number of unintended
pregnancies and the need for abortion, statewide.

Deeds' opponent, Bob McDonnell, has made a life-long career of denying women the reproductive healthcare they need. In his 17 years in elected office, McDonnell has patroned over 30 bills that aimed to limit reproductive freedoms, harming women and families. "For someone who is so opposed to abortion, it's mindboggling that Bob McDonnell has patroned bills to prevent access to birth control and emergency contraception," said Tarina Keene, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia.

"Bob McDonnell has gone on record stating his belief that abortion should
not be legal, even in cases of rape and incest," Keene continued.
"Virginians cannot afford to have an elected leader confuse political
ideology with medical need. McDonnell has time and time again voted to move
Virginia backwards with regards to healthcare. NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia PAC
is dedicated to supporting Creigh Deeds, and defeating Bob McDonnell's
attempt to control Virginians' reproductive health."

NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia supports candidates who are dedicated to family
planning, preventing unintended pregnancy, and increasing access to
reproductive healthcare for women and families. The organization's powerful
statewide network of activists will mobilize pro-choice voters throughout
Virginia to help elect Senator Deeds and other pro-choice candidates in
November.
For me, the most salient fact is that not only does McDonnell oppose abortion, but he also opposes birth control. That is an extreme position that puts him well outside the mainstream in Virginia and the country. Note carefully, I said, he OPPOSES BIRTH CONTROL.

There is no poll that has ever shown that any state opposes a woman's - or even a man's right to practice birth control. That was a battle that was won back in the 1920s, and should not even have to be refought in the 21st century.

14 comments:

J. Tyler Ballance said...

Creigh Deeds was making some headway among conservative crossover voters, but this wet kiss by the baby killers is like handing a fireman a bucket of gas.

If Creigh is going to win, the groups on the Left who champion the most divisive issues, such as the right to murder babies (aka "choice") along with Unions and Trial Lawyers, need to downplay their involvement and allow Creigh to talk about solutions to issues that matter to the majority of our citizens in the middle of the political spectrum, such as rebuilding our infrastructure, creating a modern, strategic manufacturing base and more high quality jobs for Virginians.

Karen Duncan said...

Actually, Tyler, this time, I think it's the Republicans who are hiding their stands on some of these issues because they know that they don't play well with Virginia moderates and independents, who are frequently pro-choice. It is not to our advantage to let Bob McDonnell and his slate masquerade as moderates because they are not.

J. Tyler Ballance said...

Totally agree that Pat Robertson's boy, McDonnell is way out there with the rest of the Religious Reich.

Having worked on the recount for the last Deeds-McDonnell contest, I could not help but recall how Deeds had done so little in that campaign to build bridges to the major crossover voter groups.

Webb and Warner did a great job in their campaigns on establishing common ground with the large blocks of crossover voters. So far, I don't see much effort from the Deeds team to win the crossover groups.

For example, many of the Confederate Heritage group members still are quick to recall how Creigh stood on the floor of the Assembly and fought against the Sons of Confederate Veterans logo license plate, when the right position would have been to defend equal treatment under the law for each group that qualified for the plate.

Mr. Deeds could still patch-up old wounds such as the one left by the license plate issue, if he would only try to reach out to groups like the SCV, UDC and gun rights groups, such as the VCDL.

Creigh won't win them all over, but even if he can get ten percent of the SCV's 50,000 votes, that would be more than enough to make up the difference in another close race with Bush, uh, Robertson...I mean, McDonnell (same thing).

Joseph Taylor said...

This isn't as good as You think, McDonnell is proudly Pro-Life, Voters arent scared by that. Polling is showing that for the 1st time in History, A Strong Majority of Americans oppose abortion.
This also will hurt Deeds chances of pulling the Hispanic vote out of Bobs court.

J. Tyler Ballance said...

The only Latinos who have ever been in Bob McDonnell's court are the ones who he sent to jail as a prosecutor.

Steven Osborne said...

It is clear that Creigh Deeds is an extremist when it comes to his pro-abortion stand.

As someone who is in the 18-29 demographic, I am offended that Creigh Deeds stood by as many of my generation were aborted here in Virginia. I am proud of Bob McDonnell and so are the students who understand that he was standing up for us when Creigh Deeds was not.

Karen Duncan said...

Deeds is not an extremist and there is no overwhelming support for the pro-life position. The country is as divided as ever on abortion.

What the Gallup poll - and a couple of subsequent polls - showed was greater ambiguity for a straight pro-choice position. But most people did not support either abortion on demand, especially late-term abortions, nor did they support a complete ban on abortion. That is especially true when the health or life of the mother is at stake.

In fact, only a tiny minority support a total ban on abortions in the case of the life, safety, or health of the woman. So, yes, it's still an extreme, out of the mainstream opinion.

The middle ground on this, really is in the middle and is far more nuanced than extremists on either side of the issue pretend that it is.

It also should be noted that nobody has actually taken a poll on support for birth control, which is not abortion. I suspect that even many who have qualms about abortion support birth control. And I would also suspect that most of those people would not consider birth control pills an abortofacient. That is an extreme position even among religious people.

Steven Osborne said...

Most abortions in this country have nothing to do with the woman's health. If you don't believe me-go to any high school today and ask students why other students tend to get abortions and the answer will be that a girl got into a situation (possibly not of her own choosing) and now is looking for someone to make the situation go away, the problem is that abortion rarely takes the problem away, but often makes things worse. If Deeds were so concerned about a woman's health then he would oppose abortion based upon the statistic that 14% of all pregnancy deaths in this country are abortion related. Abortion is a hazard not only to the unborn child who will likely die, but also to the mother, abortion can also cause other health hazards. Bob McDonnell is right to oppose it, with the technology we have today-we can make abortion illegal in most, if not all cases, and still save the life of the mother.

Creigh Deeds claimed that he wanted to extend hope to all of the people of Virginia. What about those women who have died because of abortion procedures and people in the womb?

Karen Duncan said...

Steve, unless you are a doctor, I would suggest that when it comes to medical issues, you actually don't know what you are talking about.

There are many situations that I can think of where, no, you actually can't save a woman's life without an abortion.

Faith based science is actually not science.

Anonymous said...

Very nicely said, Anonymous. Likewise, abortion is one of the safest surgeries performed today. I have no idea where the number of 14% of all pregnancy deaths being related to abortion comes from.

Steven Osborne said...

So I am to assume that you are a doctor?

Texas Congressman Ron Paul has been an OBGYN for about 30 years, and he has stated that he has NEVER seen a case where an abortion is medically necessary.

Am I also to take it that Creigh Deeds only supports abortion in the instance of a woman's life being endangered? I know that is not the position of Planned Parenthood or NARAL, both of whom are strong and early supporters of Creigh Deeds.

Karen Duncan said...

Steve, I was a nursing student who made it half way through nursing school, at the top of my class before I switched in college. Plus, I've done a bit of medical writing.

And I'm sorry but I don't find Ron Paul a credible source.

Steven Osborne said...

Ron Paul is an OBGYN and has been for about 30 years, that makes him a credible source on the subject of pregnancy health issues.

Abortion really has been a blight upon our nation. It is morally reprehensible that Planned Parenthood tends to build their clinics near High Schools, knowing that they will get the most business their. There are multible accounts of Planned Parenthood workers covering up rape and doing medical damage to the women who come to them for abortions.

Planned Parenthood has been exploiting women for money, for years now, and NARAL has lowered a cloke of secrecy around these activities. The Democratic Party has totally abandoned their original principles by taking the pro-abortion position. William Jennings Bryan would be ashamed of where his party has come.

I am glad that we have leaders like Bob McDonnell who are still sticking up for those in our society who have no voice. If that is an extreme position, then so be it!

Karen Duncan said...

Steven, unfortunately I am out the door for a long planned trip, but when I come back, I promise you I will do an entire blog post on the subject of medically necessary abortions.

The very fact that Dr. Paul - I will respectfully use his title - makes such an outrageous blanket statement is enough to destroy his credibility as a medical doctor and scientist. He is more loyal to his right wing ideology than his to science.

Just off the top of my head I can tell you that a woman with a fast growing tumor would have her life threatened by carrying a fetus to term. She might need emergency surgery which would indeed destroy the fetus in order to save her life.

There are other medical conditions that would make carrying a baby to term life threatening or a danger to a woman's health. Indeed, pregnant women are at risk of developing diabetes, among a host of medical complications.

I will provide an article complete with medical and scientific citation for you. But trust me, Dr. Paul is not quoting good science here.