Tornado Alley (PROG)

[F6]

Ryan Pressed to Explain Position on Rape and Abortion

By TRIP GABRIEL
August 22, 2012, 1:01 pm

Representative Paul D. Ryan sought to distance himself from Todd Akin, his House colleague, on Wednesday by condemning his comments about rape, even while deflecting questions about the meaning of “forcible rape.”

He was pressed on the issue on his campaign plane after he did not directly confront the question in an earlier television interview with the Pittsburgh television station KDKA [ http://news.yahoo.com/video/pittsburghkdka-15751084/in-exclusive-interview-paul-ryan-distances-self-from-todd-akin-30347281.html ].

Not long after that interview was broadcast, Mr. Ryan made his first visit with the traveling press corps at the back of his campaign plane Wednesday, where he was asked about his previous support of anti-abortion laws that did not include an exception in an instance of rape. Mitt Romney supports such exceptions, as well as for incest and to save a pregnant woman’s life.

“I’m proud of my record,’’ Mr. Ryan said. “Mitt Romney is going to be the president. The president sets policy. His policy is ‘except for rape, incest and the life of the mother.’ I’m comfortable with it because it’s a step in the right direction. I’m going to leave it at that.’’

Asked about a bill that Mr. Ryan co-sponsored with other Republicans, including Mr. Akin, to prohibit federal funding of abortion except in certain cases including “forcible rape’’ – language that women’s health advocates said attempted to narrow the definition of rape, and was eventually stricken – he pointed out that 16 Democrats also voted for the 2011 bill.

“That bill passed by 251 votes; it’s bipartisan,’’ Mr. Ryan said. It was blocked from becoming law by the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Mr. Ryan confirmed reports that he had spoken with Mr. Akin to add his voice to the chorus of Republican leaders calling for him to quit the Senate race in Missouri.

“It was as you would imagine,’’ he said of the call. “I’ll keep it between us.’’ He said he agreed with the Missouri Republican delegation that Mr. Akin “should have dropped out of the race,’’ adding: “But has has not. He’s going to run his campaign and we’ll run ours.’’

As Mr. Ryan was asked follow-up questions, an aide cut him off, and he withdrew to the front of the plane, bearing a plate of cookies he had offered to reporters. It was his first on-the-record conversation with members of his traveling press corps.

Asked in the Pittsburgh television interview what the 2011 bill meant by “forcible rape,” Mr. Ryan interrupted. “Rape is rape,’’ he said. “Rape is rape, period. End of story.’’

“So that forcible rape language meant nothing to you at the time?” Mr. Ryan was asked.

“Rape is rape and there’s no splitting hairs over rape,” he said.

© 2012 The New York Times Company

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/22/ryan-pressed-to-explain-position-on-rape-and-abortion/ [with comments]


===


Ask Your Local G.O.P. Candidate About ‘Legitimate’ Rape

By ANDREW ROSENTHAL
August 22, 2012, 12:30 pm

A reporter for the Pittsburgh TV station KDKA asked Paul Ryan [ http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/08/21/in-exclusive-interview-paul-ryan-distances-self-from-akin/ ] the other day what he thought of Rep. Todd Akin’s pronouncement that victims of “legitimate rape” can magically “shut down” pregnancy and so do not need the right to an abortion.

Mr. Ryan went through the motions of expressing shock: “His statements were outrageous, over the pale. I don’t know anybody who would agree with that.” * But when the reporter asked Mr. Ryan if he thought abortions should be available to rape victims, he toned down his rhetoric.

“Well, look, I’m proud of my pro-life record. And I stand by my pro-life record in Congress,” Mr. Ryan said. “It’s something I’m proud of. But Mitt Romney is the top of the ticket and Mitt Romney will be president and he will set the policy of the Romney administration.”

The answer is instructive, and emblematic of the way Republicans have been trying to handle Mr. Akin’s deranged rant. Mr. Ryan acts as though Mr. Akin is an outlier when, on the merits—setting aside the biological mysticism—there’s not much daylight between them.

It’s not like we don’t know Mr. Ryan’s views on rape exceptions. He is opposed to them. He’s on the record [ http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/08/22/724641/ryan-refuses-to-say-abortions-should-be-available-to-women-who-are-raped/ ] saying abortions should only be legal if the mother’s life is at risk. We also know that he is a leader of a right-wing faction devoted to the odd pursuit of redefining rape. Last year, he and Mr. Akin co-sponsored the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” which would have prohibited federal funding of abortions except in cases of “forcible rape.”

Republicans are trying to airbrush Mr. Akin out of the party, but simultaneously Republicans in Congress and in state legislatures are attacking women’s reproductive rights. They enact laws that chip away at when and how women can obtain abortions. When that fails, they pass legal requirements that make it difficult for doctors to provide abortions, or they cut funding for organizations that provide abortions.

House Speaker John Boehner, who has said anti-abortion measures are central to the Republican agenda, acted appalled at Mr. Akin. So did Senator John Cornyn, another devoted anti-abortionist. He withdrew the pledge of $5 million that the National Republican Senatorial Committee had made to Mr. Akin’s campaign and tried to get him to drop out. He called Mr. Akin’s comments “wrong, offensive, and indefensible.”

But what are these politicians so upset about? Mr. Akin’s belief that rape victims shouldn’t have access to abortions? Or just his belief that women can “shut down” pregnancies?

Voters should know for sure—what, exactly, do Mr. Akin’s fellow Republicans find so offensive and indefensible about the candidate’s comments? Reporters should put that question to every Republican running for national office.

3:09 p.m. | Updated

Many readers latched on to the phrase “over the pale,” originally transcribed as “over the pail.” (I was following the KDKA site [ http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4139 ], which has also substituted “pale” for “pail.”) Mr. Ryan made the comment in an interview, not in writing, and he likely meant “beyond the pale.” But he said “over” so that’s what’s recorded here.

© 2012 The New York Times Company

http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/22/ask-your-local-g-o-p-candidate-about-legitimate-rape/ [with comments]


===


Despite dodges, Romney, Ryan haunted by extremist record

The Rachel Maddow Show
August 22, 2012

Rachel Maddow points out the clear political and policy connections between the Romney ticket and the extreme, absolutist anti-abortion movement, and encourages the political media to hold Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to account for their legislative deeds and political associations instead of taking them at their word as they try to distance themselves from their own record.

© 2012 NBCNews.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/48759281#48759281 [show links at http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/08/22/13424337-links-for-the-822-trms ]


--


Paul Ryan social policy exposes image gap

The Rachel Maddow Show
August 22, 2012

Craig Gilbert, Washington Bureau Chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, talks with Rachel Maddow about Paul Ryan's legislative record of extreme anti-abortion policy and how it is encroaching on his preferred political profile of economic wonk and regular, moderate guy.

© 2012 NBCNews.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/48759294#48759294 [show links at http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/08/22/13424337-links-for-the-822-trms ]


--


Ryan forgets he's seeking national office

The Rachel Maddow Show
August 22, 2012

Rachel Maddow points out that despite Paul Ryan's efforts to distance himself from his own record by insisting that only Mitt Romney's opinions matter in the 2012 election, he is, in fact, a national figure seeking power over all Americans, not just the ones who share his personal convictions or his financial status.

© 2012 NBCNews.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/48759316#48759316 [show links at http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/08/22/13424337-links-for-the-822-trms ]


--


'New back alley' emerges as US abortion restrictions rise

The Rachel Maddow Show
August 22, 2012

Thanh Tan, reporter for The Texas Tribune, talks with Rachel Maddow about how increasing abortion restrictions in the U.S. are contributing to a "new back alley," manifested in part in a new trend in American women seeking dangerous abortion alternatives from Mexican pharmacies.

© 2012 NBCNews.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/48759449#48759449 [show links at http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/08/22/13424337-links-for-the-822-trms ]