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McCain's Litmus Test On Roe

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:34:32 PM EST
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I thought this moment was the SUBSTANTIVE moment of the debate:

MR. SCHIEFFER: Even someone who had a history of being for abortion rights, you would consider them.

SEN. MCCAIN: I would consider anyone in their qualifications. I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade -- that would be a part of those qualifications. But I certainly would not impose any litmus test.

Excuse me, Senator McCain, if you say you would not appoint someone who supports Roe, you have just imposed a litmus test. The anti-choice litmus test. As a voter, you have disqualified yourself as a potential President for me.

More . .

Obama said:

Now I would not provide a litmus test. But I am somebody who believes that Roe versus Wade was rightly decided. I think that abortion is a very difficult issue and it is a moral issue and one that I think good people on both sides can disagree on.

But what ultimately I believe is that women in consultation with their families, their doctors, their religious advisers, are in the best position to make this decision. And I think that the Constitution has a right to privacy in it that shouldn't be subject to state referendum, any more than our First Amendment rights are subject to state referendum, any more than many of the other rights that we have should be subject to popular vote.

Psst, sounds like a litmus test to me BTW.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

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    McCain's Litmus Test On Roe | 24 comments (24 topical)

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    Welllllll. . . (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by LarryInNYC on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:36:38 PM EST
    As a voter, you have disqualified yourself as a potential President for me.

    I'm glad that's settled!  Because I was, you know, a little worried about you.

    Heh (5.00 / 0) (#4)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:41:52 PM EST
    Well, I bet he disqualified himself for other people too I think with that one.

    [ Parent ]
    The Philly burbs (5.00 / 0) (#6)
    by andgarden on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:43:24 PM EST
    John is cooked. NoVA too, I think.

    [ Parent ]
    He did that a long time ago (none / 0) (#21)
    by Dr Molly on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 06:28:52 AM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Did McCain stop half-way through (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by robrecht on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:38:50 PM EST
    and realize how stupid his response was?

    I thought that too. (none / 0) (#7)
    by Teresa on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:44:25 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    C'mon! He does and (5.00 / 0) (#3)
    by jpete on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:41:36 PM EST
    he doesn't.  Except that he does, really.

    So now that things are clear...

    How about this: (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by andgarden on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:42:49 PM EST
    I have a litmus test, and John McCain just failed it.

    And though I mostly agree with Obama on this issue, I wish he would have been as categorical as John Kerry was four years ago. Kerry had a litmus test, I have a litmus test, and so should John McCain.

    Pretty nice statement by Obama (5.00 / 5) (#16)
    by Democratic Cat on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 11:42:32 PM EST
    But, why is it always women "in consultation with" a cast of thousands? Why can't it just be that women have the right to decide, period. If I want to consult with anyone, fine. And if I want to make that decision all by my lonesome, that should be fine too.

    I suspect (5.00 / 0) (#18)
    by flyerhawk on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 11:47:33 PM EST
    because the image of a woman deciding to have an abortion on her own with no consultation with anyone suggests to some that the decision is capricious.   Certainly the pro-life side would make that argument.

    [ Parent ]
    Capricious? I don't think so. (none / 0) (#22)
    by Dr Molly on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 06:31:00 AM EST
    It's not capricious to make your own decisions about your own body on your own. Women don't need discussion with, or permission from, or advising on, or anything else.

    I trust Obama on choice but, like the commenter above, I don't like the way he phrases this because it smacks of infantilizing women, making it sound like they need others to make these decisions. Believe me, they don't.

    [ Parent ]

    I really hate (5.00 / 0) (#17)
    by flyerhawk on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 11:45:35 PM EST
    this whole litmus test meme.  

    I would imagine that both candidates have a litmus test that anyone who believes that Dred Scott was properly decided is not fit for the Supreme Court

    I suspect that, Obama at least, believes that anyone who finds Lochner v New York to be properly decided, is not qualified for the position.

    But of course neither candidate can say these things because their opponent will scream from the ramparts "My opponents supports political tests for Supreme Court nominees!".

    Litmus Tests (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by cal1942 on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 12:47:53 AM EST
    Every President employs litmus tests in making federal court appointments.

    For many it begins with ... is this guy acceptable to my party and then goes on from there.  

    That's how Eisenhower appointed Earl Warren, the Republican governor of California.

    Of course, that was in an era, long long ago, when the Republican Party didn't consist entirely of whack jobs.

    Poor John (4.50 / 2) (#15)
    by Maryb2004 on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 11:08:20 PM EST
    He forgot that after you tell the world you won't have a litmus test you reassure your base by referencing the Dred Scott case.  

    No one gave him the code.

    Yes, why can't he say that he feels (none / 0) (#8)
    by ThatOneVoter on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:46:18 PM EST
    Roe V. Wade was properly decided, and that a judge who has written he would overturn it is too far out of the mainstream of judicial thought to consider appointing?

    If you mean Obama (5.00 / 0) (#9)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:46:53 PM EST
    He said PRECISELY that.

    [ Parent ]
    Wait, I thought he said he had no (none / 0) (#10)
    by ThatOneVoter on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:48:21 PM EST
    litmus test.

    [ Parent ]
    HE lied on that one (none / 0) (#12)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:51:13 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Yup (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by andgarden on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:52:19 PM EST
    John Kerry did not, and I will always respect him for that.

    [ Parent ]
    I was watching in a bar.. didn't hear (none / 0) (#11)
    by ThatOneVoter on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:48:44 PM EST
    every word.

    [ Parent ]
    Did anyone (none / 0) (#19)
    by cal1942 on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 12:28:24 AM EST
    play the drinking game?

    [ Parent ]
    McCain against abortion (none / 0) (#14)
    by samtaylor2 on Wed Oct 15, 2008 at 10:55:31 PM EST
    Even when a mother's health I thought was huge- both in terms of attracting independent women and gaining donations from strong democrats (my mom called me and told me she was giving more money and she heard that).

    But why... (none / 0) (#23)
    by DancingOpossum on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 12:06:34 PM EST
    ...does Obama keep saying that women need to consult with their hubbies and religious advisers before they can get abortions?

    I guess as a woman with neither a husband nor a religious adviser, I'm SOL on exercising my constitutional rights. Sucks to be me, I guess.

    Why a 'litmus test'? (none / 0) (#24)
    by Don in Seattle on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 05:30:36 PM EST
    What does pH level have to do with abortion? Nothing I can see.

    Anyone here know the source of this cliche, as it applies to abortion rights?

    McCain's Litmus Test On Roe | 24 comments (24 topical)

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