Posted on 10/19/2012 2:20:04 PM PDT by Kaslin
After a Gallup poll showed abortion as the top issue among likely women voters, CNN's Carol Costello suggested Republicans are responsible – and not in a good way.
"Why now? Maybe it's because there's been so much controversial language surrounding the issue lately, like Congressman Todd Akin's 'legitimate rape' comments," said Costello, bringing in the Democratic talking points. [Video below the break. Audio here.]
CNN Points Finger at Akin, Walsh for Women Saying Abortion Most Important Issue
She added "quite controversial" remarks from Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) and asked "But because these sorts of comments are out there, might that be a reason that women are so concerned about the abortion issue?"
And Costello tarred Mitt Romney with their "controversial" words. "But, Ana, it is true Mitt Romney is pro-life. But he believes there are exceptions for the life of the mother and in cases of rape and incest. So, when you have comments like what Joe Walsh just said, it just paints Republican men in an unrealistic way, perhaps?"
Republican strategist Ana Navarro shot down her argument. "Look, Carol, let me tell you something, if we got rid of every congressman and every legislator who's ever said something that's ridiculous or ignorant, we'd be left with precious few people in the United States Congress," she maintained.
A transcript of the segment, which aired on CNN Newsroom on October 19 at 9:31 a.m. EDT, is as follows:
[9:31]CAROL COSTELLO: So what is the top issue for women voters? Equal pay? Mitt Romney's "binders of women" comment? The economy? Nope. It's abortion. That's what a new Gallup poll shows. 39 percent of women say abortion is the number one issue for them in the campaign. And that has more than a few women asking, abortion? Why now? Maybe it's because there's been so much controversial language surrounding the issue lately, like Congressman Todd Akin's legitimate rape comments. And just yesterday, Ann Romney visited the ladies on The View and she talked about her own take on abortion.
(...)
COSTELLO: Oh, you're not kidding. Another congressman, Republican Joe Walsh made some comments about abortion last night and they are quite controversial. Let's listen to that and then I'll ask you about it, Maria.
(Video Clip)
Rep. JOE WALSH (R-Ill.): This is an issue that opponents of life throw out there to make us look unreasonable. There is no such exception as life of the mother. And as far as health of the mother, same thing with advances in science and technology, there's – health of the mother has become a tool for abortions anytime, under any reason.
(End Video Clip)
COSTELLO: So, Maria, he appears to be saying that women are using the excuse of health of the mother to get abortions, at least that's how it sounds to me. But because these sorts of comments are out there, might that be a reason that women are so concerned about the abortion issue?
(...)
COSTELLO: But, Ana, it is true Mitt Romney is pro-life. But he believes there are exceptions for the life of the mother and in cases of rape and incest. So, when you have comments like what Joe Walsh just said, it just paints Republican men in an unrealistic way, perhaps?
ANA NAVARRO, GOP strategist: Look, Carol, let me tell you something, if we got rid of every congressman and every legislator who's ever said something that's ridiculous or ignorant, we'd be left with precious few people in the United States Congress.
That’s rich. The party of sex discussions 24/7/365 blames the Republicans for discussing women’s issues. Cannot believe with all the problems in our country the Dems have made the election about sex.
Carol would know.
it was common knowledge in central OH that Carol C. & Bob Hetherington were bumping uglies for years before they both moved to the DC circuit.
Misc abortions fit the pattern.
We let these Communists in through the front gate, by hook or by crook. We allowed them to put their top Community Organizer in charge of the whole show! Fool me once...!
HF
I do not believe abortion is the top issue for female likely voters.
I’d like to see the survey. It either forces people to select from a very limited number of issues, or it is open-ended with lots of issues, or it actually asks “what are the current issues on the minds of American women?” , i.e., asking them to regurgitate what the media has been pushing.
Too bad they aren’t concerned about terror attacks on our embassies or Iranian nukes. People are just so stupid.
Abortion is the most important issue for more people who are pro-life than for the handful of people who are pro-abortion. Apparently CNN didn’t consider this.
Real research would ask “Which of the following issues have personally affected you or members of your family or extended family this year?”
And then give a list.
I’m going to bet that “finding a decent abortion” and “non-availability of birth control pills” will not be on the list.
Carol’s pretty much an idiot, isn’t she?
I mean, who brings the issue to my home day in and day out? It’s not like I wake up with a teddy bear at the foot of my bed, prattling on about abortion because someone on the other side of the nation made a goofy comment.
No. I have to turn on the TV and flip to FOX, CNN or MSNBC to hear it.
All I have to ever ask the leftists, and I don’t expect them to give me a straight answer, is, how good is an abortion to solve the problem of a twenty-something child of yours who has had to move back in with you and is either unemployed, underemployed, or stuck doing volunteer work hoping that this unpaid volunteer work might get a job? Or how about the kid’s needs to pay off loans for school?
Again, if they are so obssessed with abortion rights, this goes to show how out of touch they are with the general American Public.
Notice they don’t say what percetage of those women are pro-life vs. pro-abortion. You know that if the percentages favored the left they’d be screaming them from the roof tops. Yet another way the media misleads the public!
Seems the press is dumping all sorts of crap on us right before the weekend before the last debate. Their bias towards Obama and RATs in general is just sickening. It’s the one thing that concerns me about this election. Too much time left for the press to run cover for Obama.
and which women did Gallup ask? I know of NO woman who thinks that abortion is the ‘top issue’ this campaign ( not even Sandra Fluke)
This is disgusting media manipulation in cahoots with the Obama regime at its worst.
Obama has been playing the ‘war on women’ card for months. This is just a media extension of that campaign.
What if I said abortion is the most important issue, but that’s because I am pro-life and want it banned?
It’s probably the central issue for me. If someone is pro-life, they are almost everywhere I want them to be on most other important issues.
Why do they assume that if a woman says abortion is the most important issue, she wants abortion kept legal and subsidized?
This is the survey:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/158069/women-swing-states-gender-specific-priorities.aspx
I think you’re right about the phrasing. It didn’t ask what YOU consider the most important issue. It asked what you think the most important issue for WOMEN is. So that naturally leads the respondents to think about issues that affect women more than they affect men. And they asked the men what they think the most important issue for MEN is. So they didn’t even ask both sexes the same question.
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