Last night, Chris Matthews hosted a “Hardball” debate about Virginia’s new bill that would require a woman considering an abortion to have a transvaginal ultrasound. During the debate, Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of the ultra-conservative Susan B. Anthony List, twisted and turned various facts by suggesting that the majority of women support being legally required to have this highly-invasive and expensive procedure, and caught falsely claiming that women only had to have an ultrasound “offered” to her — when the Virginia law would force her to undergo the procedure.
But first, a quick note about who Susan B. Anthony was, via Wikipedia:
Susan Brownell Anthony (February 15, 1820 – March 13, 1906) was a prominent American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women’s rights movement to introduce women’s suffrage into the United States. She was co-founder of the first Women’s Temperance Movement with Elizabeth Cady Stanton as President. She also co-founded the women’s rights journal, The Revolution. She traveled the United States and Europe, and averaged 75 to 100 speeches per year. She was one of the important advocates in leading the way for women’s rights to be acknowledged and instituted in the American government.
The Susan B. Anthony List, “dedicated to electing candidates and pursuing policies that will reduce and ultimately end abortion,” co-opted Susan B. Anthony’s name, with no clear indiction of what her views on abortion are. Disgusting.
Back to “Hardball.”
First, Dannenfelser was caught in falsifying facts by Matthews when she stated, “all that is involved here is saying that 24 hours ahead of time, that that ultrasound be available and offered to the woman,” according to the MSNBC-provided transcript, below.
Matthews interrupted her, as any quality journalist would have, to clarify that the law requires that ultrasound be performed, not be made available to her, as in, “Would you like a mint?”
Then Dannenfelser told Matthews that “the reason the majority of women in Virginia and across the country support this is that they believe in that vulnerable spot in a difficult place, that more information is better,” also according to the MSNBC-provided transcript, below.
Apparently, Dannenfelser has polling that no one else is privy to, because we have poll after poll after poll that states that a majority of women — and in some polls, men too — do not want the law to be involved in her decision to have an abortion, and certainly do not want the government foxing her to have a medically-unnecessary and invasive procedure, like a transvaginal ultrasound.
Dannenfelser also falsely claimed that having an ultrasound was “vital” for the health of the woman — certainly not true. Were it true, doctors would demand a the procedure and there would be no need for a law.
Even Matthews slams Dannenfelser, asking, “Why are you pushing a bill you don’t understand the ramifications of?”
Of course, Dannenfelser does not support the Obama administration’s mandate to have all employers offer contraception services free of charge. Because as the head of a women’s organization dedicated to eliminating abortions altogether, having contraception — which would reduce the number of abortions desired — is not acceptable. She’s against it.
It’s a woman’s right to choose — not the Republican Party’s right to tell.
Majorie, if you have to twist facts to make your point, you don’t have one. Shame on you. Lord knows Susan B. Anthony is rolling in her grave knowing you represent her good name.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640
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>;>;>; next door to here in virginia, nearly 1,200 protesters descended on the state capital to protest legislation working its way to the governor that would require a woman to get an ultrasound before having an abortion. legally requiring an ultrasound violates the doctor/patient relationship. the ultrasound is a tool for informed consent before having an abortion. virginia is now the focus of this fight and could join seven other states at least where women are already legally required to have an ultrasound before an abortion. texas, law there states the provider must describe the image. in virginia, the bill as written now would require the ultrasound be done, but not that the woman view it. coming on the heels on access to contraception, is the virginia fight another example of the placing undue burden on women’s care. margeny denifeld joins us. cynthia, you go first. what’s wrong with this legislation requiring an ultrasound before an abortion?
>;>; everything, chris. republicans have been bludgeoning the administration with government intrusiveness. the affordable care act is supposed to be so intrusive. what is more intrusive than man mandating a medical procedure for a woman? one that is not medically e necessary? what is more intrusive of government than getting in the relationship between a woman and her doctor? i can’t imagine an episode of greater government overreach than that.
>;>; margery, your thoughts about why it would be important for the legislature to require this ultrasound before an abortion?
>;>; this is a matter of giving a woman more information that she needs to make a decision that’s fully informed. listen. these ultrasounds are standard procedure. planned parenthood’s hotline in virginia says that as well. all that is involved here is saying that 24 hours ahead of time, that that ultrasound be available and offered to the woman.
>;>; i thought the law said they have to have it.
>;>; the information. you have to have the ultrasound, yes. it’s not true that there’s no medical value in it.
>;>; just so the person watching the show understands the issue here. is the issue whether this is required by law or not?
>;>; this is required by law.
>;>; if you win.
>;>; that is right. if we win. and the actual image is offered to the woman. she doesn’t have to look at it. it’s not true there’s no medical necessity. that’s why it’s a standard procedure.
>;>; what’s the medical advantage of having an ultrasound?
>;>; women have died and had all sorts of complications from abortions when the jes talgs age was not determined.
>;>; hang on a minute. if in fact planned parenthood already does this, why is the law necessary? if a doctor believes that the procedure is medically necessary, a doctor will do it.
>;>; because a woman deserves to see it.
>;>; but if it is not medically necessary, the government has no business telling a doctor he or she must perform this intrusive procedure when it’s not medically necessary.
>;>; the information is vital. there are other standard procedures required by government. this one is certainly vital for her health and her fully-informed decision.
>;>; i’m not going to take cynthia’s side, although i agree this should be a concern that people should have. there ought to be an ownous on the ones that want the law. a woman decides to have an abortion. she makes the decision. it’s legal. under the law in the first trimester. why should you get in the way of that decision once she’s made that decision? why should she be required to jump through hoops to do it?
>;>; the reason the majority of women in virginia and across the country support this is that they believe in that vulnerable spot in a difficult place, that more information is better. and making — one decision is a medical decision. one is about the contentious difficult decision about what’s happening in an abortion. an ultrasound speaks to that. it’s science. it’s a scientific opinion backing up a medical reality.
>;>; what percentage of women decide not to have an abortion after seeing an ultrasound?
>;>; why are you pushing the bill then?
>;>; i understand that women– i know that women think they should have that information. if they want the information, they should have it.
>;>; if women thought —
>;>; they are in a difficult spot. listen. they get all kinds of other information about every other aspect of everything that’s going to happen in a procedure. this is arguably another human being.
>;>; do you think abortion should be outlawed?
>;>; of course, i do. it’s another human being. but that’s not what we’re talking about here.
>;>; is this another way of beginning the process of outlawing it?
>;>; this truly is about giving a woman a fully-informed decision about what’s actually going on.
>;>; cynthia, last thought here. i want to move on to a larger question on women’s health. what do you think this means, cynthia? that this is being pushed.
>;>; it’s harassment. it’s harassment because the groups who are pushing this don’t want women to have the right to decide. it’s extremely condescending to suggest that women have not thought deeply about this. prayed about it, talked to family. if they wanted more information, they could certainly ask the doctor for it.
>;>; why should an abortionist in the first place do it? why should information that he’s going to get not be offered to the woman? that’s all that’s happening in virginia.
>;>; let me ask you a question. the insurance companies are required to carry without co-pay coverage for birth control. isn’t that going to radically reduce the number of abortions in this country? birth control? the fact that poor women, working women will get it free. they will be inclined to provide themselves with birth control and avoid abortions?
>;>; regardless of the answer to that question, the ends don’t justify the means. this is actually what this presidential debate, this is what this freedom of information is about. it’s about freedom. and for —
>;>; so radically reducing the number of abortions in this country is not a good end?
>;>; of course, it’s a good end.
>;>; it could be achieved by birth control.
>;>; but a mandate to require abortions?
>;>; the availability at no cost will encourage women to use it. it would seem to me because it’s free and made available in their insurance programs. won’t that radically reduce the number of abortions?
>;>; no. look. 100% access is what women have now. requiring — mandating that on individuals that don’t believe in abortion causing drugs is a restriction of religious liberty and should not be about it. that’s what we’re talking about. .
>;>; cynthia, thank you for your knowledge and passion as always.