Remember when no one understood why ABC asked about contraception at the NH Republican debate?
Remember when George Stephanopoulos, at the New Hampshire Republican debate on January 7, brought up and harped on whether the candidates thought states could ban contraception?
Everyone, at least on our side of the aisle, shook their heads in disbelief as to why Stephanopoulos was bringing up the issue. There was no active controversy over contraception, it wasn’t in the news, and there were far more pressing political issues, yet what seemed like an eternity of debate time was devoted to the subject at the insistence of Stephanopoulos.
It was, shall we say, something out of left field.
When Romney said, it’s working just fine, leave it alone, everyone laughed.
Newt’s comeback was prophetic in hindsight:
Well what do you know, about a month later the Obama administration proposes administrative rules under Obamacare which would require free contraception be provided even by religious institutions which oppose contraception on religious grounds.
It’s almost as if Stephanopoulos got the memo first. Unless, of course, you believe in coincidences.
Update: Thanks for the h/t
Comments
Speaking of White House/Media coordination, from the Daily Caller, this story is getting a lot of attention:
Headline: “Inside Media Matters: Sources, memos reveal erratic behavior, close coordination with White House and news organizations”
“Jim Rainey at the LA Times took a lot of our stuff,” the staffer continued.
Jim Rainey … where have I heard that name before? Oh, yeah. When I was a writer for my high school newspaper, he was the editor.
In the spirit of Jethro Tull week … I found Rainey to be “Thick as a Brick.”
No wonder this dunce ended up in journalism …. just dim enough and partisan enough to be a featured columnist for a major newspaper.
Come on Professor, really? There was a huge controversy over Santorum’s position on the issue, because he has stated several times that he believes the states have a right to ban all forms of contraception, and he had just come close to winning (but actually won) the Iowa caucuses.
More like continuing to construct the election year picture….remember December 2011….
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203413304577084560710472558.html
“In an unprecedented step, the Obama administration’s top health official on Wednesday overruled the Food and Drug commissioner to block the Plan B emergency contraceptive pill from becoming available to young teens without a prescription.
The move inserted the Obama administration into the long-running controversy over how much the federal government should restrict access to Plan B, a so-called morning-after pill that can stop pregnancy up to three days after intercourse. Allowing girls under age 17 to buy the $50 pill over the counter could have saddled the Obama administration with a political target as the 2012 presidential campaign moves into full swing.”
None of this negates why the question was relevant to the GOP primary at the time.
It had imporantance because some Americans were already aware of Archbishop Dolan’s White House visit to discuss the forcing of religious organizations to provide health insurance plans that included birth control medications, the “morning after” pill and abortions. Because it was not widely reported in the 99% liberal press, doesn’t mean it was not reported or that the candidates were unaware of the issue coming down the pike.
After the WH meeting, Archbishop Dolan expressed hope that the problems with the HHS rulings could be worked out. Just what do you think those problems were?
Again, this simply does not bear on the Professor’s questionable assertion that there was no major controversy about any of the candidates’ position on state police powers over contraception choices.
The alphas, or mortal gods, who lead the secular cult must eviscerate or marginalize their competing interests. In America, and really around the world, their primary opponent is Christians, but likely Catholics specifically because of their centralized, authoritarian structure.
The secular cult denigrates individual dignity and devalues human life. It promises to fulfill its members’ dreams of physical, material, and ego instant gratification, principally through redistributive and retributive change (i.e. involuntary exploitation), but also through fraudulent and opportunistic exploitation. This is why they are obsessed with normalizing unproductive behaviors (e.g. homosexuality, promiscuity), and perverse behaviors (e.g. abortion or virginal sacrifice). This is what their members demand and they must realize their dreams without consequence.
Speak to us, oh Master, on ‘virgin sacrifice’. We wish to hear more.
Separated at Birth: Creepy Couples Edition!
[…] II At Work? Posted on February 13, 2012 11:30 am by Bill Quick » Remember when no one understood why ABC asked about contraception at the NH Republican debat… Well what do you know, about a month later the Obama administration proposes administrative rules […]
Governor Romney, would you approve of the president sending out death squads to randomly eliminate Administration critics? Just checking.
[…] reading at Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion. Share this:ShareTwitterFacebookStumbleUponEmail from → News and Conservative Thought […]
In summary:
The JournoList LIVES!!!!!!!
Rich Vail
Pikesville, Maryland
http://thevailspot.blogspot.com
Professor. WOW. I had not even made this connection. I remember that debate and I remember thinking why the hell are is little demonRAT Georgie asking about contraceptions? The decision to go after the Catholic Church was made on Jan.20th.
I for one do not believe this is a coincedence. Little Georgie of ABC doing the bidding for the WH, gee what a freaking surprise!
-signed a disgusted EX-demonrat!
[…] “Everyone,” writes law professor William A. Jacobson at Legal Insurrection, . . . at least on our side of the aisle, shook their heads in disbelief as to why Stephanopoulos was bringing up the issue. There was no active controversy over contraception, it wasn’t in the news, and there were far more pressing political issues, yet what seemed like an eternity of debate time was devoted to the subject at the insistence of Stephanopoulos. […]
[…] Continue… 0 […]
[…] moderator, so this argument seemed out of left field. You can read the meat of the argument at Legal Insurrection as well, but the argument goes back to the debate in early January where Stepanopoulos asked Romney […]
[…] was no coincidence, as Professor Jacobson noted just yesterday, that George Stephanopoulos harped on the subject of contraception at the New Hampshire Republican […]
[…] Remember when no one understood why ABC asked about contraception at the NH Republican debate? (legalinsurrection.com) […]
There is too much discussion about this 1st amendment violation. It is wrong, there is nothing to discuss or negotiate or compromise. The Catholic church has one option and one option only, file a law suit on grounds of constitutionality. Parrell with that they should continue to support publically the repeal of this law.
If the church followers get behind a bold and active opposition by the church leaders, it will be resolved, if not voluntarily by the O administration, involuntarily be removal of Obama from office. If Obama’s support from Catholics drops from 54% to 34% he cannot win in Nov.
Don’t bet that these events will happen because the Catholic church is similar to the Republican party, they can blow an advantage quicker than the other.
[…] America showing a majority against it on several levels. However, if you are not a Dick Morris fan, there are others making this same connection, especially in the wake of the recent news of a liberal think tank's […]
This is how they attempt to frame the debate. Opposition to requiring the coverage will be cast as efforts to “ban” it.
But of course, banning it and not requiring people who believe it is wrong to pay for it are two entirely different animals.
So now we know why that odd question came up. Question is, will there be any consequences for Media Matters & the Democratic Party?
Actually, you’ve left out the best response out of any of them, Ron Paul had the only answer that made a lick of sense to Stephanopolous’s stupid debate questioning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_KIm1T9eGk&feature=related
[…] else, Barack Obama is a master manipulator. Don’t get me wrong, he’s not alone (hello George Stephanopoulos and the rest of the media). Somehow, an election season that was supposed to be, and by all means […]
[…] Remember how baffled you were when George Steponallofus kept hammering the GOP candidates on contraception in that debate a little while back? That was the foundation for all of this. William Jacobson of Legal Insurrection figured that out before anyone else. […]
[…] is actually shrouded by the discussion of birth control, an emotional issue. The controversy was apparently manufactured (or at lease seized on serendipitously) by the Obama campaign.The real issue is not whether […]