Dean's Planned Parenthood Ties Raise Additional Issues....

[deminflorida]

concerning his ability to be elected in the General Election.

http://crosswalk.com/news/1234767.html

They may not be able to get to his records, but I'll bet they can get to the records of the clinics he worked at, or they can get to the people who worked with him, or patients that attended.

"I did not perform abortions. I'm a medical doctor. Nor did my wife," Dean told a Boston television station in July. Dean's wife Judith also is a physician.

Connecting the dots from last night's debate: Is there any situation in which you would ever lie to the American people?

Mark my words, they're looking, they're looking hard, and they better not find anything now.

[REP]

1. Non Issue

Wow. He spent part of his residency in a medical clinic. Shocking.

Crosswalk.com is a great place to look up bible verses in various translations, but a lousy place for news.

[La_Serpiente]

2. I am pro-choice

however, I think there should be a plan to respond to the right wingers. This is to prevent them from stealing the issue.

[giantrobot_2000]

3. Wake up

Wake up and smell the coffee, folks. EVEN THOUGH IT IS WRONG, Rove is going to PILLORY Dean with this.

Clark is the man who can beat Bush. Please be honest with yourselves and realize that a lot of Americans would be uncomfortable with someone who WILL BE (I guarantee Rove will do this) unfairly smeared as an "abortion doctor."

[La_Serpiente]

4. He didn't perform abortions

However, he did work at a Planned Parenthood clinic.

[giantrobot_2000]

6. Incindiary

"However, he did work at a Planned Parenthood clinic."

Do you realize how incindiary this is to a lot of people? Do we really want to nominate someone who is even vulnerable to this attack.

Clark FIRMLY support's a woman's right to choose an abortion or not.

[REP]

9. I'd Say Dean's Support Goes Beyond Mere Talk

Planned Parenthood is a womens health clinic. As a resident in the Internal Medicine program, Dean provided healthcare to low-income women at PP. That'a more than just words.

[Q]

40. So then...you want to nominate someone the Right approves?

- It's a serious mistake to allow the other side to define what's acceptable in a candidate. Shouldn't that be up to the voters?

[ima_sinnic]

5. your advice is taken with a giant grain of salt

. . . and there are even more who WILL BE uncomfortable with someone unfairly smeared as a "war criminal"

[giantrobot_2000]

7. You again

". . . and there are even more who WILL BE uncomfortable with someone unfairly smeared as a "war criminal"

No, he'll run his campaign based on the fact that he led the effort to capture a war criminal out of Kosovo, a man who is now standing trial in the Hague.

[ima_sinnic]

17. doesn't matter how he runs his campaign

. . . any more than it matter how any of the others run theirs. He has very smearable "issues." You think the repukes are suddenly going to get all ethical, teary-eyed, and soulful over a Clark nominee??? Yeah, I can just see O'Reilly talking about Clark's magnificent, humanitarian and noble war record.

[matcom]

18. LOL

not to mention the endless video footage of him stating how GREAT the Bush Administration was for bombing the shit out of Iraqi's

LOL indeed :crazy:

[boxster]

51. If you honestly believe that Clark is going to be smeared by the RW

as a war criminal, you have no understanding of the current political and social culture in this country. You really think the pro-war media and the pro-war Bush Administration are going to smear Clark as a war criminal? Think again.

The only people smearing Clark as a war criminal are supporters of his opponents.

[KaraokeKarlton]

19. Dean isn't a OB/GYN

He's an internist. Internists don't perform abortion. Not even all Planned Parenthood clinics perform abortions to begin with. And even those clinics that do perform them do other things besides abortion. Let Rove look for dirt on Dean because there isn't anything that's going to hurt Dean. Frist is more likely to have performed an abortion than Dean is.

[bitchkitty]

22. Ridiculous.

I'll bet the Klu Klux Klan hates Dean! Better run Clark instead! </sarcasm>

This is such a non-issue.

[KaraokeKarlton]

27. This is the dumbest concern ever

The only people who would even care about this at all are the religious right wing pro-lifers who picket clinics. They don't vote for Democrats anyhow, so what they think is totally irrelevent.

It's more likely that Frist has performed an abortion than Dean because Frist is a surgeon and abortion is surgery.

:eyes:

[rman]

38. then why doesn't Rove focus on Clark,

if Dean can't win anyway, it'd be a waste of time to frame him on anything.
Unless Rove wants Clark to win?

[Don Claybrook]

49. I choose not to cower in fear of Karl Rove

Sometimes you just have to have the courage of your convictions and not be terrified of Twinkie-snarfing thugs.

[Racenut20]

8. War criminal??

There are people way down here south of Philadelhia that would vote for Lt. Calley before they would vote for someone from planned parenthood.

[REP]

10. Yeah - Republicans

We weren't counting on them, anyway.

[LeahMira]

45. Unfortunately...

There are people way down here south of Philadelphia that would vote for Lt. Calley before they would vote for someone from planned parenthood.

And that would be THEIR problem. I don't think they are going to vote for any Democratic candidate under any circumstances, though. At least not at this point.

Howard Dean was on TV this morning and he raised a good point. People living "south of Philadelphia" have not prospered under a Republican administration, and Gov. Dean challenged them to examine that fact.

So what do you think? Assuming you are living "south of Philadelphia," will your neighbors be willing to put aside their religious convictions re abortion, gay rights, prayer in schools, and so on when they see their wallets shrinking? Or will they see their wallets shrinking as some indication of almighty anger at America gone astray? Or will they take some position somewhere in between those extremes?

[leetrisck]

11. You mean like Bill Frist

Consider this a non issue but will they make it one - yes - Republicans will make anything an issue - just keep pounding on Frist in the same manner.

[matcom]

12. i am 100% PRO CHOICE

i am 100% PRO PLANNED PARENTHOOD

when the FUCK did "we" collectively move this far right? just because your candidate isn't polling higher?

NOW you are worried about Planned Parenthood ties?

disgusting.

Rove will be very pleased.

[giantrobot_2000]

13. Eloquent

"when the FUCK did "we" collectively move this far right? just because your candidate isn't polling higher?
NOW you are worried about Planned Parenthood ties?"

I think you're missing the point about this post. This will be used as a dagger against Dean. Politics is hardball, a bloodsport. I can tell you're new to this.

[matcom]

14. HA

"new to this"

hardly pal.

i just openly laugh at "Liberals" who worry about "Liberal Ties" to Dem candidates.

Bring 'Em On!

time a Dem stood up and PROUDLY said "Yes, I worked at Planned Parenthood, and did so PROUDLY"

i am sick to death of this repuke lite bullshit. LET Rove use it. LIEBERMAN would balk but that is what i would expect. The others? You think KUCINICH would back down had HE been a doctor working for PP?

NOPE.

be pissed at Dean all you want. i wonder what your attitude would be if Clark had been a doctor at PP or had tossed his medals over the WH fence or did anything "Liberal" in his life.

:eyes:

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

21. Oh my...

You are so n00b it hurts. I suggest you take a few moments out of your busy schedule of opining at length, and learn a little about the lay of the land and some of the long-time posters here.

Because, with the last line of your post, you prove yourself damn near clueless as regards this place.

[bitchkitty]

23. hahahahaha!

If your post wasn't so funny, it would be insulting.

New at this? You don't get out much, do you?

[gttim]

24. Ohh noooo!

I am so freaking scared, I am going to run right out of my office, and peel my Dean stickers off my truck! He worked for PP CLinic, OMFG! EEK! You are right, even though Clark has been a repug until recently, he is our party's savior. God bless Clark!

(Think I need sarcasm tags? Or is it obvious?)

[Enjolras]

30. It's time to stand for something more than just winning

You recall that strategy of not rocking the boat didn't work so well in the mid-terms.

If your only priority is simply beating Bush, no matter how tepid and uninspiring the candidate, maybe you should nominate Zell Miller. He could win, and he isn't Bush. Is that all that matters.

So what if Dean did work at an abortion clinic? He's a Democrat, and openly and proudly pro-choice. Yes, Rove is going to try to skewer him with this. So? That's politics. The extreme left is still trying to accuse Bush of drug addiction and a relapse into alcohol abuse. How is that smear campaign going?

[Ramsey]

43. Not a very sharp one

Being associated with Planned Parenthood will be a feather in his cap among Demcorats. Only right wing extremists will care about this and they aren't voting for any Democrats anyway.

There will be lots of daggers being thrown at Dean by the opposition, I doubt this one is going to be a desicive one.

[OKNancy]

15. He was only a doctor for four years

I doubt there will be much negative there.

[Rose Siding]

41. He practiced for over 12 years

Moved to VT to practice in '78. VT legislative positions are held by citizens with jobs. He was with a patient in '91 when they told him Snelling died.

And he would have interned for a period of time before '78.

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=about_biography

[SahaleArm]

16. Abortion is a non-issue to Democrats and Indys *nm*

[Bozola]

20. My God! Dean worked for Planned Parenthood?!

Good for him!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

25. Pro-pregs won't vote for any Dem

This is a non-issue with no impact.

[veganwitch]

26. "I did not perform abortions. I'm a medical doctor. "

implying what? that folk who perform abortions are something other than that? that statement bothers me. it fits well with the anti-choice line of thinking that doctors should only "do good" and "harm none" and that abortion in the antithesis of that. therefore the loaded term "abortionist," not ob/gyn, doctor, nurse etc.


but that said, i think the article is digging for a non-issue.

[REP]

46. "Medical Doctor" Means Not A Surgeon

Surgical residents perform surgical prcedures; internal medicine residents do not.

[KaraokeKarlton]

28. Bill Frist gets financial profits from abortion

I say let Bush attack Dean on abortion and use this little gem to point out the hypocrisy. Dean worked in a clinic that provides free and reduced cost reproductive health care for people but never performed any abortions. Bill Frist makes money off the the killing of unborn children. So much for Bush being able to use this.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/809651/posts

[Hep]

29. BFD

I hope they don't find a record of him shooting nuns!

[Ramsey]

31. He is not an Ob/Gyn

Dean trained as an internist. They don't preform abortions, which is a surgical procedure. That's what he meant when he said "I am a medical doctor". They are not licensed or trained to, thus would not be allowed to. Only fully trained Ob/Gyns can perform abortions. When I was an intern I did a rotation in ENT, but that doesn't mean I can perform laryngectomies.

It sounds like he did a brief Ob/Gyn rotation as an intern in order to learn about obstetrical problems. He then worked at a clinic seeing women for routine problems. He would have to have referred women to an OB/Gyn for an abortion procedure.

Let's face it, the anti-choicers are going to make an issue out of anyone who is staunchly pro-choice, but they are never going to vote for a Democrat anyway, so who cares?

[maddezmom]

33. I am pro-choice

this is a non issue with me. And I doubt he would have gotten any of the pro-life vote regardless of where he did a rotation for medical school.

[AWD]

32. Cool!

I was waiting to try out the "hide a thread" feature, but I needed to find a hateful non-issue from a ridiculous source that wouldn't have legs if it evolved over 2,000 years!

Thanks!

[matcom]

34. LMAO!

:thumbsup:

[Ficus]

35. It's not like the right will vote Dean anyways

I mean come on - he's lost that ever so important Democratic constituency - the christian right - with the civil unions issue. It's not like preforming abortions or working for Planned Parenthood will hurt him.

[HuckleB]

36. Well, we know you're anti-Dean, and...

Purportedly, you support Clark, though we've no idea why, since your focus in life is Dean.

[slinkerwink]

47. that's the mystery there

[LuminousX]

37. One of the reasons why I like Dean

Planned Parenthood is one hell of a great organization.

[Q]

39. Spreading yet more RWing talking points? What's up with this?

- Some Democrats seem to be doing the job of the right wing smear machine by bringing up issues that divide voters into factions.

- This thread seems to be implying there's a reason to DOUBT or be SUSPICIOUS of a Democrat candidate.

- This is simply amazing considering the American media didn't seem real concerned about the past or record of those currently in full control of our country. Even more amazing is that some seem more willing to use a Democrat's past against them than trying to spread the truth about the criminals in the White House.

[Selwynn]

42. BECAUSE THEY ARE RIGHT

Once again, a LIE told by a Democrat is still a lie, and a TRUTH told by a Republican is still a truth.

If anyone is a good source to look to for the weaknesses and pitfalls of a democratic candidate, its the guys trying to defeat that candidate.

And as far as the "public" concern about the past goes - you watch.

[CWebster]

44. On another thread, the same poster

a Clark supporter, of course, refers to Gore re-inventing himself again.

[Pastiche423]

48. Democrats?

Are you sure?

[Eloriel]

50. You misstated the question he was asked

It was: is there any situation in which it would be acceptable for the president (or did he say chief executive?) to lie to the American people. Not Dean himself.

[Scott Lee]

52. Only to the anti-choice whackos.