January 16, 2004
"NOT ACTIVE"?:
People Who Mislead People (George Neumayr, 1/16/2004, The American Spectator)
People magazine published an interview with Howard Dean this week, full of the usual babble and fluff. But buried beneath it were some surprisingly newsworthy comments. Consider Dean's skittishness during the interview about his work for abortion provider Planned Parenthood."Were you both active in Planned Parenthood in Burlington?" asks People of Judy and Howard Dean. Judy Dean tried to downplay their work: "We both worked there, while we were residents, but I wouldn't call it active." Not active? Howard Dean served on New England Planned Parenthood's executive board.
Then Howard Dean defensively answered a question not asked: "And no, neither of us ever did an abortion." People's interviewer, puzzled at Dean's defensiveness, asks, "Why do you say it that way?" Howard Dean: "Because I always get asked that."
"Why didn't you perform abortions?" asks People, a logical question given Dean's loud support for abortion and close connection to Planned Parenthood. Howard Dean: "Because we don't do them. They don't train residents to do that." Really? Young doctors in residence at Planned Parenthood are shielded from abortions? That's implausible since residents at Planned Parenthood are offered training.
At least he has enough sense of decency left to be ashamed of his association with them. Posted by Orrin Judd at January 16, 2004 9:06 AM
I doubt that it's decency. More likely it's expediency.
Posted by: Jeff at January 16, 2004 9:52 AMHe didn't inhale. Great.
Posted by: kevin whited at January 16, 2004 10:03 AMSeems like smoke = fire here ... and I agree with Jeff above, about expediency.
And isn't it interesting: Democrats and lefties love to talk about the ideology of "choice", and support it in the abstract; yet when we get a potential Presidential candidate who used to work at an abortion factory like Planned Parenthood, he is very quick to distance himself from it. The reality, she is harsh, no?
Perhaps they were not aware that an ideology that endorses an act is, in the end, no different from performing the act yourself.
As medical doctors, they had the privilege of performing that most sacred of medical rites, the Abortion, and they chose not to? That should be held against them, especially considering how groups like Planned Parenthood will go to court against doctors who find the Holy Rite objectionable to force them to provide it.
Actually, the oddest thing about that interview was the personality split between Dean in private life and Dean the politician. In the interview Dean and his wife seemed like a perfectly nice, quiet, affectionate married couple, sensibly indifferent to frills, viewing their children's upbringing as a matter of utmost importance, humorously tolerant of each other's foibles.
That aspect of Dean disappears the moment he takes to the platform. He simply spews hate and venom. Even making allowances for the overheated emotionalism that seems an invariable accompaniment to political oratory, he goes well over the edge.
How ironic that the "warmonger" Bush is able to mention his political rivals without going into a frenzy, while the candidates who advocate peace are driven into paroxysms of rage whenever they hear Bush's name.
Posted by: Josh Silverman at January 16, 2004 8:08 PMSeveral years ago I had an abortionist for a client. The case had nothing to do with his occupation, but general background is always brought up and explored. I have never had a client so reluctant to reveal himself, even privately to his own lawyer. No pride there. Looking back, the man was in some kind of hell.
Posted by: Peter B at January 16, 2004 8:16 PM