Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

No apologies: Bachmann defends HPV remarks
CBS "News" ^ | 15 Sep 2011 | Sarah Huisenga

Posted on 09/16/2011 7:51:54 AM PDT by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

Michele Bachmann is on the defensive about comments she made earlier this week suggesting that a vaccine against a virus linked to cervical cancer poses a danger to young girls.

"During the debate, I didn't make any statements that would indicate that I'm a doctor, I'm a scientist or that I'm making any conclusions about the drug one way or another," the GOP presidential hopeful told reporters here who questioned her about the story she told suggesting that the vaccine had caused mental retardation. Asked whether she would apologize for comments that outraged medical experts say will discourage parents from getting their children immunized, Bachmann said: "Oh, I'm not going to answer that."

During the Republican debate Bachmann attacked her rival Rick Perry for mandating vaccinations against the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) for Texas school girls - a decision that the Texas legislature later overruled.

"To have innocent little 12-year-old girls be forced to have a government injection through an executive order is just flat out wrong," she said during the debate.

After the debate, Bachmann took her critique a step further, describing in several television interviews how a tearful mother had approached her after the debate saying that her daughter "suffered mental retardation" as a result of the vaccine.

(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: antiscience; antivax; bachmann; bachmann4romney; bachmannisaliar; captaingardasil; gardasil; hpv; perry; perrycare; rinorick; scaremonger
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 301-313 next last
To: DRey

Well sport you’re all class. You bring a whole new level of class to the conservative movement.


61 posted on 09/16/2011 8:19:55 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: driftdiver

Or his taxpayer support of failed “green” companies like HelioVolt.


62 posted on 09/16/2011 8:20:20 AM PDT by cripplecreek (A vote for Amnesty is a vote for a Permenant Democrat majority. ..Choose well.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: Perdogg
I was talking to my mother yesterday who I consider to be a good guage of public opinion because she is not very political and watches shows like The View and The Talk. She just thinks it is ridiculous that Bachmann is making such a huge deal over this vaccine. Also, she thinks the attacks on Perry over the mandate are unfair. She thinks the vaccine should be mandated.
63 posted on 09/16/2011 8:20:41 AM PDT by KansasGirl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus
Michelle shoots from the hip and doesn't engage her brain before speaking. Claiming Perry issued the EO for some pittance of a campaign contribution was absolutely bizarre. Right after the debate, she tells John King that the president isn't allowed to make a mistake. Then later, on Greta, she goes off on how Gardasil causes mental retardation without anything to back up her idiocy.

She's moved to bizarro world at this point and I'd be very surprised if she holds her seat in the House. Mitt might want to rethink using her as his pit bull. There's no way in hell anyone is going to pick her as VP.

64 posted on 09/16/2011 8:20:45 AM PDT by Mase (Save me from the people who would save me from myself!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ponygirl

This vaccine is different in a number of ways. First, the other vaccines are for diseases/illnesses that are communicable in the air or by touch. Everyone is vulnerable to getting those illnesses.

HPV is a sexually transmitted disease.

With all vaccines you have to weigh the benefits of the vaccine against the risks.

For example, my girls got the DPT shot because they almost died of a respiratory illness (RSV) when they were babies. The doctors said they would probably die if they caught whooping cough, and there has been lots of whooping cough in California. So there is a huge benefit of taking the DPT shot, and we determined it was well worth the risk of the side-effects.

For gardisil, my girls (who are now 14) are not sexually active. There is no benefit to them getting the shot at this time. There will be a benefit later on when they are sexually active, but not now. The risks for this vaccine for outweigh the benefits of this vaccine at this time.


65 posted on 09/16/2011 8:20:57 AM PDT by luckystarmom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: no dems
Because most 12 year olds have no concept of what getting AIDS would be like. Every single one of them knows what it's like to get a shot. I've seen high school kids pass out at just the suggestion of donating blood.

Other than that, of course if was sarcasm. Didn't think I would need to explain that.

66 posted on 09/16/2011 8:21:14 AM PDT by ponygirl (People are calling our President the Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers; thatÂ’s not allowed is it?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus
Now Bachmann has the liberal left on her side. At long as she attacking another conservative, they'll give her all the rope she needs.
67 posted on 09/16/2011 8:21:22 AM PDT by Realman30 ("I've already made a donation to Haiti. It's called taxes". . . . El Rushbo.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Socon-Econ

“Your view is libertarianism run amok. Parents have no right to send their un-vaccinated children to places where they can infect other children. Nor does a solder have a right to infect his platoon-mates by refusing a vaccination. Let’s not cheapen personal liberty by trying to stretch it to a ridiculous extent.”

Where is that an orgy? HPV isn’t the measles and children aren’t soldiers.

lets not turn America into a military controlled totalitarian state.


68 posted on 09/16/2011 8:21:50 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: Perdogg
"She needs to close her mouth or she will lose her House seat next year."

Michele will still have one supporter. Medical expert Jenny McCarthy!

69 posted on 09/16/2011 8:21:52 AM PDT by ari-freedom (Thank you, Bob!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

“Michele Bachmann is on the defensive about lies she told earlier this week suggesting that a vaccine against a virus linked to cervical cancer poses a danger to young girls.”


70 posted on 09/16/2011 8:22:06 AM PDT by Grunthor (Almost any republican currently running for POTUS would be light years better than Obama)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ponygirl

Vaccines are not required because public screwls are not required.


71 posted on 09/16/2011 8:22:20 AM PDT by demshateGod (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: South40; cripplecreek

“Interesting that so many ‘conservatives’ here are critical of the most conservative candidate in the race.”

If you watch their posting history you’ll see a clear agenda.


72 posted on 09/16/2011 8:22:44 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: cripplecreek

Who cares what the Perry supporters have to say on it. They are supporters. They are not going to slam this guy. That is silly and has nothing to do with the fact that you said you were excited that Bachmann was making ignorant baseless claims and sticking to them. Are you one that thinks this vaccine causes Mental Retardation in children?


73 posted on 09/16/2011 8:22:47 AM PDT by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: driftdiver

You’re really funny, drift. Pot calling the kettle black there, or are you conveniently forgetting your past “remarks” to me? Nice try.


74 posted on 09/16/2011 8:22:50 AM PDT by DRey (Perry/Rubio 2012)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Perdogg
-- The whole deal with vaccinations is that the effectiveness of vaccination is dependent on other people getting shots. --

The short answer is "no, that's not true," but a better answer is "it depends."

It depends on what you mean by "effectiveness."

The individual vaccinated obtains the benefit (immunity). They can be exposed, and they do not become infected. Their immunity does not depend on others being immunized.

But, looked at from the view of the entire public, and the workload on the health care system, it may be that high adoption by the herd is the desired/necessary effect.

-- The only reason people complain about the HPV vaccine is that people consider this a state licence to fornicate. --

One need only read a few threads, and find out this is false, a straw man argument, if you will. There are various reasons to object, even as simple as general principle of not liking being told what to do (and at the same time, willing to do it voluntarily).

-- The State is trying to headoff a wave of healthcare cost of treating cases of cancer in populations who cannot afford cancer treatment. --

Ahh, state-control of the medical industry. Now I see where you are coming from.

The state of Texas could subsidize the cost of the vaccine, give it away for free. This would make sense if it saves the state money in the long run.

75 posted on 09/16/2011 8:23:27 AM PDT by Cboldt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: driftdiver

Yes you’re embarrassing. What do you expect her to do, when someone asks her a question perhaps she should just say “DRey thinks I shouldn’t say anything”.

She should say “I don’t know. Let me ask a real doctor and I will give you an informed response.”


76 posted on 09/16/2011 8:24:40 AM PDT by ari-freedom (Thank you, Bob!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: ponygirl
The dynamic that drives this is that when it's your kid, the medical researcher's statement that "I'm sorry, we really just don't know what causes autism" is just emotionally unacceptable.

So parents grasp at straws and try anything, no matter how whacked and quacked.

One can sympathize with them while still rejecting their views as public health policy.

77 posted on 09/16/2011 8:24:40 AM PDT by Notary Sojac (Nothing will cure the economy but debt deleveraging, deregulation, and time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: ari-freedom

Yea, but Jenny McCarthy has some really big boobs.


78 posted on 09/16/2011 8:24:52 AM PDT by anton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: DRey

Class, a whole new level.


79 posted on 09/16/2011 8:25:23 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: driftdiver
You mean perry didn’t get all the Merck money?

Yeah, that $6,000 made all the difference in a campaign costing $30 million. How would he have ever survived and been reelected without it?

80 posted on 09/16/2011 8:25:40 AM PDT by Mase (Save me from the people who would save me from myself!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 301-313 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson