NOW President Sees Clear Agenda in Bush Decision to Classify Fetus as an "Unborn Child"

NOW ^ | Feb. 2, 2002 | Rebecca Farmer, NOW Press Office

[Exigence]

Subj: news-releases NOW President Sees Clear Agenda in Bush Decision to Classify Fetus as an "Unborn Child"
Date: 2/1/2002 11:20:44 AM Central Standard Time
From: press@now.org (NOW Press Department)
Sender: news-releases-owner@now.org
Reply-to: press@now.org (NOW Press Department)
To: news-releases@now.org

NOW Press Office
202-628-8669 Rebecca Farmer, x 116
202-785-8576 (fax)

NOW President Kim Gandy Sees Clear Agenda in Bush Decision to Classify Fetus as an "Unborn Child"

January 31, 2002

"Today George W. Bush took yet another step toward reversing women's right to abortion under Roe v. Wade," said NOW President Kim Gandy, responding to Bush's decision to allow states to classify a fetus as an "unborn child" under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), purportedly to cover prenatal and delivery services. "This is a transparent ploy to grant legal 'personhood' to embryos and fetuses."

"Coverage of prenatal care is an absolutely critical women's health issue. I'm appalled that George Bush is using the very legitimate needs of poor women to make an end run around Roe," continued Gandy. "If Bush wanted to allow states to cover pregnant women under this program, he'd make it easier and faster for states to receive waivers -- he would make it automatic. Bush's guy at Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, said that he would support legislation currently pending in the Senate that would allow states to automatically add pregnant women to CHIPs. So why doesn't Bush put his weight behind getting that legislation passed?"

"Bush has made his agenda quite clear in recent weeks," said Gandy. "He declared Jan. 20 as 'National Sanctity of Human Life Day' saying that 'unborn children should be welcomed in life and protected in law.' He even made a not-so-subtle comparison of legal abortion to the events of Sept. 11."

Gandy also added that Bush made a point of delivering a speech via phone to the March for Life participants on Jan. 22, the 29th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. In his remarks, Bush again stated that "our nation should set a great goal" to protect unborn children "in law."

"NOW challenges the White House and Bush supporters in Congress to mandate health coverage of low-income pregnant women," said Gandy. "But the health and livelihood of poor women and their families doesn't appear to be Bush's goal." Gandy noted that President Bush's budget last year sought to cut the Maternal and Child Health Block Grants that provide health care to women before, during and after pregnancy, and to freeze the Healthy Start program, which has been shown to reduce infant mortality and morbidity.

"Endowing a fetus with more rights than a pregnant woman is more than a back door attempt to restrict abortion rights," Gandy said. "It's also a slap in the face to women everywhere."

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[Exigence]

It pays to keep an eye -- and an ear -- on the nonsense the opposition is floating.

[nothingnew]

NOW President Kim Gandy Sees Clear Agenda in Bush Decision to Classify Fetus as an "Unborn Child"

Heh heh heh...that's right kim...NOW, GFY...oh yeah, that's right, you do that all the time....Doh!

FMCDH

[tonyinv]

Payback is a B*tch aint it.

[ravingnutter]

"It's also a slap in the face to women everywhere."

And for baby killers, a well deserved slap it is...the rest of us applaud Bush!

[chesty_puller]

He did it for the baby's insurance.........BWWWAAAAHHHHH. I'm sure that's why he did it NOW. Stop....you're killing me.

[mad puppy]

Now that Clinton isn't 'doing as told', NOW is seeing all kinds of things, mostly red. The nerve of G.W. Bush to have a spine and the courage to do his own thinking. Next thing you know people will accuse him of having integrity.

[Rocko]

Another reminder of why I voted for GWB.

[DaveyB]

Wow! I’ve been fairly critical go the president, but I soooo support him on this!

Maybe NOW will stop sacrificing children to Moloch!

[SkyPilot]

women's health issue.

They have to twist the truth and cover up what abortion is...

poor women

Come now! The violins are playing.............

"It's also a slap in the face to women everywhere."

A not-to-subtle threat to unleash the "soccer mom" vote. I have news for these people---God will judge us all. The the modern-day Concentration Camps that are abortion mills will have to be answered to. They will soon see what a "slap in the face" to God means.

[SunStar]

I wish the National Organization of Witches would stop claiming to represent women in general. It's really getting tiring.

[Exigence]

The nerve of G.W. Bush to have a spine and the courage to do his own thinking. Next thing you know people will accuse him of having integrity.

Imagine that, a president with integrity -- after eight years of, well... *g*

[Exigence]

They have to twist the truth and cover up what abortion is...

Exactly. The truth would defeat them -- and they know it.

[js1138]

Interesting that we have a president who finds ways to change hearts and minds, which is the only real way to end abortion.

[Exigence]

Poor ol' NOW might just be surprised where that soccer mom vote goes next time around. Clinton is looking more diminished by comparison every day Bush is in office.

[Exigence]

Ping! Even the opposition understands Bush's pro-life stance and the actions he is capable of weilding -- quietly and calmly -- to make abortion less palatable. Getting the word "fetus" out of the lexicon of the debate is a huge step.

[fella]

"Maybe NOW will stop sacrificing children to Moloch!"

woW! I thought that I was the only one whose seen that connection.

[Exigence]

weilding

The spelling gremlin strikes again. Make that wielding.

[Republican Wildcat]

NOW President Sees Clear Agenda in Bush Decision to Classify Fetus as an "Unborn Child"

What? Truth telling?

[Judith Anne]

I think I read somewhere that NOW doesn't have too many members...around a thousand...so we care what NOW thinks because....?

Anyone can correct my memory--please--! if I'm wrong...

[Exigence]

so we care what NOW thinks because....?

I can answer that one. We (the hypothetical we) care because most journalists think like NOW and assume everyone else must also. It's the arrogance of the liberal mind. I believe there's discussion of this in Biased. I saw an excerpt somewhere, probably Drudge, that covered just this question.

Would that we could get them to understand that Concerned Women of America are a lot more mainstream than the lesbian-oriented NOW.