Begala on McCain: CNN 07/16/08

New Planned Parenthood Ad Played and Discussed on Situation Room (CNN, 07/16/08, 4:47pm)
WOLF BLITZER: [...] First I want to get to the internet buzz that's out there about a new anti-McCain ad that's just out from Planned Parenthood. [...]

ABBI TATTON: Wolf, it was an uncomfortable moment for Senator John McCain on the campaign trail last week. Asked about insurance plans that cover Viagra but not Birth Control. And now Planned Parenthood wants women voters to see it.

[Planned Parenthood McCain/Viagra Ad Shown]

TATTON: That ad is from the political arm of Planned Parenthood. They say it's going to be running in six battleground states and they are going right after women voters on this. It's going to be airing during Oprah in select markets and also in shows like Lifetime's "Army Wives".

[...]

BLITZER: What do you think, is this an issue he can put behind him?

DICK ARMEY: Well, I don't know. It's too bad he didn't realize, the correct answer was that it's not the government's business to issue mandates about private insurance companies. Unlike my opponent, I do not believe in government mandates on health insurance. I think he was taken by surprise, the question was such an inane and inappropriate question. It would have caught about anybody from surprise.

BLITZER: Why's it inappropriate? If some insurance companies will reimburse for Viagra but they won't reimburse for birth control?

ARMEY: In the private insurance market you get the coverage you pay for, and you should be free to stipulate the coverage you want. And my guess is that at John McCain's age, he's too old for birth control, and too young for Viagra. He's probably not given any thought to either one.

BLITZER: Well, I don't know about his personal predilections, but go ahead.

PAUL BEGALA: I don't want to know. I'm a democrat though, we make love, not war. And my republican friends can't do either, actually, if you look at the status of things in around the world. This is enormously problematic. This is a man, Senator McCain, who recently said he didn't know anything about the economy. Now he apparently doesn't know anything about procreation either. I mean, what does he know? It's a wonderful ad for Planned Parenthood. The left, and particularly the feminist movement, has often been criticized for lacking a sense of humor. Well, this is hilarious, if unintentionally so from Senator McCain. It's the fairest attack you can wage, is putting someone's own words and in this case 8 seconds of deadly silence, about an issue that every family deals with family planning for goodness sakes. The notion that he doesn't know anything about that is really problematic for McCain.

BLITZER: Is it going to hurt him?

ARMEY: I don't think it will hurt him because of the constituency that will be entertained by this ad is probably constituents he wouldn't vote at all. On the other hand, it might in fact help him. There's a big constituency that's had a little bit of doubt from the Christian right about whether or not he's their guy, and they might like him. But you know, it falls within the intellectual framework of asking a person what kind of underwear they wear. Quite frankly, the point still remains it's not the Federal Government's business to mandate health insurance coverage, and in a free market you can buy the coverage you want.

BEGALA: It's not a private matter, it's a public policy issue. You believe, that it's not the government's business, I believe it is. But that's why we have debates and elections. That's why politicians ought to know enough about the real lives of real people to have a position on something like this. I gotta tell you, this is something that effects people's lives and McCain is completely out of touch.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• John
• McCain
• Viagra
• birth
• control
• Planned
• Parenthood
• Paul
• Begala

[deanrdd]

Even with his 300 million dollars, McShame needs such massive amounts of Viagra, only help from an insurance company would allow him to afford it.

[xixiex]

The constituency that finds this funny doesn't vote? WTF?  I find this hilarious. And I vote in every election there is. Primaries, runoffs, whatever.

McCain is out of touch with the needs of real Americans!

[ferrisnox]

Friggin golden... that pretty much sums up Mccain.... well my staff and handlers haven't explained to me how to answer this question... let me get back to you...

[hellocutey]

This is testament of how out-of-touch the Republicans really are! How can he say that folks entertained by that advertisement don't vote! Ludacris! I don't understand how these men can expect to be the leader of the "free world" without making an attempt to know what's important to at least half the population!

[sh22man]

so what does Mccain know? is this the best man from the republicans this year?Obama08

[USA04July1776]

I LOVE John McCain, God bless this hero, patriot and good man!