Reply #41: NO - Drop the choice argument - it's a loser [View All]

[Can o Beans]

Drew Westen, a psychologist and faculty at Emory, addresses this in his recent book. The choice argument, he notes, made some sense in the 1960s and 1970s when women were far less equal to men than they are today, and were constantly being repressed. In order to evoke the needed emotions that will motivate the voter of the 2000s, a stronger moral appeal is needed.

Here's what Westen recommends - it appeals much more strongly to the emotions of the female voter (note: I am paraphrasing, and thus will not do as good a job as the author)...go for the jugular by invoking the rapist/child molester argument:

"My opponent, Governor Palin, opposes abortion even in the case of rape. I and the American people find her position to be disgusting and reprehensible. In fact, by taking such a position, she places the rights of rapists above the rights of their victims. Under the Palin position, rapists could simply decide who should be the mother of their child, mercilessly attack their victim, and the Palin administration would then force the woman to carry the baby to term. Governor Palin is not only radically outside the mainstream on this issue...she's in favor of a Rapist's Bill of Rights..."

"Governor Palin's radical right wing position also dictates that minors must seek parental permission before seeking an abortion. Imagine the completely untenable situation this puts a young girl in, who has been molested by her stepfather, and becomes pregnant. Not only does the molester have rights above and beyond those of the victim, but after such an attack, the victim must then seek the permission of the vile person who disgustingly betrayed her trust in order to abort a fetus created through incest."

"It is clear that Governor Palin lacks the moral standing to become vice president, given her proclivity to support the rights of rapists and molesters while denying American women the right to choose."

THIS is the argument that the left should be pursuing...(thanks to Dr Westen).