Mr. Buehl’s words sound reassuring, but does he really believe that killing is a matter of individual conscience? I don’t think so. In fact, I’m sure he agrees with me . . . with millions of us, both men and women . . . that we shouldn’t allow anyone to kill simply because they claim that their conscience grants them that right. So let me make my position as clear as possible: abortion is murder. Plain and simple.”
“As I said, I strongly disagree—”
“Excuse me, but I haven’t finished!”
“May I just say—”
“May I finish?”
“I only want to say—”
“May I FINISH?”
“Go ahead.”
“Thank you. Abortion is the taking of an innocent human life. That is my unshakeable conviction. And no liberal doubletalk about rights or freedom can disguise this fundamental truth. So let’s stop trying to satisfy the selfish whims of irresponsible women, and talk instead about raising our moral standards.”
¶ ¶ ¶
“As you heard, the debate just ended. Now let’s go to our team of experts for analysis. Alice Lasky, what did you think?”
“Jim, for a first-timer she did a lot better than many of the so-called pros expected. Maybe they figured that because she’s a woman she’d get nervous—”
“No one said that—”
“But the fact is, she stated her opinions clearly and firmly—”
“Until she became too aggressive—”
“And started whining—”
“Bruce Nolan—”
“And screaming—”
“Boy, there’s a loaded word—”
“Buehl kept interrupting her.”
“He was trying to make a point!”
“It was her turn!”
“And that’s why many women are going to sympathize with her—”
“Ben Hansen—”
“Some women. Maybe. But I doubt it—”
“You have to understand.”
“Alice—”
“There’s nothing women hate as much as—”
“Don’t you see? She’s clearly wants to turn back the clock on a personal right that women have fought for decades to preserve—”
“But he’s militantly pro-abortion—”
“The phrase is ‘pro-choice.’
“Lisa Dubrow—”
“No one is pro-abortion—”
“It’s traumatic under the best of—”
“Then why is he so enthusiastic about them?”
“Bruce, did you want to get in here—”
“He’s not—”
“Her beliefs are grounded in ethical and moral principles—”
”Alice . . . er . . . Ben—”
“They’re part of her religion—”
“She wants to deny women basic control over their own bodies—”
“There’s nothing women hate as much—”
“She treats women as if they were children—”
“She says she wants to do away with government interference—”
“Exactly—”
“But she brings the legislature right into the doctor’s office—”
“That’s an exaggeration—”
“Dictating treatment—”
“Demanding that certain documents be read aloud—”
“They want to treat women like children—”
“There’s nothing woman hate as much—”
“What about fiscal concerns?”
“There she sounds very convincing—”
“But without any specifics—”
“There’s nothing women HATE AS MUCH—”
“On the other hand, Buehl has supported women’s rights for years—”
“THERE’S NOTHING WOMEN HATE AS MUCH AS BEING INTERRUPTED BY MEN!!”
“Let’s remember that.”
“We’ll be back to Forum after this message.”
¶ ¶ ¶
“Now to Cindy Howell at McClellan campaign headquarters.”
“Thanks, Jim. I hope you can hear me over this commotion, because there’s no doubt that unfettered joy is the feeling of the moment, as Cassie McClellan’s supporters threaten to raise the roof. During the past week, tight polling had suggested that the outcome of this contest might not be decided until late in the evening, but from the start of the vote-counting, the numbers have been going Ms. McClellan’s way.
“We now anticipate her victory speech . . . wait a minute . . . I hear something . . . and here she comes!
“Congresswoman-elect McClellan, accompanied by her husband and children, has finally arrived to address this cheering throng and relish a well-earned victory lap.”
“Thank you! Thank you all very much!”
“Yay!”
“It’s been quite a night, hasn’t it?”
“Yay!”
“All the experts predicted that there was no way we could unseat a ten-term Congressman, but we showed ‘em, didn’t we?”
“Yay!”
“This is a truly victory for the people!”
“Yay!”
“‘Yay’
