What was my stance on contraceptives again?

[mpicky]

Reporter: “Should U.S. taxpayer money go to places like Africa to fund contraception to prevent AIDS?”

Mr. McCain: “Well I think it’s a combination. The guy I really respect on this is Dr. Coburn. He believes – and I was just reading the thing he wrote– that you should do what you can to encourage abstinence where there is going to be sexual activity. Where that doesn’t succeed, than he thinks that we should employ contraceptives as well. But I agree with him that the first priority is on abstinence. I look to people like Dr. Coburn. I’m not very wise on it.”

(Mr. McCain turns to take a question on Iraq, but a moment later looks back to the reporter who asked him about AIDS.)

Mr. McCain: “I haven’t thought about it. Before I give you an answer, let me think about. Let me think about it a little bit because I never got a question about it before. I don’t know if I would use taxpayers’ money for it.”

Q: “What about grants for sex education in the United States? Should they include instructions about using contraceptives? Or should it be Bush’s policy, which is just abstinence?”

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “Ahhh. I think I support the president’s policy.”

Q: “So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?”

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “You’ve stumped me.”

Q: “I mean, I think you’d probably agree it probably does help stop it?”

Mr. McCain: (Laughs) “Are we on the Straight Talk express? I’m not informed enough on it. Let me find out. You know, I’m sure I’ve taken a position on it on the past. I have to find out what my position was. Brian, would you find out what my position is on contraception – I’m sure I’m opposed to government spending on it, I’m sure I support the president’s policies on it.”

Q: “But you would agree that condoms do stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Would you say: ‘No, we’re not going to distribute them,’ knowing that?”

Mr. McCain: (Twelve-second pause) “Get me Coburn’s thing, ask Weaver to get me Coburn’s paper that he just gave me in the last couple of days. I’ve never gotten into these issues before.”

This went on for a few more moments until a reporter from the Chicago Tribune broke in and asked Mr. McCain about the weight of a pig that he saw at the Iowa State Fair last year.



http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2...iv-prevention/



He needs to research whether condoms help prevent the spread of disease? And, he has to research what he has said in the past to figure out his stance on this issue?

[charm586]

politics, politics.... i don't think he actually needs the research to answer that but he probably felt like he was in a position where if he answered logically he would lose the conservative vote who want to only promote abstinence

[Aunt Sponge]

Why does he ALWAYS have to say something like "I don't know much about it" or - quoting from this bit "I'm not very wise on it"

Damnit - I'm such a freaking republican but McCain pisses me off by being such a freaking "I dont' know anything" person. GRRR

[OneRed911]

Our country is so screwed...

Really getting tired of having to pick the lesser of evils.

[Wicked]

I don't like the idea of a President who doesn't know that contraceptives help curb the spread of AIDS. That is (or should be) pretty common knowledge and definitely something that the President of a country with an AIDS epidemic should know about. More so, I don't like the idea of a President who will say that he doesn't know so that he doesn't risk losing votes. Pandering sucks.

[Amberly]

Obviously he feels like he can't say what he wants because Republicans tend to freak out whenever he says anything too liberal. Preaching the whole no sex route is fine but saying that should be the only funding is stupid. Plain and simple. You can't change people's morals with one/a million the only kind of safe sex is no sex nonsense.

[jennypage]

Well, at least that means a few more votes for Obama!!

[mrsjohnson1222]

sigh so sad

[pennylayne]

well the man proboly never used them. hard to alk about something you've never needed becuase you saved it for marriage and are in a monogomous(sp?) relationship. Come on people. The point isn't if he knows what condoms are for, The point is we shouldnt be sending our money over to africa because their own government can't deal with the situation. If they want to have random promiscuous sex and get aids and die, let em, less people to use gas. Lord that sounds harsh but they know what they are doing so its their choice.

[mpicky]

Originally Posted by pennylayne well the man proboly never used them. hard to alk about something you've never needed becuase you saved it for marriage and are in a monogomous(sp?) relationship. Come on people. The point isn't if he knows what condoms are for, The point is we shouldnt be sending our money over to africa because their own government can't deal with the situation. If they want to have random promiscuous sex and get aids and die, let em, less people to use gas. Lord that sounds harsh but they know what they are doing so its their choice.

You ought to read up on McCain, because he isn't known for being monogamous. That to me isn't the point. The point is, he can't answer the question because he can't remember how he has answered it in the past. That tells me he isn't honest, because if he were, he wouldn't have to remember what he said in the past, he would know, because it is how he feels. Ask me what I think of anything and I can give you an answer right then and there.

But, lets take what you said, he may not know anything about condoms because he never had to use them, sorry, but the man wants a job that will require him to adopt policy on sex education and on health issues, he is way behind if he doesn't know anything about them.

I am not touching the rest of what you said, but I did find it lacking in compassion.