Actresses call out Romney on abortion in new ad
(CNN) – Hollywood actresses Scarlett Johansson, Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington are featured condemning Republicans for their stance on abortion in a new political ad from the liberal group MoveOn.org.
The spot, released Monday and directed by noted filmmaker Rob Reiner, will air nationally and in the battleground states of Colorado and Virginia, the group said, adding it would air during shows primarily viewed by women.
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"I want to talk to you about women," Johansson says at the beginning of the spot, followed by Washington saying, "And about Mitt Romney."
"Mitt Romney is for ending funding to Planned Parenthood," Longoria says, with Johansson chiming in, "Including cancer screenings."
The ad continues:
Washington: "He said he'd overturn Roe v. Wade."
Johansson: "We have Republicans trying to redefine rape."
Longoria: "Trying to force women to undergo invasive ultrasounds."
Johansson: "If you think that this election won't affect you and your life, think again."
Washington: "Vote."
Longoria: "Vote."
Johansson: "Vote for Barack Obama."
In a statement, Reiner said Romney, and his running mate Paul Ryan, would "eviscerate women's rights" if they're elected in November.
"We'd be talking about getting rid of abortion, birth control, access to health care screenings. As a husband, son and father, I can't stand by and let this happen," Reiner continued.
"Misleading political attacks will not change President Obama's failed record," Romney campaign spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg wrote in response to the MoveOn.org ad. "His policies have made it harder for women across the country to start businesses, get good jobs, or see their children able to go to college and get started with their lives. Mitt Romney will lead us to a real recovery so that women – and all Americans – can succeed and live the American Dream."
Last week, Democrats pounced on Romney after he said in an interview with the Des Moines Register that he was not aware of any abortion legislation he would promote as part of his agenda as president.
Democrats claimed that was a reversal for the candidate, who maintained during the GOP primary season that he would support efforts to remove funding for Planned Parenthood, a women's health group that provides abortion services. Several House Republicans have introduced legislation that would strip funding from the group.
Romney reiterated that pledge later in the week, and on Sunday a top adviser to Romney's campaign said the GOP nominee was a "pro-life candidate" and would serve as a "pro-life president."
Ed Gillespie, speaking to CNN chief political correspondent Candy Crowley on "State of the Union," said that was a long-standing position for the Republican candidate.
"What the governor has consistently said is that he thinks Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided and this is something that should be left to elected representatives, to the people through their elected representatives," Gillespie said, referring to the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision affirming a woman's right to have an abortion.
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- Untitled
The great thing about America is that everybody can state their opinions...
But we know what opinions are like right?? Hollywood's are no different.
Hollywood can afford the increases in Washington's spending, average citizens can't.... Vote Mitt if you want to stop another 4 – 6 trillion being added to our debt.
Who cares what these so-called actresses think? President Obama is the most pro late-term abortion, anti-religion president in American history. Barak "Hussein" Obama was the worst case scenario selection for President of the United States in 2008. I was against him then and against him now. There is no morality, no core group of values reflected in Obama that I can relate to. Who is he? Not anyone that I'd like to know at all personally, let alone have as my President. So Scarlett, Eva, Kerry, why do you think you are so important? You are not. As a matter of fact, shut your pie holes.
You Hollyweird actresses, with all the money and richness yiu have, why don't YOU fund planned parenhood! You are the ones doing the war on women since you are too stingy to provide the money to planned parenthood!!
it's the economy stupid. Let the Dems keep hammering away on their soulless social agenda. Romney will win because the economy is in a shambles, people have no hope, and the change we have seen the past four years is a return to The Carter model of prosperity. Anyone who knows anything, which by what I see is limited, knows that individuals and businesses are much more efficient at driving an economic recovery. Government handouts do nothing more than create an unproductive dependent class that thinks I owe them a standard of living because I decided to get a job.
Women should be insulted that Obama believes women will fall for the fabricated "war on women." They should be appealed that Obama is lying so he can use then just like a player at a singles bar. Obama will "use 'em and lose 'em."
As a man, I am prolife and believe life begins at conception. However, as a person, I cannot honestly believe that it is my right to dictate what a women should do to her body just like I do not want somone dictating to me what I should believe. The persons trying to overturn abortion are misguided. They have failed to adequately respond to the following questions:
1. Who should dictate the rights of women over their bodies?
2. Who will enforce the law that is unenforceable?
3. Who will prosecute the rich just like the poor if abortion is outlawed?
4. Why should we allow opponents of abortion to require others to follow their belief when these same persons are adamant that they not be forced to submit to beliefs contrary to their values or beliefs?
5. Why should we trust abortion opponents to implement a just law in light of their unjust dealings with people of differing belief systems?
6. Why should we diminish the value of freedom to control a woman's right to an abortion while not doing so for other equally important religious or personal beliefs that cannot or should not be legislated by others?
Clearly, these are just a few questions. I cannot trust any politician as it pertains to making abortion illegal since I do not see them giving up their personal rights other than abortion at the demand of others who believe differently from the. No Christian in this country would tolerate muslims demanding that they submit to Islamic beliefs. Therefore, no such person should interfere with a women's right to control her body regardless of how we may personally or religiously feel about the matter.
Women should not allow the reversal of their right to abortion. If for no other reason, this is sufficient and serious enough to vote pro-choice. Pro-choice is a vote for pro-life the American way and not like many despotic nations on the other side of the globe.
its time Rommney make up his mind and come clean
with the american people
Have any of you really looked at the repub stance on womens health issues regarding this. As per the Republican convention, No exceptions in the case of rape, incest and the Health of the Women. This is what they said, this is the repub stance and if elected, romney has said he will try to overturn Roe v Wade and Romney will appoint Supreme Court judges that will do exactly that.
Fine repubs, If Roe v Wade is overturned Who is going to pay for all the babies born to people that cant afford to raise them. You? you betcha, everyone will pay. That includes you repubs!
These actors do not speak for all women. They certainly do not speak for me. And, I am far from interested in anything they have to say on any political issue. Why do they think people will be influenced one way or the other by what they think? No one seems to be as impressed with them as they are with themselves.
Regardless of the new president, Roe vs Wade will not be overturned.
Outlawing abortion will only result in the deaths of many women who would otherwise be fine. It won't just be the toll from back alley abortions, (which was one of the reasons the Supreme Court made its correct decision in Roe v. Wade,) there will be many women killed by the men who contributed the sperm to the equation – intentionally, accidentally, or while trying to force a miscarriage – in an effort to avoid 18+ years of being raped by the courts for "child support".
Even though I disagree with the Republican stances on abortion & religion they are still a far better choice than the Democrats. I have never seen a Democrat worthy of the office of President of the United States, and I doubt that I ever will. Until a viable secular Conservative party comes along the Republicans are the only possible choice – even if that comes down to choosing the lesser of two evils.
I guess for some people it's ok to take away a woman's right to choose, but an absolute travesty to try to control the flow of guns.
I find it interesting the word 'eviscerate' is used by the promoters of this ad while the true evisceration is done in the womb. Think, ladies and gentlemen.
Will the real Mitt Romney please stand up? This guy is all over the place. There's Tea Pary Mitt, the Mitt that the Tea Party wishes were Mitt, Mitt the Centrist, Mitt the Liberal, Mitt the new Obama, Mitt the pivoter, Mitt the misstater, Mitt the Twitt. I'm sick of Mitt getting away with standing for everything and nothing at the same time.
Americans are looking for jobs... not abortions.
Anyone who chooses the President based on abortion... is ignorant., self-centered, clueless.
The fact that Obama campaign has glamorous movie stars is kind of weird too. Most American women don't relate
to women in Hollywood.
I am a pro choice woman with a family and I vote. Would I ever have an abortion? Nope. Would I take reproductive rights away from other women? Nope. If Romney gets elected, he will nominate supreme court justices who don't care about the line between church and state.
I've had it with Hollywood 'stars' thinking they can speak for the rest of America. They are largely uneducated, overly-compensated elitists whose greatest talent is that they can memorize someone else's writing. They are misrepresenting the conservative right with exaggeration and horror stories. If it isn't clear to them that fully one half of the country is right wing, maybe they'll understand it when the backlash hits full-force. Decades of enduring liberal smack talk by hollywood is coming to an end. We're sick of it and we're not gonna take it anymore!
how can a society expect peace when it allows its mothers to kill their children?
You cannot expect nothing moral from these rich women actresses who are hypocrites and make money by exposing their indecent parts. Why hardworking middleclass and upper middleclass people have to pay for the abortion and related medical expenses, and contraceptives of women at large? I am taxed up to my throats. Why should I be forced to pay more for the things I don't approve based on my religious reasons. Though I disagree with the positions of these shameless actresses, I am glad that their parents made the choice of life instead of death for them.
Tired of elite hollywood types telling the people what the "republicans" will do. They are so out of touch with any and every subject, so rich they will never have to worry about a job, car insurance, home payments you name it. They will tell you what you should and will do with your monies but take freebies including clothes, watches, cars, whatever they will never pay for. The only thing "they" will accomplish is dividing the country more, they are overpaid empty shells. Let people investigate the issues and find out the truth for themselves–quit the scare tactic crap!
You cannot expect nothing moral from these rich women actresses who are hypocrites and make money by exposing their indecent values. Why hardworking middleclass and upper middleclass people have to pay for the abortion and related medical expenses, and contraceptives of women at large? I am taxed up to my throats. Why should I be forced to pay more for the things I don't approve based on my religious reasons. Though I disagree with the positions of these actresses, I am glad that their parents made the choice of life instead of death for them.
Only people who want to have no rights vote for Republicans. Abortion is just the beginning, their goal is to strip every right from the limited intelligence voters who support them.
And in other headlines, "Unborn Children Slam Actresses on Abortion"...
Why should I have to bear the spawn of anyone? This is the way of the world and YES it is a huge hypocrisy to conduct wars and apply the death penalty yet get all touchy feely about a fetus. There is a war in my uterus and I intend to win. It is called survival.