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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Todd Akin (R-Mo.) justified his extreme opposition to abortion by claiming that victims of "legitimate rape" rarely get pregnant.
Romney / Akin / Ryan .
bring it on !
Mark
Who cares what these women think? Like they are really relevant?
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They're more relevant than your Mark. Jealous much?
Taking away birth control provided by Planned Parenthood makes NO sense at all. I'm
not in favor of abortions, but, HOW do you prevent unwanted pregnancies if you can't take the PILL? Some women shouldn't have any children such as the mother of FIVE who BEAT her
4th child aged almost 3yrs into a coma, after first gluing her hands to the wall. PLEASE pray for that little girl.
Another display of Hollywood arrogance to think we care what they think.
Laughable not one person said overturn Roe vs Wade, this people think just because they are on the screen their voice really matters. What was really said? That the government should not be paying for peoples abortions!! I totally agree with that view. First let me say no man should be discussing a woman's health because unless they are a Doctor they have no clue. Secondly if a woman decides to have an abortion that is her right and between her, the babies father and God. But if she does want an abortion she should be willing to pay for it.
Notice how inevitably all of the anti-choice comments here are from men. Romney is ultimate snake oil salesman. Women are voting heavily against him for a reason. And a lot of men too. We realize that circumstances are very different for women (and their husbands, partners, doctors) who become pregnant, and that our society simply must give them as much freedom as possible to decide how best to come to their own very personal decisions. We are all free to decide what our own moral decisions are, but we also need to give that same freedom to everyone else.
Notax, I believe life starts at the point that the mass of cells in a woman's body can survive on their own outside of the woman's body. If they can't survive independent of the woman's body, why would they not be considered part of the woman's body? Thus, I believe in early term abortion, but I only believe in late term abortion in the case of the woman's health.
One thing that has always confused me. If you believe that life starts at conception, how do you justify abortion for rape, incest, and health of the woman? Aren't those also murder? I don't agree with the folks like Paul Ryan who would also outlaw an abortion in those cases, but at least his view is consistent. For the folks like Mitt Romney, who say that life starts at conception, but want to outlaw abortions except in the case of rape, incest, and the woman's health, aren't they saying that murder (in their view) is okay in those circumstances?
It is positions like what Ryan and Akin have taken on women, and the disbelief in science and the promotion of brainless Creationism that leaves me wondering the the GOP is simply a front for the Taliban these days. The GOP has simply lost any rational or moral ground with which to lead this great nation, instead preferring the irrationality of the the un-educated and those still scared of the dark.
As a liberal man who fully supports a woman's right to choose what happens to her body, I would like to sincerely thank all the Teatrolls who decided to post under this article in a dismissive, demeaning and belittling manner towards the women in this ad....even to the point of making disgusting assumptions that they're "sluts" and have had a couple willy-nilly abortions here or there. YOU PROVE THESE WOMEN RIGHT AND YUO PROVE THE TRUTH OF THE GOP/TEATROLL THREAT TO WOMEN'S RIGHTS.
MarioLuiggi, thank you for making the best argument ever for Obama. YES, I certainly want the government telling me what I can do with my OWN body.
Dixie is another display of low information voter arrogance to think we care what they think.
American Mom
That the government should not be paying for peoples abortions!!
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The government doesn't, and hasn't since the Carter Administration. How do you NOT know that?!
I knew we wouldn't have to wait long for those on the "right" to dismiss these women as "Hollywood types" and therefore irrelevant. -Funny how when THEIR "Hollywood types" (Clint Eastwood, Dennis Miller, Ronald Reagan) speak out on behalf of a conservative agenda, we are all supposed to bow down to their alleged wisdom. -Hypocrisy worthy of supporters of the biggest hypocrite of modern American politics, Mitt Romney.
I am always blown away by the men like Akin and Ryan who think their opinions matter more than a woman's. (Even if they are actresses.) Last I check all of these women were citizens of the United States and therefore have a right to voice their opinions just like the rest of us. I'm glad they are speaking out. Bravo, ladies. Obama/Biden 2012
Dear hollywood women, maybe some of you should move here to North Carolina and then we would have a better chance of changing our country. All my liberal friends moved to Cali or NY. I dont get it. By running away from your homes to the "great liberal cities" you are making it hard for us who are left behind to stand up to the bigots and ignorant who are here. Essentially, the red states view california and New York as ghettos for liberals. And you validate that by running away from home and leaving us to do all the real work. Have fun in california. You will get what you deserve. Vote Obama.
1% of all abortions in the US are due to rape or incest
6% of all abortions in the US are due to health concerns of mother and/or child
93% of all abortions are convenience abortions
That's what these women are fighting for. 93% of women getting abortions are doing so because they had unprotected sex and these actresses feel that everyone should bear the financial responsibility. At a time when so many people are struggling to make ends meet, asking them to help pay for abortions is insulting. Not surprisingly, extremely wealthy people like the 1 percenters in this video find it easy to make such a demand.
Romney would not overturn Roe v. Wade. It's doubtful that he will get enough support in congress to stop funding to planned parenthood, but he should.
Romney/Ryan 2012
These actresses use, and advocate abortion as birth control ... so that an inconvenience, like a baby's life, doesn't get in the way of their career.
Let the GOP put in place all there policies so we can forever be done with them when Americans finally get it through their heads that GOP policies reflect an ignorant view of American society that would put us back into the stone age.
American Mom,
It's a slippery slope. The Republican party believes in banning abortions. Period. If they get into power they will, and they always do, take incremental steps towards that.
Reiner working in the same vein as his hilarious mockumentary 'Spinal Tap'
Howard
These actresses use, and advocate abortion as birth control ...
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And you know this because.....
"clearly
Dear hollywood women, maybe some of you should move here to North Carolina and then we would have a better chance of changing our country. All my liberal friends moved to Cali or NY. I dont get it. By running away from your homes to the "great liberal cities" you are making it hard for us who are left behind to stand up to the bigots and ignorant who are here. Essentially, the red states view california and New York as ghettos for liberals. And you validate that by running away from home and leaving us to do all the real work. Have fun in california. You will get what you deserve. Vote Obama."
I get what you're saying, but have you been to California? I live here and I can go to the beach in the morning and ski in the afternoon (Venice Beach and Big Bear.) It's pretty damn wonderful. And I used to live in the East Village of New York, and it has the best food and the most interesting people I've ever met. Liberals tend to gravitate towards these places because they're frankly the best places to live in the nation.
Jobs or right to choose? Is this what the election coming down to? These are independant issues and there is no reason you cannot have both. Obama/Biden 2012
It's not what "they" think Dixie........it's what Romney, Ryan, and the rest of the GOP candidates think. And they think it is their place to decide women's health issues for the women of this country, who are obviously incapable of doing so for themselves.
Howard
"These actresses use, and advocate abortion as birth control"
Link? You can't because you know that never happened.
But lying is your moduc operandi. (Like the lie about the military changing it's protocol.)