The professed-Catholic Nancy Pelosi received the Champion for Women’s Health Award from Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider, today in the Rayburn House Office Building.
Which made me look up that old transcript from Meet the Press from a while back—remember when she said as a Catholic that the Catholic Church is undecided about whether abortion is the taking of a life? But really she was saying she is undecided about whether she’s Catholic?
MR. BROKAW: Senator Obama saying the question of when life begins is above his pay grade, whether you’re looking at it scientifically or theologically. If he were to come to you and say, “Help me out here, Madame Speaker. When does life begin?” what would you tell him?REP. PELOSI: I would say that as an ardent, practicing Catholic, this is an issue that I have studied for a long time. And what I know is, over the centuries, the doctors of the church have not been able to make that definition. And Senator–St. Augustine said at three months. We don’t know. The point is, is that it shouldn’t have an impact on the woman’s right to choose. Roe v. Wade talks about very clear definitions of when the child–first trimester, certain considerations; second trimester; not so third trimester. There’s very clear distinctions. This isn’t about abortion on demand, it’s about a careful, careful consideration of all factors and–to–that a woman has to make with her doctor and her god. And so I don’t think anybody can tell you when life begins, human life begins. As I say, the Catholic Church for centuries has been discussing this, and there are those who’ve decided . . .
MR. BROKAW: The Catholic Church at the moment feels very strongly that it . . .
REP. PELOSI: I understand that.
MR. BROKAW: . . . begins at the point of conception.
REP. PELOSI: I understand. And this is like maybe 50 years or something like that. So again, over the history of the Church, this is an issue of controversy.
Sometimes I wonder if it makes those at Planned Parenthood uncomfortable when she brings up her Catholic issues, wondering whether abortion is the taking of a life and all. Isn’t that the kind of question they don’t like to ask?
