I used to have some respect for this guy when he stood up and voiced his opinions regardless of who agreed.

Now, all he seems to be doing is flip flopping and pandering to win.

So... Does this mean he's willing to personally adopt all of the unwanted children of the women who were forced to give birth? If someone's going to try to ban abortion, then I hope they're ready to take some sort of resposibility.

Damnit, he was in my hometown yesterday, and my dad actually went to shake his hand and get his autograph. He also got Lindsay Graham's autograph.

Sometimes it makes me wonder how I turned out to be a very liberal feminist when my parents are such conservative supporters.

The funny thing is that McCain pulled the same boner in 2000 in SC. He came into the state with a good head of steam, only to be knocked off the rails by the neoConservatives in the state, who spread a rumor that he had fathered a biracial child out of wedlock. As soon as this word got out along with criticism of his military record, he started losing ground to the Bush machine and never recovered.

This state almost elected a creationist as Superintendent of Education this past election, with her losing by a scant few hundred votes. McCain should concede the state and move on.

I think of myself as a "male feminist" much of which comes from my small 'l' libertarian leanings as much as the strong relationships I have with the women in my family (my mom, grandmothers, etc).

But in this instance I agree with McCain, I think Roe v Wade should be overturned, but only because I don't feel it is a strong enough stance on the issue, its both politically weak and a weak if not flawed ruling. But I don't think we as a country are ready for it to be overturned because we have nothing politically strong to replace it. Of course, in the current religious zealot political fervor our country is in nothing along those lines will occur anytime soon.

McCain is a disgusting man, and proof that being a "war veteran" should get you all of a handshake and a lollipop in the political world.

What McCain has been doing so far in his run for president is such shameless pandering, that I don't think even the people he's sucking up to will buy into it. But then again, that would be giving the religious right some intellectual credit...

It's not pandering. He actually believes that stuff, or at least consistently says he does. In 2000 he got Gary Bauer's endorsement because he promised anti-choice judges whereas Bush only promised constructionist judges.

I just emailed him, via his website, to let him know that although I had considered voting for him in the past, I was now unwilling to do so because of his weakened stance on torture and his statements about Roe v. Wade. For others who would have voted for him, I encourage you to do the same. Here is the link.

http://mccain.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm?ID=64

When he ran in 1999/2000, he said he didn't support overturning Roe. http://thinkprogress.org/2006/11/19/mccain-abortion/

When in San Francisco, support Roe. When in South Carolina, hate Roe.

He'll say/do anything anything if he thinks it'll help him and the media loves him too much to hold him accountable to his flip-flops/pandering.

Desperation is a sad thing to watch.

Jessica,
I have to question your use of the word "douchebag" as an insult. A douchebag being a device used to cleanse or irrigate a vagina. It seems to me that to use that as an insult is degrading to the female anatomy, as though the cleansing of a vagina is a disgusting, shameful thing. I feel that there is already enough disgust, shame and revulsion around the vagina in this culture, without a prominent, respected feminist furthering these horrible associations by her careless use of language. I'm all for insults, but I think we should avoid refering to our anatomy, or medical items related to our anatomy, in derogatory ways. Please let me know what you think.

Well, douching is bad for vaginas. It can alter the normal pH balance and cause all sorts of infections. Here is the HHS dept's FAQ about it.

Regardless of whether douching is good or bad practice, healthy, unhealthy, whatever...my point is about the language used. The word is associated with vaginas to some degree, and I still feel that as feminists we should not use such terms in derogatory ways, as long as there are so many people in this country to whom a vagina is already a negative thing (remember the Hoohah Monologues?

Yes, Convexville--it is a discussion we've had before, but I agree with soupcann. Douches are bad. They cause infections, and they're wholly unnecessary, as vaginas are more or less self-cleaning. Douches suggest that vaginas are icky, which makes it a wholly appropriate insult for a man who's just made it clear that he objects to the exercise of punishment-free female sexuality.

Perhaps 'enemabag' should be used in the future? After all, everybody poops...

Actually McCain version 1.0 (the circa 2000 maverick who won over a lot of moderates, myself included) had a very interesting response to the question: "how would you feel about abortion if your daughter got pregnant?" His response: that would be up to her. I don't have the link offhand, but it was well documented. It wasn't in the context of a debate or a high profile interview or anything. Just a local reporter following what was then referred to as the Straight Talk Express. So I've always considered McCain to be a closeted pro-choicer.

I can't explain McCain version 2.0 - the guy described as a podperson hatched in Karl Rove's greenhouse.

Here's a link: http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/01/26/mccain.abortion/index.html

and a few quotes:

"The final decision would be made by Meghan with our advice and counsel," McCain said, speaking of himself and his wife Cindy.

"I would discuss this issue with Cindy and Meghan, and this would be a private decision that we would share within our family and not with anyone else," McCain told reporters in New Hampshire on board his campaign bus nicknamed "The Straight Talk Express. "Obviously I would encourage her to bring, to know that baby would be brought up in a warm and loving family, but the final decision would be made by Meghan with our advice and counsel."

Now after these statements were reported he was clobbered in the North Carolina primary. And for those keeping track, McCain, not Bush, won New Hampshire. So North Carolina was the primary that did him in.

Guess the douche bag learned his lesson! So much for expressing what's in one's heart; better to tow the party line. Sorry Meghan, your womb is the government's domain...sucks to be you.