NARAL: Considering a run for Governor, Vinehout misrepresents her record on women's health

[tanglefoot]

Vinehout Backpedals

<snip>
...In her statement, Vinehout also points to her 2006 position statement on abortion, claiming that her position has not changed. She states, “I believe that abortion should be legal and safe. A woman should not be a criminal for having an abortion.” Again, her record tells otherwise. In 2008, serving on the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, Vinehout cast the deciding vote against SB 398 which would have repealed Wisconsin's unconstitutional criminal abortion ban and removed criminal penalties for women who seek an abortion.

“At a time when we have seen unprecedented attacks on women's health and reproductive freedom, Wisconsin women are looking for a candidate for Governor who will stand up to these attacks and ensure access to the full range of reproductive health services,” said NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin Executive Director Lisa Subeck. “As Senator Vinehout has indicated she is considering challenging Governor Walker in the upcoming recall election, it is critical that Wisconsin women know exactly where she stands on women's health.”
Subeck continued, “Senator Vinehout is backpedaling on her anti-choice views and misrepresenting her past actions, but we will not be fooled. Her own record in the Senate tells the real story. Vinehout is not the leader we need to end the attacks on women's health launched by Governor Scott Walker and his anti-choice colleagues in the legislature.”

I don't care how many times she denies being anti-choice, her actions say otherwise. Add to that the fact that she lied blatantly, and I'll never vote for her in a primary.

How many Dems will stay home if she gets the nomination? Can we afford Vinehout?

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

1. Just replied in other thread - thanks for the addl info but I am going to have to look up this bill

and read it myself, because frankly, now i don't know who to believe!

Thats how negative politics works, people get turned off to both sides.

Excuse my ignorance, but criminal penalties for abortion is news to me - what's that about? How can that be, when women have abortions in this state? I did a quick google just now, but am not finding anything.

[tanglefoot]

2. The criminal penalties are old laws on the books

IIRC, the bill was about cleaning up those old criminal penalties and getting them off the books so that if there is ever a time in Wisconsin when abortion once again becomes criminal, the current set of old, white bastards in office will actually have to debate what those criminal penalties ought to be.

Why vote against that?

Look, I absolutely understand your skepticism and welcome your consideration of these new facts. That's what I was hoping for with this post. I gave Sen. Vinehout the benefit of the doubt until I sat in a room in Eau Claire and listened to her try to explain her vote on the pharmacist conscience bill. When it became clear she couldn't explain her vote after swearing in 2006 to just the opposite, when she began to dance around any discussion of her "choice" philosophy with the vague "rare, safe and legal" mantra, it was obvious she was running from it then, just as she is now. She is absolutely aware that being anti-choice and being a Dem in this state is a recipe for failure. That her district is not particularly progressive (and neither was her 2010 opponent, Ed Thompson) is the only reason she won reelection.

[Big Tent]

3. NARAL wants Kathleen Falk!

Special Interest Groups such as NARAL only care about winning a Democratic Primary by pushing Kathleen Falk in the Governors race. I do not see how Kathleen Falk win's a state wide race in Wisconsin. Vinehout has an opportunity to win if she is to be the nominee. You can only take what NARAL says seriously to a certain point. Have to remember that if a primary emerged between Kathleen Falk and Russ Feingold, they would choose Kathleen Falk because of her gender, not because she has anything to do with winning a Recall Election against Governor Walker.

To me looking at why a recall election has emerged in Wisconsin from the thick for the protests a year ago in February. This election has more to do with people like Senator Vinehout, who was part of the FAB 14, that allowed for the protests to occur and the momentum for a recall election of Walker to compound. If the Democrats make this election about a special interest pushed candidate Kathleen Falk, who had recently quit her job as Dane County Executive, the Democrats will lose this election to Governor Walker.

If Vinehout runs, she is not Russ Feingold, but Vinehout's ability to win the Recall election against Walker is a mile higher than the ability of Kathleen Falk to do the same.

[tanglefoot]

4. I can take NARAL's take on choice.

And I'm quite sure their endorsement is about supporting a pro-choice candidate who has the best chance of winning, period. Unfortunately, until Barrett or Feingold or someone with a better chance takes out papers, they have to deal with the names on the ballot (or the candidates who agreed to complete their endorsement interview).

In fact, I'm betting they wouldn't have endorsed in a primary if Vinehout wasn't on the ticket (because they rarely do). They would have waited until after the primary.

I agree with you. I don't see Falk winning statewide. Neither do I see Vinehout winning statewide.

The problem with Falk is that she is too well known. The problem with Vinehout is that she isn't known well enough to win a 6-10 week race.

[Big Tent]

5. SB 398 was DOA!

Last edited Sat Feb 4, 2012, 04:27 PM - Edit history (1)

What NARAL is not saying is that in 2008 Wisconsin had a Republican Assembly and SB 398 was Dead On Arrival. Voting NO on a meaningless piece of proposed legislation is not a knock on a candidates record in my view. This email blast by NARAL just proves the point that they want Falk.

Vinehout concentrated her efforts on real reform "Healthy Wisconsin: Your Choice, Your Plan". Although the plan did not pass it did strengthen the Democratic Senate's hand going into the Budget Negotiations with the Assembly. What can be said about "Healthy Wisconsin: Your Choice, Your Plan" is that it was part of the momentum nationally that did lead to the passage of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law by President Obama.

As a Governor I would much rather have Vinehout than Falk. Vinehout as a candidate will be great in the town hall's around the state, and as Governor, Vinehout has a realistic perspective on what can get done and how to do it through the legislature. Vinehout is not pushed around or beholden by the special interests in Madison.

[dembotoz]

6. NARAL carries weight with me

i will not support a forced birth candidate.

if it comes down to a forced birther and walker
shit
i might just sit it out
or work on a different campaign.

[Big Tent]

7. The Democratic Nominee

Honestly if NARAL and its supporters are going to play the My Way or the High Way card if they do not get their way over who the Democratic Nominee will be against Governor Walker, then take the High Way.

[thoughtcrime1984]

8. No kidding! So, people are going to sit it out if Vinehout is the candidate???

Give me a break. Single issue voters drive me nuts. Why did we work so hard to recall Walker if we are going to have people sit it out if they don't get their exact Democratic candidate? I will back the winner of the primary be it Vinehout, Falk, Barrett, Kind, Barca, anybody. ANYBODY. but. ALEC WALKER.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

9. Just what I was afraid of... we dont have time for special interests right now- lets pull away from

the precipice first, get our democracy back - then we can go back to our usual customary squabbling in 2 -3 yrs time.

As a union member- state office worker thug, I would say union rights are front and center but I would not make it about union rights exclusively... or any one thing exclusively. There is a whole host of reasons why those 1 million people signed.

One other thing that needs to be said. This is truly a state-wide movement..... with newly activated activists and new leadership emerging that's not based in Dane Co and /or not previously associated with Dem party or any organization. I frankly could not be more thrilled to see Vinehout, Compas, United Wisconsin, the farmer guy who spoke at the big March 11 rally - & probably lots of others emerging. People who are coming from other cultures besides Madison or long-established leftie activist culture - may bring other perspectives and personal backgrounds to the table.

[dembotoz]

10. i held my nose and voted for obama and i wouild hold my nose and vote for vineout

but if you ask if i would work for a prolifer

no


i just do not see that happening

just telling the truth.....
i would find other stuff to do

[undeterred]

11. I actually like Kathleen Falk and since she is the only prochoicer who has declared her candidacy

so far, I will support her in the primary.

I have no reason to think that Vinehout has a better chance of winning a statewide race against Walker than Falk does.

[Big Tent]

12. NEVER WILL GIVE TO NARAL

Now that NARAL, is using its funds in Wisconsin to inarticulately smear a Democratic State Senator, who happens to be great on reproductive Health issues, NEVER WILL I GIVE TO NARAL.

NARAL is an establishment org from past, that has not really done much to push its own causes, let alone help the Democratic Party in general win contested elections around the country.

Instead of NARAL investing time in local and state politics, by worrying about what happens when Roe vs. Wade is over turned at the Federal level by having a conservative supreme court, why not put all their resources into re-electing President Obama. If President Obama is re-elected there is a good chance that with retirements looming their will be a pro Roe vs. Wade supreme court the next 30+ years.

[wispat1]

13. A misguided attack

This little smear campaign is certainly reminiscent of Falk's discraceful attacks on Lautenschlager during her last electoral faceoff.
Wow - such unpleasantness towards Vinehout before she has even declared. Vinehout is a phenomenal advocate for Women's health. We need a candidate who can work with both sides and move Wisconsin forward. I may not agree with every thing Vinehout says or does, but I trust and respect Vinehout's motives and judgement. She is genuine and committed to the best outcome. I do have to say that this little power play by a NARAL (spokesperson?), before Vinehout has even declared, alienates me. I am a woman who supports pro choice. However, I will not be dictated to about who I vote for - not by any political organization.

[dragonlady]

14. I have to agree with you

As the saying goes, we shouldn't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. The perfect candidate from our perspective would mean Walker remains governor until the law catches up with him and Rebecca succeeds him. After all the work that went into this, it's unthinkable.

And welcome to DU!