Soledad O'Brien Parrots White House Talking Points on HHS Contraception Mandate
Even when told that paying for birth control would violate the consciences of certain religious organizations, CNN's Soledad O'Brien wondered why the groups still shouldn't have to cover contraceptives for interested employees.
O'Brien cited statistics from the abortion-supportive Guttmacher Institute showing that even the vast majority of Catholic women use birth control. She then asked why so many shouldn't have the option to pursue such practices, regardless of what the Catholic Church teaches. [Video below the break. Click here for audio.]
"But a lot of their employees aren't Catholic, right?" O'Brien asked of Catholic schools and hospitals. She spun the HHS mandate as "ultimately isn't that giving an option to people who have decided not to follow the church's teaching on this?"
The CNN host asked the other guest, the ACLU's deputy legal director Louise Melling, a carefully-worded question about the freedom of churches, which are obviously exempt from the mandate, and not religious schools or hospitals, which are at the center of the controversy. "Why shouldn't someone like a church, who is against contraception, say why can't we opt out of that?" O'Brien asked.
Melling affirmed that churches are exempt, and gave her spin as to why the mandate affects other organizations. "What this rule says, however, is that institutions like hospitals and charities and schools that open their door to the public, serve primarily the public, don't have a primary purpose of inculcating religion, have to offer the same insurance everybody else does," she mused.
O'Brien used this answer to press Blackburn on the fact that since so many Catholics and non-Catholics use birth control, they should be covered for it.
Click here for a full transcript.
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Comments
The female Chris Mathews
Submitted by mmilesll on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 4:24pm.
This mouthy know nothing wouldn't even let my Congresswoman answer her biased question. Marsha, why do you even waste time going on any other "network" than Fox. They won't let you answer their stupid questions.
how stupid can they get?
Submitted by east tennessee john on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 4:23pm.
If a potential employer doesn't provide a benefit, which you can provide for yourself, taking, OMG personal responsibility and you don't like it, don't go to work there. It's not like you're entitled to dictate policy for an employer. How more simple can it be, O'Brien? The percentage of Catholicc women who use birth control is irrelevant.
They do you twit.
Submitted by c5then on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 4:30pm.
But the Catholic Church and any other group should not be forced to pay for something that is the antithesis of their religious beliefs. Catholic women are free engage in sin and to purchase their own birth control product with their own money should they wish to.
Once again this is all about WHO PAYS FOR IT, not access to it.
I propose that every citizen be required to purchase a handgun and a rifle and be qualified in the use of both every year. This will enable us to vastly reduce the amount of money we spend on supporting and equiping a standing army. This is the EXACT same logic that was used for Obamacare.
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
What did you expect
Submitted by John21 on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 4:29pm.
What did you expect, honesty form CNN you need to cut down on your meds friend.
Soledad O'Brien is a one trick pony and that is to act as the DNC propaganda spokeswomen. She would rather slit her wrists than say anything bad about that any liberal let alone that incompetent in the White House.
If your are looking for honest reporting by American journelist, you are looking for a needle in a haystack. Their ego will not let them admit that their socialist leaning could ever be wrong. The few who do try and be honest are ussually slaped down or ridiculed for daring. The far left rule in most newsrooms in this country and the journals agree 100% of their agenda.
Another stupid, pointless
Submitted by motherbelt on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 4:31pm.
Another stupid, pointless argument.
"ultimately isn't that giving an option to people who have decided not to follow the church's teaching on this?"
Oh, riiiiight. The Church is required to provide an option for people who don't want to follow her teaching on this.
I'll bet they never thought of it that way!! You're a genius!
Go back to MTV, Soledad.
Memo to Soledad....
Submitted by JLin on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 5:00pm.
I'm not a Catholic but when you deliberately disobey the Church's teaching, that is sin. When you continue in the matter, that makes you an outlaw. When you are an outlaw you are subject to judgement.
Soledad, the option is, there is no option. But then you are not a Christian so what does it matter to you? Best not to give advice regarding things of which you are ignorant.
The legacy media is ever faithful.
Submitted by JLin on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 4:55pm.
This crap really is straight out of the Communist insurgency and propaganda playbook. No coincidence the news of DarthVader-Ginsberg and her dismissal of the US Constitution during a visit to Egypt. Do these people need to be reminded of their oaths of office?
What would Hitler do?
Submitted by Newsbubba on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 5:11pm.
About the same that our RBFSOB would?
http://www.wnd.com/2012/02/author-blacks-too-smart-for-atheism/
Gee Wizzz soledaddy, perhaps we can find an answer....
Submitted by Willis_Leon_Johnson on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 5:18pm.
Maybe if we looked to the Supreme LAW of the Land, The United States Constitution.
The Constitution places restrictions on the powers and authorities of the federal government.
The list....
1) Borrow money. 2) Regulate commerce among states.
3) Regulate naturalization. 4) Regulate bankruptcies.
5) Coin money. 6) Fix weights and measures.
7) Punish counterfeiters. 8) Establish post offices.
9) Establish post roads. 10) Record patents.
11) Protect copyrights. 12) Create federal courts.
13) Punish pirates. 14) Declare war.
15) Raise an army. 16) Provide a navy.
17) Call up the militia. 18) Organize the militia.
19) Make laws for Washington, DC. 20) Make rules for the Army and Navy.
I'm having trouble location birth control or abortion in the list...
Maybe if you grew a few more functional brain cells you might learn something?
naw.. probably not, you're stuck on stupid, and stupid cannot be fixed.
End 'gun violence in America' - Require training and MANDATORY "Shall Carry" by every Citizen.
If harry reid is the best person to lead the senate, what does that say about the other 99 senators?
Gee Wizz Soledaddy, perhaps we can find an answer.......
Submitted by Herbster on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 5:42pm.
Great post! I hope you sent a copy of your list, along with a reminder that abortion does not appear in the Constitution to the senile ginsberg person who sits on the Supreme Court. Are any more examples needed to have term limits and eliminate this "Lifetime" nonsense. If the present occupant of the White House is re-elected and can appoint two more justices, we are toast. (The so-called repubs will go along, as usual.) The juduciary has become (Been made?) too powerful. We should get back to that document that the ginsberg creature swore to defend......when convenient.
Schmoledad O'Lying
Submitted by Herbster on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 5:32pm.
This twit wouldn't come in out of the rain without instructions from her puppetmasters. I find her as repulsive, and dumb as Mrs. Greenspan, the Maddow Creature, Mika, Norah the numbskull and all the empty skirts who wave their arms around on CNN. They were all hatched from they same egg. I see where Schlemeilodad has an upcoming gig fronting for a homosexual pressure group.....she must be looking for her next career doing a talk show with ruepaul and rosie. That would be a level she'd be comfortable with.
It is sad to see the depths that "Journalism" has sunken to. Do we blame affirmative action? Can't wait to see the first representative (Female, of course) of the religion of peace - in full hijab - reading her teleprompter with just her eyes showing.
Soledad O'Bama is a ditz
Submitted by OxyCon on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 8:36pm.
She makes Katie Couric look bright by comparison.
Amazing Stupidity
Submitted by feisty on Wed, 02/08/2012 - 12:53pm.
How long before CNN realizes what a train wreck O'Brien is? This uppity, mouthy bag of talking points simply can't moderate a debate without getting all pissy over the issue. Soledad, YOU are not the issue. Get out of the way and let your guests offer their opinions. She loves to push people around with her own distorted views.
Really bad journalism and no temperament for being a news host.