Liberal MSNBC on Tuesday adopted Democratic talking points for the contraceptive fight. As anchor Chris Jansing offered softball questions to left-wing Senator Patty Murray, a MSNBC graphic flatly declared: "War on Women: 12 Dem Women Senators Send Letter to Speaker Boehner."
Usually, MSNBC can at least provide a question mark ("War on women?") as the network spins for Democrats. Jansing framed the issue as hostile to females, offering this loaded question: "You were one of 12 Democratic women in the Senate that sent a letter to House Speaker Boehner asking him to abandon plans to continue the fight against contraception coverage in the House."
The journalist at least mentioned that women are split on the contraceptive issue, but didn't exactly press the Democratic senator: "How important do you think this will be in the election, and will it work in the Democrats favor?"
Deciding guilt, the network graphic declared, "Anchor's Racist Comments."
A follow-up graphic was more hesitant and added a question mark: "Anchor’s Racist Comments? Bill O’Reilly Comes Under Fire For Description of Black Restaurant."
A partial transcript of the March 13 segment can be found below:
10:35
MSNBC GRAPHIC: War on Women: 12 Dem Women Senators Send Letter to Speaker Boehner
CHRIS JANSING: There's another topic important to you that's been very much in the news here at home. And that is the contraception fight. You were one of 12 Democratic women in the Senate that sent a letter to House Speaker Boehner asking him to abandon plans to continue the fight against contraception coverage in the House. And he refused. What's your next step?
SENATOR PATTY MURRAY: Well, look, there are serious issues in this country. The economy, getting people back to work, what's happening in Afghanistan, the need we have to focus on both here and at home and abroad. For the Speaker of the House to say he's going to bring up an amendment that goes after a core issue for women, and that's their ability to control their own decisions about contraception, to me is just the wrong way to go. We have asked him to just move off that issue, leave it alone, let America's women make their own health care decisions. I hope he does the right thing.
JANSING: You know, it has been interesting to see how this is all playing out. And I think the most recent poll that I just saw this morning show there was something of a split, actually, in how women feel about mandatory health coverage for religious organizations. But both sides, Republicans and Democrats, think this is a winning issue for them in November. How important do you think this will be in the election, and will it work in the Democrats favor?
MURRAY: Well, I think women don't believe that their employer should decide whether or not they have access to contraceptives. And I think that's a very large majority of women in this country. That's the issue. That's what we're fighting back against. And we're going to continue to do that.
JANSING: Senator Patty Murray, it is a pleasure to have you on the program.
