Monday, August 18, 2008

Sally Quinn, Queen of Nuance   [Ramesh Ponnuru]

But she misses a few nuances on abortion. "When does life begin? Only the antiabortionists are clear on that. For the majority of Americans (who are pro-choice), it is 'above my pay grade,' in Obama's words." A majority of Americans "are pro-choice" only if you are willing to count people who oppose abortion with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother as "pro-choice." Only, that is, if you adopt a definition of "pro-choice" that includes George W. Bush and John McCain.

Quinn makes an additional mistake. Many people who actually are pro-choice believe that life begins at conception, too. Peter Singer, for one. A Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll in 2003 found that 55 percent of the public believes that life begins at conception. An L. A. Times poll from 2000 found 53 percent for life starting at conception. So Quinn's statement about what "a majority of Americans" believe is simply incorrect. 

08/18 02:24 PMShare