On Friday, President Barack Obama tweaked Gov. Bob McDonnell and Virginia legislators during a campaign event in Washington hosted by the Women’s Leadership Forum and Women for Obama.
“Now we’ve got governors and legislatures across the river in Virginia, up the road in Pennsylvania, all across the country saying that women can’t be trusted to make your own decisions,” Obama said, according to a White House transcript of his speech at the Washington Convention Center.
“They’re pushing and passing bills forcing women to get ultrasounds, even if they don’t want one …
“The days of male politicians controlling the health care decisions of our wives and our mothers, and our daughters and our sisters, that needs to come to an end.”
As of July 1, Virginia will require women to undergo an ultrasound before they can get an abortion. McDonnell signed the bill in March after urging amendments that will allow a woman to refuse an invasive ultrasound.
In response to the president’s comments, McDonnell spokesman Tucker Martin said: “Since the president took office unemployment has been over 8 percent for 38 straight months, the price of gas has doubled, and the national debt has ballooned by nearly 50 percent. No wonder he’s looking for other things to talk about.”
Andrew Cain
