Advertisement

Making the Choice

John McCain’s presidential campaign wants to assure us that Bristol Palin isn’t being coerced into keeping her baby:

Bristol Palin made the decision on her own to keep the baby, McCain aides said.

And good for her, but as Ann Friedman says:

John McCain and Sarah Palin don’t believe women have a right to choose. It’s absolutely absurd for the campaign to emphasize the fact that Bristol “made this decision,” and then push for policies that take away that choice.

Advertisement

Why shouldn’t ever woman continue to enjoy the choices that Bristol Palin has? And more to the point, if women shouldn’t be allowed to choose then why does McCain’s campaign think it’s important to emphasize her agency in this process? By his own lights, McCain should be totally indifferent to whether Bristol chose this course of action or was pressured into it by her mother. McCain’s view is that he should make the choice for her and for every other pregnant woman in the country.