In an unusual political clash, a major abortion rights group is knocking House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for saying she doesn’t believe in abortion on demand.
Asked by Roll Call whether she supports the ability of a woman to access abortion whenever she wants, Pelosi replied no. But without clarifying what she meant, Pelosi went on to say that women, not politicians, should decide when to end a pregnancy.
“I don’t believe in abortion on demand,” Pelosi said in an interview published Wednesday. “I’m talking about the health of the mother and the child and this is not a decision that a politician should be making. This is about a woman’s judgment.”
NARAL Pro-Choice America quickly took issue with Pelosi for saying she doesn’t support abortion on demand, accusing the California Democrat of using “twisted GOP talking points.”
“At a time when our rights are under daily attack in the halls of Congress, on the campaign trail, in statehouses and in the courts, now more than ever, we need our champions to speak with a clear and strong voice in support of our legal right to abortion,” said NARAL Vice President for Campaigns Sasha Bruce. “Unfortunately, Leader Pelosi’s recent comments fall well short of this standard.”Time and time again, Leader Pelosi has stood up for women and our reproductive rights,” Bruce added. “But at a moment when so much is at stake, her comments are particularly disappointing and ill-advised.” Pelosi spokewoman Evangeline George responded to the criticism, saying there has been “no greater champion” for Roe v. Wade and women’s health in Congress than Pelosi.
“With women’s health and reproductive choice under full assault from a Republican House and Senate, we must all focus on the serious efforts underway to undermine a woman’s right to make her own health decisions,” George said.
In the interview, Pelosi also said she doesn’t “subscribe” to the slippery slope argument that any limits on the procedure could eventually erode abortion rights into nothingness.
“No, I don’t subscribe to that argument,” Pelosi said. “I don’t even like to use the word ‘abortion.’ That’s my generation; I don’t like to use the word … but this is something so personal.”
