Topic: Abortion

Abortion Doctor Kermit Gosnell Guilty of First-Degree Murder

AP

Just a few hours after the jury announced a deadlock on two of the charges in the Kermit Gosnell murder trial, the jury has returned with guilty verdicts on three of the major charges.

By Dashiell Bennett

May 13, 2013

The Deadlocked Gosnell Jury Is Still Two Big Decisions Away from a Conclusion

After 10 days of deliberations, the jury in the murder trial of Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell has declared an impasse on two of the charges leveled against him — it's a good bet that those two are among the most significant.

Comments | 205 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 26, 2013

What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Abortion Right Now

As president Obama spoke to Planned Parenthood on Friday, Fox News aired footage of the Kermit Gosnell trial. The coverage is a perfect representation of the split in the abortion debate: on one side, a triumphant march of progress for women, and on the other side, a fixation on late-term abortion nationally. Less covered is how some states are working to stop all abortions.

Comments | 3,521 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Apr 12, 2013

North Dakota Is Determined to Make You Have Your Baby

On the heels of a measure that bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy and in the midst of a purposeful challenge to Roe v. Wade, North Dakota's legislature has sent another bill to be signed by Governor Jack Dalrymple—and this one would outlaw abortions after 20 weeks or pregnancy, built on the premise that fetuses feel pain.

Comments | 2,010 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Apr 12, 2013

The Gosnell Trial Is About Many Things, but Media Bias Isn't One of Them

A wave of complaints about mainstream media bias crested on Friday with the belief in some circles that the murder trial of former abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell is being completely ignored by the national media. 

Comments | 18,218 Views

By Philip Bump

Apr 12, 2013

How Did the Gosnell Trial Bring Guns and Abortion Together Like This?

Human beings, being pattern-seekers, like to mush things together no matter how well or poorly they fit. Today, those things happen to be abortion and guns. It turns out to be a bit of a stretch.

Comments | 937 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 12, 2013

Paul Ryan Makes a Pretty Good Case for Keeping Abortion Legal

Ryan gave a speech Thursday night insisting that Republicans not cave on their opposition to abortion, but he ended up making the case for why abortion should remain legal.

Comments | 3,823 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Apr 11, 2013

Today's Best

Five Best Thursday Columns

Kirsten Powers on media coverage of an abortion trial, Fareed Zakaria on the lessons of Thatcherism, Drew Magary on Mike Rice's abuses, Charles M. Blow on Rand Paul's Howard visit, and Tom Doran on Michelle Malkin's Twitter aggregator.

Comments | 1,480 Views

By Connor Simpson

Mar 26, 2013

What Is This, a Race to Pass the Harshest Abortion Law That Defies Roe v. Wade?

North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple on Tuesday one-upped Arkansas and signed his state's extremely restrictive abortion measures into law — one of them would outlaw abortion just six weeks into pregnancy, and, well, that's got abortion-rights advocates headed back to appeals court... again. 

Comments | 349 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 19, 2013

The Philadelphia Abortion Doctor Trial Will Sicken You

The trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell began yesterday in Philadelphia. Gosnell is accused of eight counts of murder — fetuses, who died at a clinic that has been described as a "house of horrors." If the descriptions provided by the prosecution are accurate, that's an understatement.

Comments | 11,711 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 15, 2013

Woman Behind North Dakota's Abortion Ban Hates Abortion Because Hitler

On Friday, the North Dakota Senate passed two of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country. Once you meet the bills' sponsor, you'll understand how things got so extreme.

Comments | 7,069 Views

By Connor Simpson

Mar 6, 2013

The Nation's Harshest New Abortion Law Will Not Survive Against Roe v. Wade

On Wednesday afternoon, despite Governor Mike Beebe's best intentions, the Arkansas House and Senate passed the most restrictive abortion law in the country — indeed, perhaps the greatest legal challenge to Roe v. Wade in its 40 years of existence. But abortion rights groups were waiting right outside the Capitol in Little Rock, ready with promises of an instant lawsuit.

Comments | 1,552 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Feb 28, 2013

Arkansas Isn't Done with Abortion Bans Yet — Not Even Close

Arkansas immediately joined seven other states where performing abortions after 20 weeks, if the pregnancy does not otherwise threaten the life of the mother, is banned. Now the state legislature wants to ban abortion past 12 weeks.

Comments | 690 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 25, 2013

Catholic Hospital Under Fire for Arguing That Fetuses Aren't People

Under Colorado law, a fetus is not a person, but Catholic leaders say that's no excuse for one of their hospitals to use that argument to win a legal battle.

Comments | 3,655 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Jan 24, 2013

New Mexico Bill Would Send Rape Victims to Jail for Aborting 'Evidence'

If you thought the so-called "rape caucus" was fading away, there's new evidence — and we mean evidence — that some Republicans are still going to make a lot of people upset with what they see as legitimate concerns about rape.

Comments | 11,392 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Jan 22, 2013

Chart of the Day

What Local Abortion Laws Look Like Now

On the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade here's a chart that looks at laws restricting access to abortion that were passed by each of 30 state legislatures in the last two years.

Comments | 1,170 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Jan 22, 2013

Trimming the Times

Obama's Modern Liberalism, Sasha and Malia, and Social-Media Spies at Work

A summary of the best reads found behind the paywall of The New York Times.

Comments | 1,534 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Jan 21, 2013

Roe v. Wade Is Almost Twice as Popular as the Supreme Court Itself

It's not often that 70 percent of Americans agree on something, especially something so controversial as abortion.

Comments | 4,468 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Jan 21, 2013

Inauguration Protesters, Ranked by Effectiveness

While there weren't a lot of groups actually registered for this year's inauguration, it was hard to miss the agitators in and around today's ceremony. Did they have an impact? Or were they just annoying?

Comments | 5,000 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Jan 16, 2013

Stat of the Day

56% of Millennials Have No Idea What Roe v. Wade Was About

They think the landmark abortion decision dealt with desegregation, the death penalty, or the environment instead.

Comments | 2,241 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Nov 27, 2012

Arizona Government Website Misdirects Women on Abortions

Less than 24 hours after Senator John McCain told Republicans should lay off the subject of abortion, his home state launched its "A Woman's Right to Know" website — a site loaded with misinformation that appears specifically designed to steer women away from their abortions.

Comments | 1,590 Views

By David Wagner

Nov 15, 2012

Today's Best

Five Best Thursday Columns

Ezra Klein on tax reform, Alex Pareene on Republican rebranding, Amy Davidson on military sex scandals, Emer O'Toole on Savita, and Stephen Gandel on Goldman Sachs.

Comments | 2,759 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Nov 14, 2012

Woman In Ireland Dies After Being Denied an Abortion During a Miscarriage

Women's rights and health activists are outraged after reports that a pregnant woman in Ireland died after she was denied an abortion that might have saved her life.

Comments | 11,657 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Oct 24, 2012

Mourdock Is Sorry You Misunderstood His Rape Pregnancy Comments

Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock says he's sorry if people misunderstood what he meant when he said a rape pregnancy is a "gift from God."

Comments | 2,667 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Oct 24, 2012

Police Carried Todd Akin Away from Abortion Protests in 1980s

Rep. Todd Akin's anti-abortion convictions are not something he adopted recently -- in 1985, he was arrested at least three times at abortion protests, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Kevin McDermott reports.

Comments | 1,486 Views

By David Wagner

Oct 19, 2012

Rep. Joe Walsh's Science Fiction on Abortion

Like Todd "legitimate rape" Akin, Illinois Republican Joe Walsh seems to have mixed up his facts about abortion. "With modern technology and science, you can’t find one instance" of a woman being saved by a terminated pregnancy, he said in a debate.

Comments | 6,209 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Oct 9, 2012

Newly Moderate Mitt Romney Says He Won't Pursue Abortion Laws

Mitt Romney let his guard down a little bit on Tuesday, when he told the Des Moines Register that he wouldn't pursue any abortion legislation if elected to the nation's highest office.

Comments | 4,624 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Sep 11, 2012

Mitt the Moderate: An Alternate Campaign History

This might be a different presidential campaign if Mitt Romney's spokesmen weren't so often clarifying things their candidate has said.

Comments | 6,552 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Sep 10, 2012

Ad Watch

Political Ad Season Has Really Begun

Today in Ad Watch: Planned Parenthood makes its biggest ad buy ever, Mitt Romney buys ads in Wisconsin, Sen. Bob Casey is endorsed by a man on a motorcycle, and Tommy Thompson is tied to George W. Bush.

Comments | 690 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Sep 5, 2012

Why Did Democrats Talk So Much About Abortion?

Oh, sure, Michelle Obama gave a great speech, but what about the people in the Democratic National Convention hall? Those are the people conservatives are interested in -- the "hall of zealots" as former George W. Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer said on CNN.

Comments | 2,866 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Aug 27, 2012

GOP Senate Candidate Says Rape Is 'Similar' to Getting Knocked Up

Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Tom Smith said getting pregnant by being raped is "similar" to getting pregnant out of wedlock Monday.

Comments | 6,917 Views

By Adam Martin

Aug 23, 2012

Abortion, Akin Off Limits in Romney Interview

The news from a Denver CBS reporter's interview with Mitt Romney wasn't what he said, but rather what the reporter was prohibited from asking.

Comments | 1,207 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Aug 22, 2012

The Most Offensive Words from Akin Episode Didn't Come from Akin

The most offensive and shocking—and just plain gross—thing said during the whole Todd Akin "legitimate rape" fiasco wasn't even what Akin said (you know, that women who are raped can't get pregnant), but what the man who popularized that idea had to say.

Comments | 3,680 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Aug 21, 2012

Four Tricks to Avoid Pregnancy: A Guide by the House GOP

Ladies, we know taking a pill at the same time every day is a huge pain. Well, the men of the House GOP have some great tricks to prevent pregnancy without that dumb old pill.

Comments | 6,897 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Aug 21, 2012

Steve King Never Heard of Anyone Getting Pregnant by Statutory Rape

Rep. Todd Akin appeared to be on his own in the controversy over his abortion and rape comments, but fellow Congressman Steve King has also put his foot in it after saying he's never heard of a woman getting pregnant because of statutory rape or incest.

Comments | 15,234 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Aug 21, 2012

Words, Words, Words: How Akin and the GOP Differ on Abortion

There's a reason all of Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin's apologies for his "legitimate rape" comments focus on word choice.

Comments | 517 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Aug 21, 2012

Todd Akin Probably Isn't Going Away After This New Apology Ad

Representative Todd Akin quickly recorded and released a new web ad this morning, which suggests that despite numerous calls from fellow Republicans to do so, he is not dropping out of his race for the U.S. Senate.

Comments | 5,917 Views

By Adam Martin

Aug 20, 2012

Paul Ryan Has a New Abortion Stance

The Romney campaign is distancing itself from Rep. Todd Akin after his comment ahout "legitimate rape" on Sunday, calling it "inexcusable" and saying Romney and Paul Ryan support abortion access for rape victims -- something Ryan, for one, has opposed in the past.

Comments | 21,079 Views

By Connor Simpson

Aug 19, 2012

Rep. Todd Akin Says It's Rare Women Get Pregnant from 'Legitimate Rape'

Rep. Todd Akin is facing a huge amount of criticism for remarks he made on Sunday while clarifying his opposition to abortion. Akin said pregnancy doesn't often occur in "a legitimate rape," because "the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

Comments | 13,664 Views

By Adam Martin

Jul 11, 2012

Mississippi's Last Abortion Clinic Will Stay Open, For Now

The only remaining abortion clinic in the state of Mississippi had been set to close under a state law, but on Wednesday a judge ruled that it could stay open, keeping in place a temporary restraining order against the law. 

Comments | 690 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Jul 3, 2012

Trimming the Times

Climate Change, Cranky Politicians, And Roller Coasters

A summary of the best reads found behind the paywall of The New York Times.

Comments | 345 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Jul 2, 2012

Romney Led Bain's Investment in Firm That Disposed of Aborted Fetuses

Mother Jones's David Corn has a report out this morning that pushes the continuing attacks on Mitt Romney's tenure at Bain Capital forward not just because of the business it involves — disposing of aborted fetuses — but because it extends the length of time he worked at Bain.

Comments | 6,983 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jul 2, 2012

Federal Judge Blocks Mississippi's New Abortion Law

A federal district Court judge has issued a temporary injunction blocking a new law that would have forced the closure of Mississippi's only remaining abortion clinic.

Comments | 783 Views

By Connor Simpson

Jun 14, 2012

'Vagina' Is Too Lewd for Michigan State Republicans

Someone uttered the horribly offensive, borderline criminal V-word during a Michigan House of Representatives debate over an abortion bill. Which is to say, a woman said "vagina," and now male Republicans are mad about it. 

Comments | 9,828 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Apr 13, 2012

Arizona's New Abortion Law Doesn't Do What Everyone Thinks It Does

Pro-choice supporters are ridiculing Arizona's new restrictive abortion bill, but its most controversial provision isn't actually that controversial if you're an obstetrician.

Comments | 10,577 Views

By Eric Randall

Mar 9, 2012

Controversy Is Garry Trudeau's Winning Media Strategy

For the second time in a year, newspapers are temporarily removing controversial Doonesbury strips from their papers, meaning that, for the second time in a year, Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau has stumbled into a winning publicity strategy.

Comments | 1,379 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Feb 27, 2012

Vaginal Ultrasound Measure Resurfaces in the Alabama Senate

Only four days after Virginia shot down a similar measure, the Alabama State Senate is moving forward with a law that would require women to go through an invasive vaginal ultrasound procedure in order the get an abortion.

Comments | 4,302 Views

By Eric Randall

Feb 23, 2012

Virginia Senate Rejects 'Personhood' Bill

After a committee approved a bill that would give "unborn children" the legal rights of citizens, the bill was defeated Thursday in the Virginia Senate.

Comments | 3,697 Views

By Jen Doll

Feb 17, 2012

Religious Groups Continue to Equate Birth Control with Abortion

When it comes to matters of birth control, it often seems like we're living in another time.

Comments | 3,048 Views

By Rebecca Greenfield

Feb 8, 2012

Android Assistant 'Iris' Has More Troubling Opinions Than Siri

Behind every bigoted robot there's a human, behind the latest bigoted robot, Iris, there are a lot of bigoted humans. 

Comments | 4,656 Views

By Dino Grandoni

Feb 6, 2012

Congressman Falls for The Onion's Planned Parenthood 'Abortionplex' Story

Meet John Fleming, the unfortunate Republican U.S. Representative from Louisiana who made that wonderful and all-too-common mistake of thinking that an Onion article was real and telling his Facebook followers to read it.

Comments | 244,848 Views

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