McCain tells the truth

He really DOESN’T want to discuss whether health insurance ought to include birth control.

It’s true: McCain certainly does not want to discuss the issue of whether health insurance ought to include birth control. His performance is painful to watch. “A deer caught in the headlights” about sums it up.

Note that he promises to get back to the questioner, but when the campaign finally gets around to making a response it’s a complete non sequitur about “competition.” But McCain’s votes are on the record: he’s against requiring insurers to cover birth control. I hope he keeps getting asked the question until he finally gives an actual answer. The false belief that McCain is a “moderate” on reproductive choice, which Carly Fiorina has been helping to spread, is unlikely to survive the next 110 days, and as it dies I’d expect to see Obama’s support among women firm up.

In any case, I’m glad to see that CNN is now officially off the reservation, and is going to show its viewers McCain in his full incoherence.

Author: Mark Kleiman

Professor of Public Policy at the NYU Marron Institute for Urban Management and editor of the Journal of Drug Policy Analysis. Teaches about the methods of policy analysis about drug abuse control and crime control policy, working out the implications of two principles: that swift and certain sanctions don't have to be severe to be effective, and that well-designed threats usually don't have to be carried out. Books: Drugs and Drug Policy: What Everyone Needs to Know (with Jonathan Caulkins and Angela Hawken) When Brute Force Fails: How to Have Less Crime and Less Punishment (Princeton, 2009; named one of the "books of the year" by The Economist Against Excess: Drug Policy for Results (Basic, 1993) Marijuana: Costs of Abuse, Costs of Control (Greenwood, 1989) UCLA Homepage Curriculum Vitae Contact: Markarkleiman-at-gmail.com