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[moriah]

97. There is a difference between "vilifying" and legitimate criticism.

You can look at my posts to see the difference. I just called out someone's suggestion that Bernie saying using threats of violence to suppress speech is a "sign of intellectual weakness" was in any way defending Ann Coulter herself.

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But there IS a difference between people like Kaine, who have never voted for anti-choice measures (and as governor did allow the "Choose Life" plates in VA but said he believed state law required it and would also require a "Trust Women" plate benefiting Planned Parenthood if proposed by the 350 individuals required) and Mello in the Nebraska Senate and Bob Casey in the US Senate from PA.

Casey did vote to avoid reinstating the "Mexico City" policy and has said he will defend Planned Parenthood, but he voted for cloture on an attempted 20-week abortion ban with only a life, not a health or even a "permanent damage" exception. Even though Casey knew there were enough votes to keep the bill from passing and that Obama would veto it if it ever hit his desk, he still used the opportunity to cast an anti-choice vote. Kaine voted against cloture, and has said repeatedly he wants both life and health exceptions in the 2nd half of the second trimester and beyond.

Fortunately as a mayor, Mello won't have a chance to do much related to abortion. That's the only reason I am okay with the DNC *or* Bernie supporting him until he at least states that he won't be co-sponsoring anti-choice legislation.

The question is what do we do if someone like Casey -- put up because the alternative in that seat is going to be rabidly anti-choice like Santorum -- won't toe the line and confine his attempts to show his personal beliefs to bills that won't go anywhere from here on out.

There are certain things that can't be compromised on.