Rosie on Catholic Justices: 'How About Separation of Church and State?' | NewsBusters.org
Posted by Justin McCarthy on April 19, 2007 - 14:37.
On April 19, the ladies of "The View" offered their analysis of the Gonzales v.
Carhart decision upholding a federal partial birth abortion ban
Rosie expressed horror that there are five Catholics on the Supreme Court and
Catholics on the Court apparently violate the "separation of church and state"
O’DONNELL: You know what concerns me? How many Supreme Court judges are
Catholic, Barbara?
WALTERS: Five.
O’DONNELL: Five. How about separation of church and state in America?
WALTERS: Every one of them, when they were going through their Senate
confirmation hearings said the fact of my religion does not mean that I will
vote a particular way because of my religion. So we cannot say that they did
it because they’re Catholic. It is interesting that they’re Catholic.
Through the course of the segment, Rosie repeatedly emphasized that partial
birth abortions only represent a very small percentage of abortions annually.
Elisabeth reminded her that, that is still 2,000 lives lost each year.
Rosie repeatedly played up fears that this is "a way to get in to start eroding
Roe v Wade," and it’s "as if the women’s movement never happened." She even
quoted Gloria Steinem line, "if men can get pregnant abortion would be a
scarament." Rosie also provided this factually flawed analysis.
"The difference is, you know, we are half the population and there was a
women's movement and, you know, feminism really was the reason that this bill,
women's reproductive rights ever came into the forefront and was entered and
was Constitutionally upheld since ‘73."
Roe v. Wade did not uphold any law. In fact, it struck down a Texas law
prohibiting abortion. The entire transcript is below.
ROSIE O’DONNELL: Speaking back to where we started also Supreme Court came
down and the first time since 1973 with a partial abortion ban.
BARBARA WALTERS: Five to four.
O’DONNELL: Five to four was the Supreme Court vote. Now it's shocking to me.
This is the first time since 1973. Everyone agrees partial birth abortion is
horrific. It’s horrific for anyone who has to decide it. 1.3 million abortions
done in America every year, 2,000 partial birth abortions. What is that? Zero
[pause] .1 percent, 0.1. This is just a way—