sigelphoenix

Sorry for the radio silence lately. New job, apartment hunt, etc. etc.

Here's a link that was shared by one of my students: John McCain doesn't know if condoms help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.

If you can't see the link, here's the transcript:

Reporter: "Should U.S. taxpayer money go to places like Africa to fund contraception to prevent AIDS?"

Mr. McCain: "Well I think it's a combination. The guy I really respect on this is Dr. Coburn. He believes – and I was just reading the thing he wrote – that you should do what you can to encourage abstinence where there is going to be sexual activity. Where that doesn't succeed, than he thinks that we should employ contraceptives as well. But I agree with him that the first priority is on abstinence. I look to people like Dr. Coburn. I'm not very wise on it."

(Mr. McCain turns to take a question on Iraq, but a moment later looks back to the reporter who asked him about AIDS.)

Mr. McCain: "I haven’t thought about it. Before I give you an answer, let me think about. Let me think about it a little bit because I never got a question about it before. I don't know if I would use taxpayers' money for it."

Q: "What about grants for sex education in the United States? Should they include instructions about using contraceptives? Or should it be Bush's policy, which is just abstinence?"

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) "Ahhh. I think I support the president’s policy."

Q: "So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?"

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) "You’ve stumped me."

Q: "I mean, I think you'd probably agree it probably does help stop it?"

Mr. McCain: (Laughs) "Are we on the Straight Talk express? I'm not informed enough on it. Let me find out. You know, I'm sure I've taken a position on it on the past. I have to find out what my position was. Brian, would you find out what my position is on contraception – I'm sure I'm opposed to government spending on it, I'm sure I support the president's policies on it."

Q: "But you would agree that condoms do stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Would you say: 'No, we're not going to distribute them,' knowing that?"

Mr. McCain: (Twelve-second pause) "Get me Coburn’s thing, ask Weaver to get me Coburn’s paper that he just gave me in the last couple of days. I’ve never gotten into these issues before."

See, I do feel some sympathy for politicians in that they get all kinds of questions regarding all areas of policy thrown at them, and sometimes they're really put on the spot. Sometimes you just can't remember all the relevant information on a topic. But, seriously - not even knowing that condoms prevent the spread of AIDS? Does he know that condoms prevent the spread of STDs in general? And then to blithely support keeping that disease-prevention resource out of people's hands?

I suppose that, in the current administration's mindset, condom = 'that thing that prevents those whores from getting pregnant like they deserve whenever they dare to whorishly spread their legs for their own pleasure, those whores.'

And now, to alleviate some of your mental pain, have a post full of pretty boys.