There’s been a whole hullabaloo about Mr. McCain choosing a woman, Sarah Palin, as his VP, and yes, this would be impressive if it weren’t a transparently political maneuver. McCain has repeatedly shut down women’s rights efforts. He voted against birth control coverage by health insurance companies, against sex ed for teenagers in 2006, and has repeatedly stated that he wishes to make abortion illegal.

According to the McCain website:

John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned.

In 2007, the New York Times published an interview with McCain as follows:

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?"

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?"

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

So it must have been completely sincere when McCain dropped the whole bit about being “especially proud to say in the week we celebrate the anniversary of women’s suffrage, a devoted wife and mother of five… Governor Sarah Palin.” Or maybe, if the presumptive republican nominee were asked whether choosing Palin was a political ploy or not, it would resemble his attempts to weasel his way out of answering questions on his birth control voting record.