This is likely one of the shortest answers ever given by Jen Psaki. But, most importantly, it effectively avoided the reporter’s desired wormhole.
Jen Psaki has the most effective answer.
One wonders why the hypocritical powers send women to ask questions that one can only see as harmful to women. The reporter should be ashamed of herself.
“Does the president believe that a 15-week-old unborn baby,” the reporter asked? “Is a human being?”
Notice that the construct of the reporter’s sentence shows her position. She calls a 15-month-old fetus an unborn.
“Are you asking me if the President supports a woman’s right to choose?” Jen Psaki answers the question with the pertinent question.
Without waiting for a reply from the reporter, Psaki affirmed her question to the reporter.
“He does,” Psaki replied and immediately called on another reporter. “Go ahead.”
While not the same issue, a recent post on my Politics Done Right page is germane, and I would love some comments on the reporter, Psaki, and the post.
[EGBERTO] This is not a joke. I want answers and discussion. I am watching Fareed Zakaria. As you know the Taliban discriminates against women. They are now claiming women will have all rights of education etc. But wearing a hijab under their rule will be required. I immediately frowned. Women should have all rights as men IMHO. In America, a woman is not allowed to go out topless while men can. We even have a sect that wants to tell women what to do with their bodies. I have realized for some time that one of our major problems is men/patriarchy. And I am not sure how different it is in most countries of the world including ours. Ours is just more familiar to us. I have a lot more to say but want to be guided by your comments.
[COMMENTER] Egberto, I’m not clear on what you are asking. Do we think the Taliban is telling the truth? Do we think all rights should be equal?
[EGBERTO] It has less to do with Taliban proper and more with perspective and human behavior. I am not trying to figure out subjective discernment of bad. Let me give an example. We believe many Muslim governments oppress their population and women in particular. Many of these countries do not have a voting Democracy. But still, we do not see any sort of mass exodus. There is a sort of indoctrination. They believe that is just how things are. We purport to have a voting Democracy where all and specifically women have the right to vote for those who would provide all and particularly women full rights, and yet a substantial number vote for Republicans who oppress them. I want to see where the discussion goes because the similarities when viewed from the outside are astounding but we are trained not to see it based on whatever type of indoctrination we allowed ourselves to absorb. All these things so tie together and it makes massive changes that more effortful. Too many, IMHO, are too comfortable in the belief that the way things are, are the way they should be as if divine and not something effectively forced on those who had the ability to do so.
[COMMENTER] When it comes to the rights and treatment of women I believe it is much more than just going along because that’s the way things are. We see revolution and change throughout civilizations. I can’t think of a single time when there has been a cultural revolution to specifically address real equality for women. I’m not a trained historian so perhaps it’s happened but it’s not in any history book I’ve read. I have long wondered at how the world can sit back and watch the treatment of women in many of the middle eastern countries. it’s baffling to me. Perhaps even more amazing is how in a democracy where (of course) half the electorate are women there is no demand that the U.S. stop supporting those governments. I can’t begin to explain American women who vote for people who do not support them. Sure there are lots of answers from talkers on cable news shows. They say they are voting as their husbands or call them “security moms” or say they are directed to by their religion, etc. But none of those so called answers really explain it. Women are not a priority here or anywhere in the world. And the world is worse for it.