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Everyone in the world has sent me the link to this AP story about an interview Obama did with Relevant Magazine, a Christian publication, in which he reportedly said that "mental distress" shouldn't qualify as part of the mother's health exception to late-term abortion bans. I quite honestly could not believe this was being reported correctly, so I looked out the original article.

And, sure enough, that's what he says all right.

Strang: Based on emails we received, another issue of deep importance to our readers is a candidate's stance on abortion. We largely know your platform, but there seems to be some real confusion about your position on third-trimester and partial-birth abortions. Can you clarify your stance for us?

Obama: I absolutely can, so please don't believe the emails. I have repeatedly said that I think it's entirely appropriate for states to restrict or even prohibit late-term abortions as long as there is a strict, well-defined exception for the health of the mother. Now, I don't think that "mental distress" qualifies as the health of the mother. I think it has to be a serious physical issue that arises in pregnancy, where there are real, significant problems to the mother carrying that child to term. Otherwise, as long as there is such a medical exception in place, I think we can prohibit late-term abortions.

I just honestly don't even know what to say. Part of me wants to explore the bloody fucking obvious hypotheticals that make this position totally untenable (e.g. a pregnant woman under such psychological distress that she is a danger to herself and ergo necessarily the fetus), and another part of me just wants to point out how gobsmackingly offensive (and misogynist) this is.

That is, unless Obama believes that psychological health doesn't "qualify" as an intrinsic part of every human's health—a position so extraordinary I cannot believe he would hold it. (Would he also argue that psychological care should not be covered under his universal health insurance plan?)

And, if he doesn't believe that, then he evidently believes acute psychological distress "qualifies" as a serious health issue for everyone except pregnant women.

Certainly his defenders will say he didn't mean it that way, and of course he didn't. What he meant is that he doesn't think all those irresponsible, fickle, ninny-brained straw-women who decide willy-nilly they want abortions in their third trimester shouldn't be allowed to get one by claiming "mental distress" swoon swan get thee to a fainting couch. He's breathing life into the damnable lie that there are legions of women who seek out late-term abortions just because they've changed their silly little minds and make up lies about "mental distress" to get them.

Unfuckingbelievable. I am absolutely furious.