A Battle Lost: President Bush supports Plan B

From LifeSite News:

WASHINGTON, August 21, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - For his pro-life supporter base, President George W. Bush stepped into one of the biggest political landmines of his Presidential career today with his approval of over the counter status for the abortion-causing morning after pill Plan B.

A press release by Human Life International underscored the seriousness of the move as it was titled, "President Bush Files for Divorce with Catholic Base." Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, president of Human Life International commented, "President Bush's implied support for the abortion-causing drug Plan B is completely inconsistent with his recent veto of the embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) funding bill. What the president apparently fails to realize is that Plan B kills the same innocent unborn children that the ESCR process does."

At a White House press conference this morning, the President was asked by Bill Sammon a reporter from the Washington Examiner about Plan B and his new FDA commissioner who supports its over the counter status. "Mr. President, some pro-life groups are worried that your choice of FDA Commissioner will approve over the counter sales of Plan B, a pill that, they say, essentially can cause early-term abortions," said the reporter. "Do you stand by this choice, and how do you feel about Plan B in general?"

The President replied, "I believe that Plan B ought to be -- ought to require a prescription for minors, is what I believe. And I support Andy's decision."

Andy, as the President referred to him, is the new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach. Pro-life groups last week called for von Eschenbach's resignation over his deal with a drug company to make a high-dose of a drug (Plan B, a morning-after pill) available without a prescription to women 18 year of age and older.

Concerned Women for America (CWA) blasted the decision noting that it is ludicrous to allow Plan B without medical supervision when a low-dose of the same drug (birth control pills) requires medical oversight to protect women from serious health complications. [More from LifeSiteNews.]

From CNA: 'FDA Commissioner Dr. Andy von Eschenbach has said he would support making the abortion drug available without a prescription to women, aged 18 and up. Pro-life groups called for his resignation last week over his support for the drug." [More CNA coverage.]

Domenico Bettinelli posts his comments here.

Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, president of Human Life International, has called on President Bush to rescind Dr. [Andy] von Eschenbach’s Nomination to Head the FDA.

The USCCB has a statement out opposing Plan B: "The Bishops' conference continues to oppose making Plan B available without medical supervision, whether to minors or adults," said Ms. McQuade, Director of Planning and Information at the Secretariat." [read the full statement.]

LifeSiteNews suggests voicing your concerns by emailing Vice. Pres. Cheney: vice_president@whitehouse.gov

My take: This is a clear move backwards for pro-life causes in the U.S. ... Plan B, by all accounts, can act as an abortifacient. For President Bush to support over-the-counter distribution of this drug is completely at-odds with his previous decision to veto legislation against embryonic stem cell research. Politically speaking, he doesn't have to worry about being re-ellected, so why alienate the conservative Catholic voting base for the next guy?

My contribution to the story: the Plan B website claims on its front page that "Plan B is not RU-486 (the abortion pill); it will not work if you are already pregnant." Well, don't be fooled.

As much as the Plan B website claims that it "will not work if you are already pregnant", it can only say that by redefining what "pregnany" is: "Plan B® works like a regular birth control pill. It prevents pregnancy mainly by stopping the release of an egg from the ovary, and may also prevent the fertilization of an egg (the uniting of sperm with the egg). Plan B® may also work by preventing it from attaching to the uterus (womb). It is important to know that Plan B® will not affect a fertilized egg already attached to the uterus; it will not affect an existing pregnancy. "

The "it" in the underlined sentence is a fertilized egg - a human being. By preventing the fertilized egg from attaching to the uturus, Plan B kills the fertilized egg.

Update: LifeSiteNews has a longer treatment of this story here.