The Past Is Past, And Thank God For That

By Hilzoy

(Political Animal)  The Past Is Past, And Thank God For That

I just wanted to take a moment to give thanks for the fact that we truly don't have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore:

"On Jan. 23, 1973, when the Supreme Court struck down state criminal abortion laws in Roe v. Wade, President Richard M. Nixon made no public statement. But privately, newly released tapes reveal, he expressed ambivalence.

Nixon worried that greater access to abortions would foster "permissiveness," and said that "it breaks the family." But he also saw a need for abortion in some cases, such as interracial pregnancies.

"There are times when an abortion is necessary. I know that. When you have a black and a white," he told an aide, before adding: "Or a rape.""

I see. The bad thing about abortion is that it lets people have sex without having to have kids if they don't want them or aren't ready for them. The good thing is that you get to be both a racist and a hypocrite without having to confront your own contradictions.

Glad we got that straightened out.