There have been differing interpretations of what exactly a piece of legislation being debated in the state of Virginia would require of a woman before she could have an abortion.
One interpretation being trotted out by MSNBC host Rachel Maddow is that vaginal probing would be a requirement for having the procedure in Virginia, should the state’s governor Bob McDonnell sign the legislation. And that, according to Daily Beast columnist and MSNBC contributor Meghan McCain, would be a detriment to McDonnell and the Republican Party.
“I’m not pro-vaginal probing,” McCain said on the Tuesday edition of “The Rachel Maddow Show” on MSNBC.
“I feel like I have to go on national television and delineate between the two things,” she said. “I’m horrified by this bill as a woman, as a Republican woman I’m horrified. It scares me that this can go on. It scares me that a woman could be vaginally probed without consent or doctor’s consent, and I think this is completely radioactive for Gov. McDonnell and I have no idea why he would even go on any form and say he would pass it.”
Maddow suggested that this issue was once politically toxic, but perhaps no longer radioactive in the modern Republican Party. But McCain argued it was still radioactive.
“I think it gets a lot of media attention,” McCain replied. “It will get a lot of play on right-wing blogs and the conservative evangelical movement. But I think when it comes to mainstream, more moderate Republicans, and especially with independents it’s completely radioactive. I mean, Gov. McDonnell may get a lot of the evangelical vote if he passes it but will alienate almost every single woman possible, especially if they’re independent, from voting for him, you know if he becomes the vice-presidential nominee. But I still think Marco Rubio is the number one candidate.”
McCain said some of her friends had raised the issue, which she said was tell-tale sign of the issue’s toxicity. (RELATED: More on Rachel Maddow)
“I think this is toxic,” she said. “I think there are some things that hit the mainstream — you know I would say moon colonization is the last one. Vaginal probing is something I had friends texting me about, ‘What does this mean? I’m not into politics, but what does this say?’ This is something that will penetrate beyond politics and I do think it will make him a toxic candidate and apparently will end his life-long dream of being a vice president.”
And although McCain says she is pro-life, she said she is very much pro-birth control.
“I always say the best way to prevent abortions is supply birth control,” she said. “I’m pro-birth control, something alienated me with pro-lifers, but I’m not an extremist.”
