Oh God this scares me

An interview with John McCain

Reporter: “Should U.S. taxpayer money go to places like Africa to fund contraception to prevent AIDS?”

Mr. McCain: “Well I think it’s a combination. The guy I really
respect on this is Dr. Coburn. He believes – and I was just reading the
thing he wrote– that you should do what you can to encourage abstinence
where there is going to be sexual activity. Where that doesn’t succeed,
than he thinks that we should employ contraceptives as well. But I
agree with him that the first priority is on abstinence. I look to
people like Dr. Coburn. I’m not very wise on it.”

(Mr. McCain turns to take a question on Iraq, but a moment later looks back to the reporter who asked him about AIDS.)

Mr. McCain: “I haven’t thought about it. Before I give you an
answer, let me think about. Let me think about it a little bit because
I never got a question about it before. I don’t know if I would use
taxpayers’ money for it.”

Q: “What about grants for sex education in the United States? Should
they include instructions about using contraceptives? Or should it be
Bush’s policy, which is just abstinence?”

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “Ahhh. I think I support the president’s policy.”

Q: “So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just
abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?”

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “You’ve stumped me.”

Q: “I mean, I think you’d probably agree it probably does help stop it?”

Mr. McCain: (Laughs) “Are we on the Straight Talk express? I’m not
informed enough on it. Let me find out. You know, I’m sure I’ve taken a
position on it on the past. I have to find out what my position was.
Brian, would you find out what my position is on contraception – I’m
sure I’m opposed to government spending on it, I’m sure I support the
president’s policies on it.”

Q: “But you would agree that condoms do stop the spread of sexually
transmitted diseases. Would you say: ‘No, we’re not going to distribute
them,’ knowing that?”

Mr. McCain: (Twelve-second pause) “Get me Coburn’s thing, ask Weaver
to get me Coburn’s paper that he just gave me in the last couple of
days. I’ve never gotten into these issues before.”

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