Fox News’ Sean Hannity had a pretty remarkable segment last night, covering the Obama administration’s recent decision to have insurance plans cover contraception — without a co-pay — under preventive care. Hannity, of course, isn’t fond of the idea.
But that’s not the interesting part. What I found amazing was Hannity explaining his perspective on this in some detail.
The host asked Fox News legal analyst Jehmu Greene, for example, how the administration arrived at this position. She said, “Well, a panel of scientists…” at which point Hannity interrupted. “I don’t care about the scientists,” he said.
No, of course not.
Greene added that opponents of abortion rights “should be celebrating this decision,” since it will prevent unwanted pregnancies. Hannity wasn’t persuaded.
“Look into the camera and tell the American people we are going to be $25 trillion in debt. Now if you want to make the choice to takeoff one article of clothing the next one, the next one, and have sex…. Go get your own birth control. I shouldn’t have to pay for it.”
Greene, to her credit, pressed further, explaining that “unintended pregnancies in America cost us up to $11 billion a year,” and this modest step in support of women’s health will make a big difference.
To which Hannity replied, “It is not about women’s health, it is about birth control.”
The self-defeating qualities of the sentence eluded him.
Later in the segment, the host stressed the notion that if people want to use birth control, it shouldn’t be covered as part of preventive services provided for free. After all, Hannity said, “Why can’t they take responsibility for their own life?”
This prompted Greene to ask a good question: “But why should we pay for a man’s Viagra?”
Hannity replied, “Because that actually is a medical problem versus a choice to have sex.”
Wow. I mean, really. How does one even respond to that?
