Not-so-shocking headline of the day

South Dakota becomes abortion focal point

The Washington Post has a piece up on the renewed focus on South Dakota’s proposed abortion ban, now that November is creeping up on us. (You may remember, pro-choice activists collected more than twice the signatures necessary to get the ban on ballot.)

South Dakota is the unlikely home of this year’s most intense duel over abortion, a Nov. 7 referendum to decide the future of HB 1215, a measure that would institute a broad ban on the procedure. No exceptions would be allowed for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest — abortion would be permitted only when the mother’s life was in jeopardy.
…”This has become the focal point in the country for the choice debate,” said Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, which is channeling cash into the campaign. “The stakes are very high, especially for us to win in November and again say America is pro-choice, America doesn’t think politicians should be involved in these private decisions, and enough is enough.”
A fresh poll suggests voters are inclined to oppose the law as too severe. In a late-July sounding, opponents of the ban held an eight-point lead, with 14 percent undecided.

Good stuff. Here’s an interesting part of the article though. In describing the abortion ban, the piece says “there is no exception for rape, although rape victims would be permitted to take morning-after contraceptives.� Um, gee thanks. You know, for the permission to take a legal contraceptive. Since when did birth control come into this picture? I’m sure it’s not because anti-choicers are also anti-birth control. Nah, that couldn’t be it.