Pennsylvania Governor: Just 'Close Your Eyes' During That Mandatory Ultrasound

Governor Tom Corbett, leader of Pennsylvania, where Rick Santorum's grandfather "dug freedom" so that Rick Santorum could be free to pander to broke and bitter God- and gun-clinging Americans, has determined that a mandatory intentionally traumatic ultrasound of the fetus one is deciding not to keep is no big deal, and one should just "close" one's "eyes" while it's happening, and imagine what that variably sized zygote looks like, JUST IMAGINE, selfish wenches. And may your imagination end up being conveniently as damning as if you actually did look at the ultrasound screen. Also, what of the sounds from the ultrasound, now that we mention it? In this case, there's no covering your ears and going "LA LA LA LA LA." The Pennsylvania bill, as it's being proposed, requires women to listen to the heartbeat of the fetus. And then don't forget to pay, on your way to jail, because Obamacare won't be around to cover any of this.

When Corbett was asked at a recent press conference whether making women have ultrasounds prior to abortions "went too far," the slumping governor responded:

I don’t know how you make anybody watch. You just have to close your eyes.

A group of different, generally nice-to-ladies kind of governor promptly pounced on this, calling it just another example of the gross, gross sexist legislative moves that your Wonkette has been covering about 14 times a day since February and almost as frequently since the beginning of time. So the Virginia probe mandate didn't work out so well, but Pennsylvania, like the rest of the country in every single category imaginable, is more or less divided down the middle over the ultrasound matter (48 percent opposed, 42 percent in favor, according to a Quinnipiac poll cited here), which is the statistical situation required for crazed Repubs to come in and invasively probe the shit out of the law, as it were.

Still, it looks like the Pennsylvania law is being tabled -- for now.Apparently some of its early Republican supporters are now skulking away from it, brave souls. [Talking Points Memo]