Lots of news in the 'which way is up' category this week. Coming on the heels of continued debate about what "common ground" on abortion is and whether we need it, was two great examples of what it is not.

Some politicians thought to be pro-choice may be using the new framework of "common ground" abortion as a cover to appease a more right wing constituency. "Pro-Choice" Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, in the week before her confirmation hearings to head the Department of Health and Human Services, for example, signed into law a superfluous anti-choice bill that would mandate clinics offer women the chance to view an ultrasound image of the fetus before the abortion procedure. Of course, women are already allowed to view the ultrasound. The bill also requires clinics to post a notice that women cannot be forced into having an abortion. The irony was lost on the legislators and media that those championing the bill would happily force women into bringing a pregnancy to term. This bill is designed to create an atmosphere of distrust within the clinic setting. We're all in favor of women having thorough information about all of their choices--but the intent of this bill is to question women's decision-making abilities and to infer that clinics would not furnish patients with this information unless mandated by law. Sebelius should have used this opportunity to explain that women need accurate information about all of their choices. She could have, while vetoing the bill, explained that not only was the bill superfluous it was misdirected. What is in desperate need of policing are the crisis pregnancy centers that mislead women about their choices. She could have said "Bring me a bill with that included and I'll sign it."

Another example of "not common ground" was provided to us courtesy of Virginia Governor and DNC Chair Tim Kaine. This week he signed into law a "Choose Life" license plate bill which uses the state to funnel money to nefarious crisis pregnancy centers. This concession is not common ground. The mechanics of the state agencies shouldn't be used to help hoodwink women and supplant medical information with ideological propaganda. This was an easy one to veto, instead Kaine betrayed the party he now leads, the pro-choice voters who won him the election.

People speak often of “common ground” these days, since it is one of the Obama hopes. Betraying pro-choice supporters for political expediency is not what Obama is talking about. Figuring out smart solutions that people from both sides can get behind is. It’s been a bad week for women and common ground for sure.

Coming soon: This week I interviewed Edward Green, of the Harvard School of Public Health, who has recently been getting lots of attention for his comments in support of the Pope's anti-condom policy to fight HIV transmission. This past Sunday he published an op-ed in the Washington Post entitled The Pope May Be Right. Once the transcribing is complete, hopefully by later this week, I'll post my interview with him here. So stayed tuned...