Pro-Choice Activists Asked to Help Air Ad Exposing Karen Hughes' "Choice=Terrorism" Comments

Washington, DC – NARAL Pro-Choice America, the leading national advocate of personal privacy and a woman’s right to choose, released a new television spot today exposing the recent comments by presidential advisor Karen Hughes that equated pro-choice activism to terrorism. In an e-mail to hundreds of thousands of pro-choice activists, the group asked for assistance in giving the spot the widest possible distribution.

NARAL Pro-Choice America’s Interim President Elizabeth Cavendish said: “It isn’t surprising that someone who’s been close to President Bush for so long would try to cover up his extremist agenda by likening political dissent to terrorism, or that she’d refuse to accept responsibility for her outrageous statement. We want to make sure that President Bush knows how the majority of Americans who support reproductive freedom feel about being likened to terrorists. One out of every 300 Americans came to Washington for the pro-choice march, and one of the president’s closest confidantes greeted them with a horrendous insult. We won’t forget that slight.”

The ad features video from the April 25 March for Women’s Lives, along with footage of the interview in which Ms. Hughes made her remarks. The ad’s script follows:

"Terrorists"

On April 25, 1.1 million Americans stood up for privacy and a woman's right to choose.

One of George Bush's top advisors compared the marchers to -- you guessed it -- terrorists.

[Clip of Karen Hughes from CNN] "I think that after September 11, the American people are valuing life more and we need policies to value the dignity and worth of every life . . . . .Really, the fundamental issue between us and the terror network we fight is that we value every life."

1.1 million Americans came to Washington because privacy is a basic American value, and the right to choose is under threat.

Call President Bush and tell him to stop attacking American women. 

Contact:
Ted Miller, 202.973.3032