What’s Inside The Kit

by digby

The whole rape kit thing has had me a little bit confused. Palin is a wingnut, for sure, but that also usually includes being a Law ‘n Order freak who wants the cops to have as much money as possible for anything they want. What was it about this particular thing that so upset her?

DKos diarist Hekebolos may have the answer: the rape kits contained emergency contraception. Palin’s spokeswoman’s comments were very carefully constructed:

Palin spokeswoman Maria Comella said in an e-mail that the governor “does not believe, nor has she ever believed, that rape victims should have to pay for an evidence-gathering test.”

“Gov. Palin’s position could not be more clear,” she said. “To suggest otherwise is a deliberate misrepresentation of her commitment to supporting victims and bringing violent criminals to justice.”

You don’t have to be a legal scholar to parse that statement. She’s already said she believes that abortion should be illegal except to save the life of the woman. That’s outside the mainstream in itself. Being against even emergency contraception in the case of rape, clearly takes her to the outer fringe of social conservatism. If she ever submits herself to questioning by someone who isn’t a potted plant, he or she should ask her about this in very specific terms.

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