During Thursday's press conference, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi criticized legislation that would outlaw nearly all abortions after the 22nd week of pregnancy with exceptions for when the life or physical health of the mother was at risk.
Pelosi was then questioned by the Weekly Standard’s John McCormack of what the moral difference is between what Dr. Kermit Gosnell did to babies born alive and aborting those same infants moments before birth. In response, Pelosi became frustrated and lashed out at McCormack. "As a practicing and respectful Catholic, this is sacred ground to me when we talk about this," Pelosi said. "This shouldn't have anything to do with politics."
JOHN MCCORMACK: Madam Leader, you mentioned the bill that passed out of the House Judiciary committee, Members who have proposed that bill have done that in light of the wake of this murder trial in Philadelphia. They argue that there really isn't much of a moral difference between what someone like Dr. Gosnell did to infants born at 23, 24, 25 weeks, and what can happen [legally] at a clinic down the road in Maryland where a doctor says he'll perform an elective abortions 28 weeks into pregnancy. So the question I have for you is what is the moral difference between what Dr. Gosnell did to a baby born at 23 weeks and aborting her moments before birth.
NANCY PELOSI: You're probably enjoying that question a lot, I can see you savoring it. [Laughter in press corps] Let me just tell you this. Let me just tell you this. What was done in Philadelphia was reprehensible and everybody condemned it. For them to decide to disrespect a judgment a woman makes about her reproductive health is reprehensible. Next question.
MCCORMACK: So what's the moral difference? I just asked a simple question. … What's the moral difference then between 26 weeks elective abortion and killing of that same infant born alive. This is the issue that they're trying to--
PELOSI: This is not the issue. They are saying that there's no abortion. It would make it a federal law that there would be no abortion in our country. You're taking the extreme case. You're taking the extreme case. And what I'm saying to you what happened in Philadelphia was reprehensible.