At the Saddleback forum last weekend, John McCain pulled a big round of applause for saying that he believes life begins at conception. That's radical stuff, as it plays into the anti-birth control ideology of the furthest right reaches of the pro-life movement. Since I'm about to take off to Denver for the Democratic National Convention, I thought I'd make this quick connection between McCain's statement and an incredibly regressive ballot initiative Coloradans will be voting on this November: Amendment 48, or the "Personhood" amendment, which would give constitutional rights to even one-celled fertilized eggs. The proposal would threaten women's access to abortion, of course, but also to emergency contraception, emergency surgeries in the events of miscarriages, and even ordinary hormonal birth control. Indeed, it is so radical that the Republican Senate candidate in Colorado, Bob Schaffer, opposes the amendment. So just a reminder as we head to Denver: On women's health, John McCain is to the right of Colorado's own GOP. --Dana Goldstein
