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August 30, 2006 08:06 PM UTC

African-American Legislators Rip Beauprez Abortion Claim

  • 37 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: Beauprez issues apology for his remarks.

From the Rocky Mountain News; “I was wrong about the statistic I quoted in a recent interview with Colorado Public Radio and I apologize to the African American Community and anyone else who was offended,” he said in a statement. “I should have verified the statistic before repeating it.”
———————————————–

Colorado Reps. Terrance Carroll and Rosemary Marshall sent out a joint press release this morning condemning a claim by gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez that “70 percent of African-American pregnancies end in abortion.” Not only does the quote from Beauprez sound bad, the statistic is completely wrong.

Full release below the fold.

African-American leaders call for Beauprez to apologize for careless and extreme claims

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Denver: Leaders of Colorado’s African-American community called on Congressman Bob Beauprez to  apologize for his careless and extreme claim that “70 percent” of African-American “pregnancies end in abortion.”

“Coloradoans deserve better than Beauprez’s disgusting demonstration of ignorance,” stated state Representative Rosemary Marshall. “Beauprez should stop trying to push his anti-abortion agenda at the expense of African-Americans.”

In a Colorado Public Radio interview released August 28, Beauprez argued that “70 percent” of African-American “pregnancies end in abortion.”

Beauprez stated that “in some our ethnic communities we’re seeing very, very high percentages of babies, children, pregnancies end in abortion.” When KCFR asked him to name “which ethnic communities in particular” he was referring to, Beauprez answered, “I’ve seen numbers as high as 70 percent, maybe even more, in the African-American community that I think is just appalling.”

As Colorado Media Matters pointed out, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cites an abortion rate among African-Americans that is a tiny fraction of the “statistic” Beauprez referenced. (colorado.mediamatters.org)

“We call on Beauprez to apologize for his careless statements,” stated state Representative Terrance Carroll. “Our community is sick and tired of folks like Beauprez using the African-American community as a political whipping boy.”

“Beauprez demonstrated his poor judgment last year when he shot off ‘I’ve vacationed in Mexico before.  I know exactly what ‘Mexican time’ is,’” noted Marshall. “At the time Beauprez claimed then that there isn’t a “bigoted, racist, slanderous hair” on his body, yet given his careless record and his complete failure to support issues important to our community I am beginning to wonder.”

Beauprez’s continues to receive failing grades from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the worst possible grade from the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights for his failure to support issues important to ethnic communities in Congress. (www.votesmart.com)

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37 thoughts on “African-American Legislators Rip Beauprez Abortion Claim”

  1. Between Bill “Blacks don’t value education” Owens and Bob “Black women think abortions are fun” Beauprez, the Republican leaders are making a real impression lately.  What’s next?

      1. Way to get your point across! And last time I checked Dick Lamm was not in the governor’s race, or attempting to be the face of the republican party within this state, unlike BWB.

          1.   Yes, Lamm did leave the Democratic Party when he was stupid enough to let Ross Perot manipulate him in entering the Reform Party presidential primary.  Remember that ingenius nominating process which Ross Perot conceived of, devised the rules for, and then amazingly, won? 
              Lamm’s departure from the Democratic Party was probably the second best thing that happened to the Democratic Party in ’96, following of course, President Clinton’s re-election.

        2. i was responding to the attack on Owens, wholasti checked is also not running for governor. And since when is it only bad to be racist when running for starewide office?

          1. I never said that it was ok to be racist. I was going after your ridiculous ad hom on brio. I also wanted to point out that an insignificant former governor’ comments pales in comparison to the current governor and gubernatorial candidate making racist remarks. Owens, for a while at least, had aspirations for higher office according to the rumor mill his remarks are at least an implication on his thoughts.

          2. What is up with the “Keep drinking the Kool-aid” comments. How does that further an argument? Its done by both sides, and in my opinion it is a little ridiculous, you might as well say that Bush or Clinton equal Hitler. Both are ridiculous statements and do nothing to prove your point, in fact they detract from it, so keep it up like those ad homs you like to use. You’ve got me convinced.

  2. No, I mean it, really. Every time he opens his mouth, he says something even more ignorant than the day before.

    Who’s prepping this guy before he goes on air? A 12 year old?

    2. I don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but for the umpteenth time, let me explain this:

      Bob is really bad when he goes off the cuff.

      This is no secret.  It’s been complained about by everyone close to him.  When he’s low on sleep, hasn’t had a decent meal, and gets asked softball questions, he’ll just wander into No Man’s Land thinking everything is a no-brainer and that nothing he says will be on record or used against him in the future. 

      This has absolutely always been the case, dating all the way back to his days as GOP Chairman in Boulder County. 

      This is also the natural progression of the campaign.  He’s getting worn out, tired, sick of being asked the same questions again and again, fed up with Ritter sticking to the referenda C and D issue, and trying like mad to inject some personal perspective and anecdotes into his speeches and interviews. 

      This is going to get worse before it gets better.  Unless, of course, they pull him from impromptu interviews and forums from here on out. 

      1. is that he has to be told to stay on message to avoid making racist statements.

        “Don’t say what you really think”, seems to be what you are implying he needs to be told.  To me, that is more frightening.

      2.   So when Bob is tired, his mouth runs ahead of his brain?  And let’s not forget some of the poses and gestures he’s been known to make (like the one immortalized by that photographer for the Durango Herald last week).  If he’s tired, he’s got a month of rest and relaxation in D.C. coming up after Labor Day, followed by a frenzied 5 weeks of campaigning, followed by restful retirement from politics.

      3. No offense, but that is seriously a lame excuse. Its not like he is being asked who the mayor of Lamar is as he is taking questions about his policy views. And what politician really believes that what he says wont be used against him? Especially on a pre-recorded, simple Q&A like “Colorado Matters.”
        Of course he is tired and fed up, it is campaigning (of which I have no experience, but can imagine to be extremely gruelling). Interjecting anecdotes about what you want to do as governor is fine and understandable, but there must be a real disconnect when you say something as asinine as he did.
        Not meant to be an attack on you more of me venting frustration at the BWB apologetics.

        1. Question:  And what politician really believes that what he says wont be used against him? Especially on a pre-recorded, simple Q&A like “Colorado Matters.” 
          Answer:  In addition to Both Ways on abortions in African-American community, let’s not forget his # 2, Janet Rowland while launching into her beastiality rant.

      5. BB can’t handle a simple question in a radio studio, if he is tired or hasn’t had a good breakfast. And what the h…., happens if Colorado suffers a natural disaster and BB is “off his feed.”  Or if there is some kind of other emergency requiring a quick, COMPETENT, response from the governor? Maybe the military knew what it was doing when they wouldn’t take him.

        BB illustrates the isolation of one party government. My guess is that BB’s comments are routinely repeated among members of his Republican buddy group.  I don’t think he ever talks to anyone or even knows anyone who would find his comments  even vaguely offensive. The suggestion that BB has a media and a “handler” problem is offensive to me.  BB has a moral problem.

        This incident is important.  The African American community has legtimate problems with Ritter because of his failure to prosecute police shooting. Now, they can see the real face of Republican racism.  So, it leaves this powerful political group with no place to go and no bargining position.

        The other question is:  Why are the Republicans self-destructing? Do they know something about voting machines which they rest of us don’t?

  3. Why has this come up as a big issue recently? Is it because Ritter is pro life with exceptions? Or is this issue polling really well right now?

    Also, mischaracterization and distortion of facts that are easily identified, I think would not be the best way to run your campaign. In fairness, there has always been and will continue to be a misinformation campaign perpetrated by pro-lifers about abortion. Its par for the course.

  4. I read the report at: http://www.cdc.gov/m…

    and found Tables 1 and 9 to be interesting.

    Table 1 shows that, in the USA, black women have more abortions than you might expect. In 2002, they had 37% of the abortions even though they constitute only 12% of the population.

    Table 9 shows that, in Colorado, black women have abortions at the same rate as the total population of the state.

  5. well beauprez can write off the african-american vote this go around. it’s going to be tough to convince them that they are the leading abortionists but he is just giving them tough love. especially when they have a choice between him and the guy who fed starving afrcians inside africa…not on vacation. 

    the ten point ritter lead might just develop into more. ritter might embarass a two term congressman loved by the colorado gop.

    1. know better than to make such a flippant remark.  Consider this…according to this number in a community of say 100 people, 70 would have an abortion.  How more simple can I explain this.

      That means that only 30 women would not have an abortion.  Now just think about it.  If that were true, there wouldn’t be nearly as many African-Americans living in the United States. 

      Here’s a parable that may help you figure out where Both Ways is coming from…

      A recent study by psychologists found that 1 in every 4 people suffer from some form of psychological, physiological, or emotional malady.

      What does that meann…using Both Ways Bobs analogy:

      That means that if three of your friends seem okay to you, you are the one!!!

      that’s about just how much sense his statement makes.  Too bad the inteviewer didn’t ask…NAME ONE!!!

      That fits with our parents telling us to sit up and eat our vegetable and how children were starving in China and Africa.  My response…NAME ONE!!!

  8. sure that’s a bigoted statement but the real beauty is that the dangling modifier of the statement means that he thinks it is the African American community that is just appalling

  9. It might be a squat thrust directly onto a dangling modifier, but I don’t think Rowland will go for that. She’s a pretty old fashioned girl, ya know.

  10. How White Boys can’t jump, and how blacks aren’t very good swimmers.  Of course, Rush Limbaugh was just making a point and was being facicious.  Problem is…Beauprez was dead serious!!!

    Scary thought.  Must have been those long nights studying for his DODGE BALL Exams.

  11. Rowland attacks gays; Beauprez attacks African Americans; Tancredo has the Hispanic community covered. 

    Which of the top Republicans is going to go after the Jews?  Suthers, you wanna cover that one?

    How about Catholics?  Hillman?

    Women?  O’Donnell?

    The disabled…can’t forget them.  Lamborn should cover that one.

    1. The winner of today’s Quote of the Day award is:

      Rev. Reginald Holmes, pastor of New Covenant Christian Church in Denver and former head of the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance.

      Who said the following:

      “I’m offended, and I’m sure others will be as well,” said the Rev. Reginald Holmes, pastor of New Covenant Christian Church in Denver and former head of the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance.

      “This is evidence of the supreme irresponsibility of the man,” Holmes said. “He’s a complete irresponsible buffoon. If he can prove those statistics, then I will apologize publicly.”

      Beauprez did not cite the source of the statistic. On Wednesday, his campaign couldn’t either.

      http://www.denverpos…

      Maybe the campaign couldn’t cite the statistic because it exists only in their minds.  Fact is, the statistic doesn’t exist.  If it doesn’t exist and you knew it didn’t, why say it?

      Must have been one of them “Brain Fart” episodes.

      1. Not to worry, Bob told us all a few weeks ago that black folk will relate more to his backround than to Ritter’s, being a farmer and all.

        Don’t despair, Bob will sweep the african-american vote because he IS Bob Beauprez!

      2. … so WHAT was the statistic he supposedly failed to check? In other words, it should be really simple for Bob or his campaign to provide us with the SOURCE for that ridiculous “70 percent” statistic.

        And if they can’t, then his lame apology of not being careful enough to check that statistic is itself a bald-faced LIE.

        There’s a significant difference between saying “I’m sorry, I didn’t check that statistic before I relied upon it,” as opposed to, “I’m sorry, I totally made up some number off the top of my head. I never even had a statistic from someone else in front of me in the first place.”

        Of course he did the latter – unless he was, heaven forbid, relying upon a statistic from some sort of horrible organization that he has no business even consulting (such as a white-supremacist group). Which is it, Bob?

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