he told a group of ohio voters romney wouldn't reverse roe v. wade. what's your reaction. >> laughable. this governor is already on record interviewed by mike huckabee where he declared he would get rid of it calling it judicial activism. women are not falling for it. in the state of ohio 55%/40% women are in support of the president. we cannot allow women to go backwards and certainly cannot allow women to be treated like second class citizens. you have a running mate of the governor that just identified rape as a method of conception. they are absolutely insane. they have lost their ever loving minds and it is to the voighters in the state and across this nation to help them find their minds but find it somewhere else. despicable. the whole campaign is laced with lies. >> the story out of wisconsin and you're hearing similar things happening in ohio about possible poll watching activity. how much of an impact is this going to have? how do you combat it? >> we're ready for it and have lawyers ready to combat it. this is about the remaining 3% or 4% t

and that could very well spell the end of roe v. wade. you see how deeply uncomfortable women are with how far to the right the republican party has moved on this. it is not just richard mourdock here. he is not an outlier. their platform is no abortions, no exceptions, including rape and health of the mother. so they have totally gone off the rails with this issue. and it's already damaged them electorally. >> what's it do to suburban women? >> well, i think it really makes them uncomfortable. and frankly, between that and the hardline stance on immigration, i think those are the two things that are really keeping romney from actually being in a position to win this race. because women, they may feel like the economy isn't where they want it to be, they may feel like they'd maybe like to try something different, but they're so uncomfortable with the extremism on this issue. >> susan, how can this be a winner for the republicans at this point? 13 days out, this is a story that mitt romney didn't need. >> it's horrible! it's not a winner a

obviously at planned parenthood, we care a lot about that, this is a guy who's saying he wants to repeal roe, he wants to turn the clock back 40 years in this country for women. he wants to let bosses decide whether or not women can get birth control coverage. he wants to, in his own words, hays going to get rid of planned parenthood. i feel like he is out of touch with what women need in this country. i thought that was clearly on display last night. >> here's more of romney talking about women in the workplace last night. let's look at it. >> because i recognize that if you're going to have women in the workforce, that sometimes they need to be more flexible. my chief of staff, for instance, had two kids who were still in school. she said, i can't be here until 7:00 or 8:00 at night. i need to be able to get home at 5:00, so i can be there, making dinner for my kids and being with them when we get home from school, so we said, fine. >> "the new york times" editorial page got after that today. they wrote, "flexibility is a good policy, but what if a woman had wanted to go home early to stud

he then said that he wanted to see the end of roe v. wade, which he once had said he wanted to see codified, so states could decide. and he then said he wanted a human life amendment that would outlaw abortion across the country. the real romney is severely anti-choice. and what he's doing hear, whether it's on choice, on pre-existing conditions, on tax cuts for the rich, is all a deception designed to trick people into voting against themselves. >> so, terry, it seems like mitt romney will do the bidding of the fundamentalists like tony perkins if he becomes president? >> i think he will, but i think it's his own bidding too. i think it was important of you to show that clip of him bullying during the debate in 2002. that is the way he is with women. the stories that have emerged out of massachusetts, where he tried to bully a woman who was -- whose pregnancy was actually threatening her life. she had -- she and her husband had gotten permission from the mormon church elders to terminate this life-threatening abortion. he went in and t

what does he think of roe versus wade? >> do i believe the supreme court should overturn roe v. wade? yes, i do. >> clear, right? how about the largest abortion provider in the united states, which also happens to be the largest provider of women's health care in the united states, that's planned parenthood. what does mitt romney want to do there? >> planned parenthood, we're going to get rid of that. >> and on that one, the romney campaign sometimes tries to complain about that sound bite. going to get rid of planned parenthood, whenever anybody uses it. but on his campaign website, it says right there in black and white, he's going to get rid of planned parenthood. it has a priority of his. he told "the des moines register" that he has no specific legislation in mind at all that he would use to go after women's health rights or access to abortion. no specific legislation in mind at all. well, here's the pledge that he signed and put forth as an op-ed on the "national review" online last year. detailing specific named anti-abortion legislation that he would advocate for and sup

former senator norm coleman told a group of voters that roe v. wade would be safe. then we'll pass a group campaigning for social conservatives declined to comment on his remarks. doesn't seem like they are on the same page. let's bring in nina turner. also the chairman of the ohio democratic party. great to have both of you with us. what does it say about him, his campaign and also the intelligence of ohio voters not being able to differentiate between the lies and truth. >> he has no shame and no soul. if you're lying in the beginning, you'll be lying in the end. it shows a sense of desperation to try to invoke fear. they know the president threw a lifeline out to the auto industry where by one of every eight jobs in ohio, over 850,000 jobs, are linked to that industry. for them to try to scare the citizens of this state is despicable. this is the same governor that joined forces with republicans here and said he supported senate bill five which would have taken away collective bargaining rights. he's a liar. now only is jeep here to stay, but they are going to in

would be his national policy as clearly as we know the policy of the entire ticket would be to overturn roe v. wade and make abortion illegal. >> if the ticket is elected should those who believe that abortion should remain legal be worried? >> we don't think that unelected judges should make this decision, that people, through their elected representatives in reaching a consensus in society for the democratic process

and it would be my preference that they reverse roe v. wade. hopefully reverse roe v. wade. overturn roe v. wade. planned parenthood, we're going to get rid of that. i'll cut off funding to planned parenthood. >> no matter what mitt romney's ads say, we know what he'll do. >> in an interview with "rolling stone" magazine president obama was asked if he believes mitt romney will try and undo roe v. wade. "i don't think there's any doubt," the president said. "we know the current supreme court has four members who would overturn roe v. wade. all it takes is one more for that to happen." the longer mitt romney stays silent on this issue the worse he looks. this is an issue of leadership and character which i think he lacks. at least richard mourdock, as much as i disagree with him, has the guts to stand up and say what he believes and then stand by it. the same can never be said for mitt romney. get your cell phones out. i want to know what you think. tonight's question. who do you trust when it comes to women's issues? text "a" for president obama, text "b" for mitt romney to

i don't have to tell you the dangers to roe v. wade under our opponent's policies. >> welcome back to "the ed show." bruce springsteen, the boss, speaking out for women in ohio today. meanwhile the romney campaign sent their top surrogate to speak on women's issues on "the view." ann romney appeared mittless earlier. her husband canceled on the show earlier this week citing scheduling conflicts. so it was up to mrs. romney to deliver the campaign's message to women. >> women are going to have a choice. i mean, it's clear. if you really want to make a choice, and if those choices are about reproductive rights, that's your choice. if they're about economic issues and making a better future for your children and making sure that we have this, and that's the beauty of what we have in this country is being able to have those choices. >> well, it seems to me they want to eliminate choice. yet, romney still won't clarify where he stands on a major economic issue. and that is equal pay for equal work. on tuesday night romney ignored a que

of mitt romney's abortion position. >> seeing this from mitt romney, then take a look at this. >> if roe v. wade was overturned congress passed a federal ban on all abortions and it came to your desk would you sign it? yes or no? >> let me say it, i'd be delighted to sign that bill. >> banning all abortions? >> i'd be delighted to sign that bill. >> trying to mislead us, that's wrong. but ban all abortions? only if you vote for him. >> this is the seventh ad that the obama campaign put out on this subject. what you saw at the beginning of the ad, what they're referencing there when they say see this, right? what they're references there, is that for the first time, even though the obama campaign has been hammering them on this issue all year long, for the first time, the romney campaign, the other side, has finally put out one of its own ads defending mr. romney on this issue. sort of defending him. >> you know, those ads saying mitt romney would ban all abortions and contraceptions seemed a bit extreme. so i looked into it. turns out, romney doesn't oppose contraception at all. in fact,

that's how close roe v. wade is. just ask yourself with robert bork being the chief adviser on the court for mr. romney, who do you think he's likely to appoint? someone like scalia or someone else on the court far right that would outlaw abortion?

were heard in this court, the vote, we think, would likely be a 5-4 decision to keep roe versus wade, to protect a woman's right to have an abortion. if the makeup of the court changes by one justice, though, it would be about five seconds before conservatives got a case challenging roe into the court, once they were sure that the ruling would be 4-5 instead of 5-4. with four supreme court justices over the age of 70, whoever becomes president is likely to be able to appoint at least one new supreme court justice. and if it is a republican president, he will appoint nominees who will definitely vote to overturn roe versus wade. and abortion will then, immediately become a criminal act at the state level and every state that's willing to do that. and we know republicans will immediately try to ban it federally as well. they have been trying that for a very along time, including multiple times in this congress. what the republican party is fighting about now is not whether the government should be able to force women to bear children against their will. they totally agree that that is

paul ryan broke new ground on saying how and why he and mitt romney would overturn roe v. wade and make abortion criminal. his issue on rape in particular has people going nuts today for obvious reasons. we'll be covering that in future shows. joe biden also dipped paul ryan in tar and rolled him in feathers on the issue of the stimulus. and mr. ryan's supposed principles on that issue. we talked about that moments ago with chris hayes. but there are two things that i think are hugely important to the presidential campaign that happened last night. two things that i, frankly, never thought we would get to. and that we got to and, boy, howdy, is this new territory. first was this. >> you asked, do i feel free? let me put it to you this way. i earned capital in the campaign, political capital and now i intend to spend it. it is my style. that's what happened in, after the 2000 election. i earned some capital. i've earned capital in this election, and i'm going to spend it for what i told the people i'd spend it on. which is you've heard the agenda. social security and -- >>

ryan wants to legislate roe v. wade on a state level and severely limit access to abortion services. yet, just days ago, mitt romney told "the des moines register" newspaper that he would not push for any anti-choice measures. >> there's no legislation with regards to abortion that i'm familiar with that would become part of my agenda. >> and, of course, the romney campaign quickly walked that back and allowed ryan to articulate its knew investigation for women's rights. >> the policy of a romney administration will be to oppose abortion with the exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother. >> but if creating policy was solely up to paul ryan, there would be no exceptions. the legislation he co-sponsored proves it. vice president biden called him out on it. >> my friend says that he -- well, i guess he accepts governor romney's position now because in the past he has argued that there was rape, enforceable rape. he's argued in the case of rape or incest it would be a crime to engage in having an abortion. i

that's how close roe v. wade is. just ask yourself, with robert bork being the chief adviser on the court for mr. romney, who do you think he's likely to appoint? >> isn't the demeanor of the vice president very interesting when he doesn't have to debunk all the lies and he's got a serious issue like this? joining me now is the president of the national organization for women, terri o'neal. terri, great to have you with us tonight. all i can say is after that exchange is, wow. did paul ryan reignite the war on women? where are we now? >> paul ryan supports personhood amendments. this is -- this is legislation that would decree that life begins at conception, ed. and the truth is that if this goes into effect, that actually would have the effect of criminalizing all abortion. paul ryan has said he thinks there should be exceptions for forcible rape, but not exceptions for women who are impregnated by rape. tens of thousands of women, by the way, are impregnated by rape every year and paul ryan's real belief is that he

five justices, including justice kennedy, who support roe v roe v. wade, four who oppose v. >> jeffrey toobin, the book is "the oath "and we've just discussed once again the most important reason to vote for president. thanks for joining me tonight. >> sure. >> "the ed show" is up next. >>> good evening, americans, and welcome to "the ed show." two days until the first presidential debate and 36 days until the election. this was the scene at the senate debate in massachusetts minutes ago. >> you're going to comment on my record, i would have you refer to -- excuse me. excuse me. i'm not a student in your classroom. please let me respond. okay? thank you. >> we're going live to boston for full analysis. there's a lot to get to tonight. this is "the ed show." let's get to work. >> up haven't given me the math. >> well, it would take me too long to go through all of the math. >> the republican ticket can't get fox news on board with their vision for america. >> i didn't want to get into all the math of this and everybody would start changing the channel