Zeoli: Republicans: Say No To Women & The Draft. It's A Trap!
By Rich Zeoli
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- We abolished the draft after the Vietnam War. Women are eligible to serve in the volunteer military. So why are we discussing the merits of women being able to qualify for a law that we abolished decades ago? Because the media is setting Republicans up and luring them into a trap. Three of them fell into that trap at the ABC New Hampshire debate.
When ABC's Martha Raddatz asked the question about women registering for selective service, she set a trap in the spirit of George Stephanopolous asking Mitt Romney about a hypothetical ban on contraception.
Past is prologue and just as there were no policy attempts at any level to ban contraception in 2012, there are no policy attempts in 2016 to require women to register for selective service. Yet, the Republican candidates decided to play the equality card and fell right into a trap most likely set by Stephanopolous himself. Here were the answers:
Marco Rubio: "And, obviously, now that that is the case I do believe that selective service should be opened up for both men and for women in case a draft is ever instituted."
Chris Christie: "So, there is no reason why one young woman should be discriminated against from registering for the selecting service. The fact is we need to be a party and a people that makes sure that our women in this country understand anything they can dream, anything they want to aspire to, they can do."
But it was really the exchange with Jeb Bush that proves the ulterior motives and this question had nothing to do with equality and everything to do with fear mongering.
Raddatz: "Tell me what you would say to American people out there, who are sitting at home, who have daughters, who might worry about those answers?"
Bush: "Why would they worry about it?"
Raddatz: "--and might worry that the draft is reinstituted?"
Bush: "Well, the draft is not going to be reinstituted. But why—if women are accessing—"
Raddatz: "But you can just do away with it?"
Bush: "No, I didn't say that. You asked the question not about the draft, you asked about registering. And if women are going to be supporting-- "
Raddatz: "You register for the draft—if it's reinstituted."
Bush: "But we don't have a draft. I'm not suggesting we have a draft."
Too late, Jeb! Just as Romney never actually suggested a state should ban condoms, the answer, or more precisely, the question, birthed the war on women movement. Were women really afraid that Romney would take away their birth control? Probably not, but it fueled a narrative that he was out of touch with women. Will women really be afraid that Republicans will reinstate the draft? Probably not, but it fuels a narrative that they are ready to let forth the dogs of war. And voters are very fearful that it will be their sons…or daughters…on the frontline.
In a voluntarily military, that fear is reduced, but start mentioning the draft word and thoughts of little Johnny having to forgo Harvard for a tank in Kandahar. Years of prep school for Susie out the window as she finds herself boots on the ground in a place she just learned about in AP Geography.
The only people that demand women are eligible to be drafted are social justice warrior campus feminist types who are already voting for Bernie Sanders anyway. Plus they hate fighting and would rather hear you say you would ban war.
The correct answer? "Martha, when I'm commander in Chief there will never be a draft. Let me say it again, there will never be a draft when I'm President so there is absolutely no reason for women to register. If they want to serve, they can serve. And this is a ridiculous question because no one is even discussing this right now. Next question."