This is the text of a letter that went to the ombudsman of the Washington Post (the letter writer sent my way). It reflects concerns a lot of NRO readers have expressed in regard to that Bush Made Me Have An Abortion piece from last weekend’s Post “Outlook” section–namely, they don’t believe the too-convenient details.
On June 4, the Post ran an opinion column by an anonymous writer identified as Dana L., a DC-area attorney. In the column the writer claims the conservative policies of the Bush administration are responsible for her abortion. Specifically, she was referring to the FDA’s decision not to make the emergency contraception pill known as Plan B available over the counter. As someone who has read an awful lot on both sides of the emergency contraception debate, this story rings false. From the fact that she inexplicably did not call Planned Parenthood, though she was familiar enough with the organization to call it when she scheduled her abortion, to the highly unusual situation of her OB refusing to prescribe the pill, to the convenient presence of religious zealots outside the clinic, the story was too perfect, the advocacy talking points to blatant.
My question is, does the Post fact check these sort of freelance submissions? Specifically, did the paper ask for proof that she actually underwent the abortion procedure and did the paper check with her OB/GYN to confirm that he does not prescribe Plan B?
Thank you in advance for looking into this matter.
Dana L. has since explained she simply forgot to go to Planned Parenthood. Damn the president for making her forget.