Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis' latest fundraising tactic involves an open letter she reportedly penned in response to the "Abortion Barbie" poster controversy. While she attempts to play the helpless victim in the open letter, including referring to her critics as "attackers," Davis may have made her biggest political blunder to date. In the open letter, she refers to an unborn child as a "baby," a statement that is fully at odds with her support of late-term abortion.
During her recent fundraising trip to Hollywood, Davis was greeted with some less-than-flattering posters plastered across the city. The posters, created by an artist named Sabo, feature Davis' face on a pregnant doll, while a cutaway stomach reveals an unborn baby inside. The doll is also holding the hand of an African-American baby while a large pair of scissors dangle overhead. The words "Hollywood Welcomes Abortion Barbie Wendy Davis" complete the image.
The liberal left was, of course, highly offended over the situation, and Davis herself used the opportunity to write an open letter, which she posted to her website and sent out via email on June 5. In the letter (the complete text is featured below), Davis plays the victim, calling those behind the poster "attackers," as her website encourages readers with the headline "Read Her Open Letter To Her Attackers." She also attempts to tie Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott to the posters, while portraying him as anti-woman (there is no evidence Abbott was aware of or responsible for the posters). Readers of the open letter are asked to sign their name in support, and are then directed to a donation page on Davis' campaign site, stating "Greg Abbott and his allies may fight dirty, but we’re not going to stoop to their level...There has never been a more important time to build our grassroots network. Give $5 or more today."
The open letter somehow manages to never say the word "abortion," but Davis makes a critical error by referring to the unborn child in the poster as a "baby." Davis states in the letter "you see the posters of my face cut and pasted on a plastic doll’s body with her stomach open and a baby exposed while scissors rest inches away." Her supporters might try to argue that she was referring to the African-American baby featured in the poster as well, but it is obvious the baby she is referring to is the one "exposed" by the open stomach. It's an incredible admission, especially considering Davis made her name by filibustering a bill outlawing abortion after twenty weeks of pregnancy.
Even Cosmopolitan Magazine, in covering the "Abortion Barbie" poster, was careful not to refer to the unborn child as a "baby." In a May 23 article, Cosmo states (in reference to a picture of the poster) "That's Wendy Davis's head Photoshopped onto a Barbie doll, with the torso cut open to reveal a fetus. She's holding a black fetus in her hands, and then there are the scissors, which are beyond belief, really. Just disgusting."
Never mind the irony of one finding disgust with the poster's depiction of Davis, but not the idea of the violence committed against the babies by an act of abortion. What is incredible is that even Cosmo was careful not to undermine their stance on abortion, by specifically using the word "fetus" instead of "baby." That this admission slipped by Davis and her campaign staff and made it into a public statement is beyond belief, and is perhaps a telling sign of just how hypocritical one must be to support abortion.
Here is the entire "open letter" by Davis, including the reference to a "baby" and links that direct to a donation page.
Dear Friend,
Mom said it, a co-worker shared it, my girls brought it to life, and most Texans prove it every day -- true leaders just don’t promote and condone the brand of shameless attacks Greg Abbott has unleashed and refused to denounce in this campaign.
You might even be surprised he’s a Texan when you see the posters of my face cut and pasted on a plastic doll’s body with her stomach open and a baby exposed while scissors rest inches away.
It’s wrong. It’s offensive. And Greg Abbott and his allies should know that these vicious personal attacks are not how we act in this state.
Add your name to my open letter to fight back against these attacks.
I know you are proud of our campaign, the thousands and thousands of you who have called, walked, made generous donations, shared your stories and worked for the promise of a Texas Governor who will fight for all Texans--not just some--instead of another insider who will not work for you.
That’s why these posters aren’t just insulting to me. They are demeaning and degrading to every woman.
However, that shouldn’t be a surprise coming from Abbott’s allies. This is a politician who has embraced Ted Nugent, an admitted sexual predator of young girls. This is a politician who pays the women in his office less than the men for doing the same work and has repeatedly denied the necessity of equal pay for an equal day’s work even when women are earning almost $8,000 less than men a year on average. This is a politician whose education plan for Texas is based in part on the work of a professor who actually thinks women have smaller brains than men.
Greg Abbott and his allies have proven time and again that they do not understand the challenges Texas women and that their families confront everyday. Texas deserves better.
Texas deserves substantive ideas from a leader that will fight for the future of all Texans -- not just some. Instead, Abbott and his backers only offer attacks and distractions. You and I know these attacks -- like the ones before them -- aren’t going to distract me from what’s really at stake in this campaign. And I know that you have developed thick skin with me in these months together, and that you won’t stop fighting with me.
I am proud of my fight on behalf of Texas women. I am proud of my record of achievement for hardworking Texas families. And I am proud to have hundreds of thousands of grassroots supporters working with me.
If we work together, we can create an economy built for the jobs of tomorrow and give our kids the 21st century education they need to compete in it. That’s the Texas that will always make us proud, not the disgusting personal attacks Greg Abbott and his allies offer.
Wendy
P.S.: Help me fight back against Abbott and his political insiders. Click here to add your name to the open letter.
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