Those of you not from around here probably don't really have an idea of what kind of hatred and vitriol was spilled in Tiller's name. He was demonized not just by the anti-abortion extremists, but by many in the "mainstream" Republican establishment. Let's ignore the extremists (except when needed to illustrate a point)- they deserve to be ignored.
But mainstream, ELECTED officials from the Kansas Republican party have consistently told lies, winked and nodded at the excessive and untrue being discussed about Dr. Tiller and made their bed with the same anti-choice hate groups that have been terrorizing Dr. Tiller for over 20 years. I think they all have a little blood on their hands.
In extended... some quotes from supposedly "mainstream" Kansas politicians, fanning the flames.
NOTE: Some of the links in this diary are from wingnut newsletters/sources, as these are the best to illustrate the smear campaign on the ground here in Kansas against Dr. Tiller.
Tiller has been at the epicenter of the anti-choice movement in Kansas for more than 20 years
Tiller has been a favored target of anti-abortion protesters, and he testified that he and his family have suffered years of harassment and threats. His clinic was the site of the 1991 "Summer of Mercy" protests marked by mass demonstrations and arrests. His clinic was bombed in 1985, and an abortion opponent shot him in both arms in 1993.
Enter Phill Kline. Elected Attny General by a historically small margin in 2003, Kline brought a rabid anti-choice stance to the Attorney General's office, and immediately began investigating Tiller.
A statement from Phill Kline:
Former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, who conducted an investigation into Tiller, said in a statement he was "stunned by this lawless and violent act which must be condemned and should be met with the full force of law. We join in lifting prayer that God's grace and presence rest with Dr. Tiller's family and friends."
Great. But here is Phill Kline, campaigning to be Attny General, discussing his views on Tiller- the lies and distortions told by Kline are too numerous to refute.
http://www.youtube.com/...
He says of Tiller:
We are losing the rule of law as we move away from a culture that recognizes an absolute truth...
...while claiming that Tiller was murdering otherwise healthy babies in late-term abortions... which is of course a blatant lie, claiming Tiller was essentially in a conspiracy with current elected officals to avoid prosecution. The implication for someone who is to the extreme in their views on abortion, is that this man is a criminal. I urge all Kossacks to listen to the entire above Youtube posting.
Because Phill Kline is not just some extremist windbag. He was Attorney General of the State of Kansas, and for a time the state's highest ranking Republican state office-holder. Listen again to the words, implications, winks and nods to the extremists in the above video. Now repeat-- because Phill Kline was on the radio day and night for a time saying essentially the same thing.
And then there is Congressman Todd Tiahrt, who represents Wichita.
Tiahrt opposed Seblius being confirmed for HHS Secretary. Why? He signed on to a letter:
(NOTE: Link is to Kansas Liberty, a wingnut newsletter, but illustrative nonetheless.)
The letter is the latest effort by conservatives trying to stall or turn back the Sebelius confirmation attempt. It points to Sebelius’ "close collaboration with the abortion industry," in requesting that Obama withdraw the nomination.
"We are deeply disappointed by this nomination and believe a nominee to such an important position should, at the very least, not have commitments to the morally reprehensible practice of providing abortion in almost every circumstance," the letter states.
The letter points to the sizeable contributions Sebelius received from late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller, contributions that weren’t fully disclosed by Sebelius during a Senate hearing.
It suggests campaign contributions may have influenced Sebelius’ vetoes of several abortion-related bills. Tiller and a Tiller-sponsored political action committee, ProKanDo, have been very important to Sebelius' campaigns. In just one instance, Tiller donated more than $200,000 to help defeat Sebelius' opponent in the 2002 governor's race.
Given her support from Tiller and from Planned Parenthood, the letter says, "(i)t is little wonder that Gov. Sebelius repeatedly wielded her veto pen to protect abortion providers like George Tiller and Planned Parenthood, by refusing such common sense legislation as requiring abortion clinics to meet minimal safety standards. During her time in public office she has worked against even such modest measures as parental notification, waiting periods, and informed consent."
This is the message being given out by a Congressman about Tiller. How about Kansas' two Republican Senators, who both supported Sebelius for HHS?
Here is Brownback thanking the organizers of a campiagn to oppose the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA):
http://www.youtube.com/...
Cow-towing to the abortion extremists, giving them the essential greenlight.
The cow-towing continues by Senator Pat Roberts (and the rest of the Kansas Congressional delegation):
O'Reilly had presented a series of programs about the Tiller clinic, and then concluded: "You know, I've been covering the news in America for 30 years and this Kansas situation is the worst thing I've ever seen ... Americans cannot turn away from this; cannot ignore it. There should be thousands of people demonstrating outside Tiller's abortion clinic in Wichita."
That resulted in the "Cry for Justice" protests in January, organized by Operation Rescue, and when they were over, Newman told WND that the issue was "far from over." He also said another series of events is scheduled to start May 17.
On the request of several leaders of other pro-life organizations, members of Kansas' delegation to Congress also have promised to look into the situation.
Rev. Pat Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition in Washington, D.C., and Gary Cass, executive director of Coral Ridge Ministries' Center for Reclaiming America, report they met with members of the Kansas delegation, including Sen. Sam Brownback, Rep. Todd Tiahart and staff members from the office of Sen. Pat Roberts.
They were seeking a federal inquiry into the "lack of willingness by certain Kansas officials to uphold Kansas laws," a circumstance that has placed women's civil rights "at serious risk and jeopardy."
So... the extremists who are claiming Tiller is a murderer, criminal, etc. when he is none of the sort, get an audience with the Kansas Congressional delegation.
Finally, making the wingers apoplectic is always fun, but the consequences in this case were tragic. Why? Tiller's limited but trumped up connection to Sebelius sent the wingers through the roof, producing articles like this.
During her recent testimony with the Senate Finance Committee, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, President Obama’s nominee for secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, conveniently forgot exactly how much money has been given to her campaigns and political action committees (PAC) by notorious late term abortionist George Tiller. Tiller "the killer" claims to have killed 80,000 babies.
Any Kansan will tell you a listen to local talk radio, which is almost all rightwing, produced a constant barrage of people calling Tiller a murdered, baby-killer, claiming he practiced unsafe abortions, was a Kansas version of Dr. Mengele in his unending quest to abort babies-- none of which, as other diaries have pointed out, is remotely true. He was a doctor who provided abortions in the heart (Wichita) of a red state. And paid for it with his life.
What everyone should realize-- the smear job that led to the death of Dr. Tiller was not simply a few wingnuts, but orchestrated at the highest levels of the Kansas Republican Party. They have blood on their hands.