Hillary Clinton: Religious Beliefs ‘Must Change’ For Reproductive Healthcare

Hillary Clinton had a friendly audience at the Women in the World summit, but it hasn’t taken long for critics to find something to object to in her 23-minute keynote address — particularly, her thoughts about how “religious beliefs must change” for the sake of women’s reproductive health care.

HotAir‘s Ed Morrissey connected the dots and referred to Clinton’s remarks as touting an “Abortion Nirvana.”

(To be fair, Hillary Clinton never said the word “abortion” during the “incriminating” part of her speech, but it’s a safe assumption that that would be included under the reproductive healthcare umbrella.)

For the actual comments, here is a reproduction from around the halfway point of the video below.

“Far too many women are denied access to reproductive health care and safe childbirth, and laws don’t count for much if they’re not enforced,” Clinton said.

“Rights have to exist in practice — not just on paper. Laws have to be backed up with resources and political will. And deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed. As I have said and as I believe, the advancement of the full participation of women and girls in every aspect of their societies is the great unfinished business of the 21st century and not just for women but for everyone — and not just in far away countries but right here in the United States.”

Morrissey calls the comment Hillary’s “clinging to guns and religion moment” that won so many enemies for President Obama during the 2008 primary.

Of course, what conservatives might not want to face about that comparison is that Obama went on to win the nomination and two terms as President in spite of it, so it’s hardly a deal breaker.

Still, Clinton has been under fire for accusations of corruption lately.

According a detailed report in the New York Times, Uranium One is or was a Canada-based company at the heart of possible bribery charges.

“As the Russians gradually assumed control of Uranium One in three separate transactions from 2009 to 2013, Canadian records show, a flow of cash made its way to the Clinton Foundation. Uranium One’s chairman used his family foundation to make four donations totaling $2.35 million. Those contributions were not publicly disclosed by the Clintons, despite an agreement Mrs. Clinton had struck with the Obama White House to publicly identify all donors. Other people with ties to the company made donations as well. And shortly after the Russians announced their intention to acquire a majority stake in Uranium One, Mr. Clinton received $500,000 for a Moscow speech from a Russian investment bank with links to the Kremlin that was promoting Uranium One stock …”

The Times acknowledged, however, that it hasn’t specifically identified any direct impropriety as yet.

“Whether the donations played any role in the approval of the uranium deal is unknown. But the episode underscores the special ethical challenges presented by the Clinton Foundation, headed by a former president who relied heavily on foreign cash to accumulate $250 million in assets even as his wife helped steer American foreign policy as secretary of state, presiding over decisions with the potential to benefit the foundation’s donors.”

Hillary Clinton continues to be the frontrunner for both the Democratic nomination and the 2016 general election, but how long do you think she will stay that way in light of the corruption allegations?

And do you think the Hillary Clinton comments about forcing the change of religious beliefs to accommodate reproductive healthcare is disturbing or on-the-mark?