Howard Dean’s Wife Also Worked at Planned Parenthood, Did No Abortions
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 16, 2004
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Until Wesley Clark admitted to a New Hampshire newspaper that he supports abortion until birth with no legal limits, former Vermont governor Howard Dean was considered by many pro-life advocates to be the Democratic presidential candidate with the most extreme views on abortion.
In a recent interview with People magazine, Dean may have re-established himself as the most extreme pro-abortion candidate.
Dean has received criticism from pro-life advocates for doing an unrequired stint at Planned Parenthood while he was in medical school. He later served on the board of directors of Planned Parenthood of New England for five years prior to becoming governor, the regional abortion business covering Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.
But Dean’s wife Judy admitted she too worked at Planned Parenthood in Burlington, Vermont during her own med. school days.
"We both worked there, while we were residents, but I wouldn’t call it active," Judy Dean told People magazine.
"And no, neither of us ever did an abortion," Howard added.
The couple told the magazine that they were frequently asked whether they had performed abortions while working at the abortion business.
When asked why they didn’t perform abortions, Howard said, "Because we don’t do them. They don’t train residents to do that."
"When we were residents, we were working there basically to get GYN experience because you don’t generally do it on hospitalized patients. And then you start to have a practice without having a lot of GYN experience," Judy Dean added.
Asked whether they had a moral objection to performing abortions, Howard Dean deflected the question.
"I think that’s a private matter between the physician and the patient," Howard Dean told People. "I don’t have a moral problem, but neither of us is trained to do abortions. We’re both internists. Internists don’t do abortions. … It would be malpractice if we did."
Would the Deans do abortions if they had the training?
"I’ve learned long ago not to answer hypothetical questions like that," Howard Dean said.
