Inslee Official Responds to Questions on "Right to Choose"

With the departure of Brandi Cruise from Fox Q13 in Seattle, there really aren't any area journalists who ask tough questions of the Governor, at least among ones who can attend his press conferences.

INSLEE PRESS CONFERENCES APPEAR TO BE CAREFULLY 'SCREENED'

Since he's become Governor, either media won't throw hardball questions, or else their questions have to be pre-submitted. it's a bit of both. But nobody ever seems to press him on subjects. We have sat through dozens of pressers, as they are called, and heard (in my opinion) meaningless drivel, or questions that focus on minutia or out in the weeds. Nobody ever challenges the sometimes outrageous or inflammatory things he says or his policies. Media are supposed to do that.

We've submitted a few, none have ever been used or answered.

Back in late November when Inslee spoke about the challenges being made nationally to Roe vs. Wade and "right to choose" as he put it, he swore to continue to fight for and uphold freedom of choice. He went on and on about personal choice and freedom and although he didn't use the words, he meant abortion rights.

So, this week we sent off the following question directly to his Deputy Communications Director, Mike Faulk:

'Governor Inslee is obviously passionate about the Right to Choose, Freedom of Choice when it comes to reproductive-abortion rights. How is that vastly different from a person's Right to Choose when it comes to personal medical decisions, such as choosing to get a COVID vaccine?

Does personal medical choice about what we put into our bodies not carry the same weight as reproductive choice? Are there two sets of rules?'

A valid question, we submitted it during the original press event but it was not gotten to.

Here is his response, verbatim:

"They’re two different issues being conflated by rhetoric.

The right to choose in reproductive health does not threaten public health. Spreading a highly infectious disease to millions of people is not good for public health. We do not have the right to inflict harm on others, which is what spreading this virus does. Getting vaccinated clearly has implications that benefit everyone who is threatened by this virus, including those who can’t get vaccinated and are counting on others to do it. There is no equally effective alternative for fighting it.

There are more than 9,500 Washingtonians who are now dead from this virus. There are even more people suffering from long, debilitating COVID symptoms. None of them were given a choice in the matter. COVID is highly infectious and spreads easily from person to person. We have a vaccine that is safe and effective, that not only protects the person taking it but protects others they may come into contact with. Vaccinations have saved countless lives in Washington and elsewhere. By protecting our health, the vaccines protect our basic liberties.

Vaccines are the best solution we have, and it is well-established through the courts that mandatory vaccinations can be in the public interest for that reason."

We had to read it 2-3 times as well. The line that stuck out for me was "by protecting our health, the vaccines protect our basic liberties..." What?!?

We also asked Faulk if by chance Inslee had met with, spoken to or reached out in ANY way to the 3,000 or so state workers fired for refusing to get the vaccine. This response, verbatim, below:

"Not that I’m aware of."

A glimpse into the mind of our Governor...he sounds just like the officials surrounding him.