On Thursday, after his debate against Democrat Tammy Duckworth, Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) told reporters that an abortion exception is never necessary to save a woman’s life, explaining, “with modern technology and science, you can’t find one instance” of a woman dying from childbirth. Walsh claimed pro-choice advocates simply used the prospect of maternal death “to make us look unreasonable.”

Walsh went on to assert that women whose health would be jeopardized if they carry their fetus to term are simply using the exception as a “tool” to get an abortion for “any reason.”

With modern technology and science, you can’t find one instance…There’s no such exception as life of the mother. And as far as health of the mother, same thing, with advances in science and technology, health of the mother has become a tool for abortions anytime under any reason.

By pretending these women don’t exist, Walsh joins the ranks of his other colleague, Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO), who ignited a firestorm over his opposition to a rape exception because “if it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”

h/t: Aviva Shen at Think Progress Health

Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) deployed a strange attack on his Democratic opponent, Iraq War veteran and former Veterans Affairs official Tammy Duckworth, at a debate Tuesday night — brandishing a photo of her picking out a dress for the Democratic National Convention.

The point that Walsh intended to illustrate was that Duckworth was a political insider and a handpicked candidate of the national Democrats.

“I was marching in a parade in Schaumburg (Ill.), Sunday, two days before the Democratic convention,” Walsh said, holding up the photo, “when Tammy Duckworth was on a stage down in Charlotte (N.C.) — if you can look at the picture — picking out a dress for her speech Tuesday night.”

Back in September, Walsh issued a statement attacking Duckworth’s speech at the convention, and accusing her of dodging debates: “It has become abundantly clear that at this point the only debate Ms. Duckworth is actually interested in having is which outfit she’ll be wearing for her big speech.” Walsh pointed to the photo on Tuesday night as a way to explain what he said previously.

Members of the audience booed profusely, but Walsh wasn’t fazed. He went on to address his criticism of Duckworth picking out her clothes for the Democratic convention — by holding up the photo.

The audience booed again, very loudly, as Walsh was finishing his statement. For her part, Duckworth accused Walsh of trying to distract from the issues — and she got in a kicker of her own.

“And yes, I do sometimes look at the clothes that I wear,” she said. “But for most of my adult life, I’ve worn one color — it’s called camouflage.”

h/t: Eric Kleefeld at TPM

Democrats and progressives are making a concerted effort to rid Congress of some of its biggest tea party stars, the Republicans whom Democrats dream about defeating when they go to bed at night.

Interviews with Democrats, progressives and Republicans this week suggest their efforts aren’t likely to break through across the board but there’s a real chance Democrats will erase a couple of faces off the tea party Mt. Rushmore come November.

Rep. Joe Walsh - Illinois 08

Walsh is the liberals’ embodiment of the tea party freshman: brash, unpredictable and perhaps a little unhinged at times. He started out with anuphill climb after redistricting put him in a more Democratic district, and he didn’t do himself any favors when he decided to attack the war record of his Democratic opponent, Tammy Duckworth, who lost both legs in Iraq.

Polling has shown Duckworth with a significant lead, and progressives who’ve rallied around removing Walsh from office are feeling pretty confident. Republicans seem less so — The Hill reported Wednesday that the NRCC has not reserved any airtime to protect Walsh.

Rep. Steve King - Iowa 05

If Walsh is the progressive caricature of the tea party freshman, King is the progressives’ dream conservative veteran. Prone to eyebrow-raising statements and patron saint of causes liberals love to hate — like making English the official language — King is proudly incendiary. When Mitt Romney endorsed him on the trail in Iowa, Democrats went wild, stating that just standing near King made Romney more extreme.

King is facing Democratic nominee Christie Vilsack, wife of Obama Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, former Iowa first lady and big name in the Hawkeye State. Vilsack has proven an able fundraiser and she’s had an assist from progressive groups on the ground.

Rep. Michele Bachmann — Minnesota 06

Before she ran for president, Bachmann was a number one dream defeat for Democrats and progressives. When she ascended to the presidential stage this year she only made progressive disdain for her worse. Where to begin, they say when asked about her: Bachmann’s impromptu backing of anti-vaccination conspiracies or her crusade to rid the government of terrorist spieshidden in the U.S. government?

Bachmann faces her toughest congressional opponent in recent memory in Democrat Jim Graves, a wealthy businessman who made his fortune in the hotel business. Like Duckworth and Vilsack, Graves has help from progressives and the national party. Internal polling and Graves’ bio continues to give Democrats hope, though even usually optimistic progressive observers admit this is an unphill climb for the left. Bachmann’s as popular among elements of the hard right as she is detested among elements of the left, and she’s been able to leverage her national name to build up a large warchest. That said, the idea that Bachmann’s in real trouble this November is catching on among the mainstream media and Bachmann’s fundraising emails are starting to sound more desperate.

Rep. Allen West — Florida 18

In many ways, West is the male Bachmann. His national profile among conservatives is beyond reproach, while his standing among the left is something considerably short of that. Happiest in the spotlight, West is a tea party freshman who’s fond of comparing President Obama to a slave owner. Tea partiers absolutely love him, and there’s been talk that he could make a run for Senate down the road.

Progressives hope to put an end to his political rise before it starts by defeating him at the end of this first term. It looks like a tall order. Democrat Patrick Murphy, a young newcomer to politics who raised enough money to draw support from the national party, can still pull in the big names to help out in the high-profile race. Bill Clinton was in the district for Murphy just the other week. And Democrats and their allied super PACs are spending big, though the DCCC recently canceled a week of ads.

H/T: Evan McMorris-Santoro

Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) this week mocked Democratic opponent Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran and double amputee, for speaking at the Democratic National Convention, charging that the only issue Duckworth cares about is her outfit.

“Ms. Duckworth has continued to show more interest in rubbing elbows with big name party insiders, then [SIC] staying home and tackling the tough issues facing voters in the district,” he said in a statement on his website. “It has become abundantly clear that at this point the only debate Ms. Duckworth is actually interested in having is which outfit she’ll be wearing for her big speech.”

Duckworth told The Huffington Post that she has already debated Walsh twice and has three more debates scheduled with him, but she is not surprised by his degrading insult.

Duckworth, one of the first women in the U.S. Army to fly combat missions in Iraq,spoke at the DNC Tuesday night about President Obama’s military accomplishments, including ending the Iraq War, eradicating terrorist leaders and allowing women to serve in more combat jobs. She also shared personal stories about growing up poor, becoming a Blackhawk pilot, and losing both of her legs in Iraq when a grenade launched by an insurgent exploded in her lap.

Prior to running for Congress, Duckworth ran the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and later became an assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Podium Schedule at Time Warner Cable Arena

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET

Call to Order

Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Chair of the Democratic National Committee
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Florida

Invocation

His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas
Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Detroit

Presentation of Colors
Disabled American Veterans, The Stanly County Chapter 12 Honor Guard

Pledge of Allegiance
3^rd Grade Class, W.R. O’Dell Elementary School
Concord, North Carolina

National Anthem
Amber Riley
Singer/songwriter and “Glee” actress

Remarks
Stephen J. Kerrigan
Chief Executive Officer of the Democratic National Convention Committee

Welcome Video

Presentation of Credentials Committee Report from Co-Chairs

Bishop Vashti McKenzie
First woman elected as bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

Mayor  Julián Castro
Mayor of San Antonio, Texas

Presentation of Rules Committee Report from Co-Chairs

Kamala D. Harris
State Attorney General of California

Gov. Martin O’Malley
Governor of Maryland

Appointment of Convention Officers

Gaveling-in of Permanent Chair

Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa
Chair of the 2012 Democratic National Convention Committee
Mayor of Los Angeles

Remarks

Rep. Steny Hoyer
Parliamentarian of the 2012 Democratic National Committee Convention
Democratic Whip and Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Maryland

Andrew Tobias
Treasurer of the Democratic National Committee

Alice Germond
Secretary of the Democratic National Committee

Roll Call for Attendance

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Platform Committee Remarks

Rep. Barbara Lee
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, California

Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy (Retired)
First woman to reach rank of three-star general in the U.S. Army

Platform Video and Remarks

Mayor Cory A. Booker
Mayor of Newark, New Jersey

Remarks

Gov. Bev Perdue
Governor of North Carolina

American Hero Video: Education

American Voices Remarks

Ryan Case

Remarks

Mary Kay Henry
International President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

Remarks from Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus

The Honorable Charles Gonzalez
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Texas; chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus

Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, New York

Remarks

Gov. Pat Quinn
Governor of Illinois

Remarks

Doug Stern
Cincinnati, Ohio Firefighter

Remarks

Tim Kaine
Candidate for the U.S. Senate, Virginia;  former governor of Virginia

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Remarks

Mayor Anthony R. Foxx
Mayor of Charlotte, N.C.

The Honorable Harry Reid
Democratic Majority Leader and Member of the U.S. Senate, Nevada

An Economy Built to Last Video: Education

Women of the U.S. House of Representatives

Jimmy Carter Video

Remarks

Ken Salazar
Secretary of the Interior

Kennedy Family Tribute Video

Remarks

Joe Kennedy III
Candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, Massachusetts

Live Performance

Ledisi
Singer/songwriter

Remarks

Robert Wexler
President of the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace; Former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Florida

8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Remarks

Mayor R.T. Rybak
Mayor of Minneapolis

Rep. Jared Polis
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Colorado

Stronger Together Video: Reproductive Choice

American Voices Remarks

Maria Ciano

Remarks

Nancy Keenan
President of the National Abortion Rights Action League – Pro-Choice America (NARAL)

Progress for People Video: American Veterans

American Voices Remarks
Nate Davis

Remarks

Tammy Duckworth
Candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, Illinois.  Former Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Gov.  Lincoln Chafee
Governor of Rhode Island

Rep. James E. Clyburn
Assistant Democratic Leader and Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, South Carolina

Progress for People Video: Health Care

American Voices Remarks
Stacey Lihn

Remarks

Rep. Xavier Becerra
Democratic Caucus Vice Chair and Member of the US House of Representatives, California

9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Ted Strickland
Former governor of Ohio

Kathleen Sebelius
Secretary of Health and Human Services. Former Kansas governor.

The Honorable Rahm Emanuel
Mayor of Chicago. Former White House Chief of Staff

Remarks

Kal Penn
Actor/Producer. Former Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement

Remarks

Craig Robinson and Maya Soetoro-ng
Brother of Mrs. Obama and Sister of President Obama

Stronger Together Video: Equal Pay

Remarks

Lilly Ledbetter
Women’s equality leader and namesake of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

Gov.  Deval Patrick
Governor of Massachusetts

10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Gov. Martin O’Malley
Governor of Maryland

Introduction of Keynote Speaker Julián Castro

Joaquin Castro
Brother of Mayor Julián Castro
Candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, Texas

Keynote Address

Mayor Julián Castro
Mayor of San Antonio, Texas

Michelle Obama Video and Remarks

Elaine Brye

Remarks

Michelle Obama
First Lady of the United States

Benediction

Jena Lee Nardella
Founder and Executive Director of Blood: Water Mission

H/T: WSJ.com

WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Convention Committee Wednesday announced a lineup of convention speakers who will further solidify the party’s standing with female voters.The list, passed along by a source from the committee, includes the following names:

• Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.

• Former Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Veterans, Affairs Tammy Duckworth.

• Sandra Fluke, Georgetown University student.

• Denise Juneau, state superintendent of public instruction, Montana.

• Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America.

• Caroline Kennedy.

• Lilly Ledbetter.

• Eva Longoria, Obama campaign co-chair.

• U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, together with the women of the U.S. Senate.

• Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

There are issues beyond gender that draw these women to the convention. Longoria has helped the president with Hispanic outreach. Baldwin and Duckworth are running for office. Ledbetter is the namesake of the first bill that the president signed into law. Kennedy ties the party back to its 20th century royalty. Keenan and Richards have been champions of abortion rights. Fluke has become a public advocate for insurance companies putting contraception coverage in their policies.

Collectively, the list of speakers — who add to the previously announced speaker and Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren — represents a clear effort by the Obama campaign to drive home the point that one party is tolerant of women’s issues while the other is blind too them.

H/T: Sam Stein at HuffPo

Democrat Tammy Duckworth fired back at Republican Rep. Joe Walsh, who has suggested earlier this week that Duckworth — an Iraq war veteran who lost both her legs as a helicopter pilot and who is challenging him in Illinois’s 8th District — wasn’t a “true” hero because she talks about her military service.

Duckworth told CNN Friday that veterans of the Iraq War generation should be able to openly discuss their military service — doing so demonstrates the skills they have learned, and helps them deal with the personal problems they face, she said.

“It’s very irresponsible of Mr. Walsh, as a sitting congressman, to try to muzzle war veterans, and to keep them from talking about their service, by trying to insinuate that you’re not a hero if you talk about your service,” said Duckworth.

“Our veterans should be talking about their service. It will help us better understand why they make better employees so that they can find those jobs. It will also help us address the issues of post-traumatic stress, increasing veteran suicides, the need for access for health care for veterans and also the need to end homelessness among veterans.”

h/t: Eric Kleefeld at TPM

A leading veterans group has denounced Rep. Joe Walsh’s (R-IL) attack on his opponent’s military service, firsthighlighted by ThinkProgress this morning, and called on the Illinois Republican to resign.

At a town hall on Sunday, Walsh blasted his Democratic opponent, Tammy Duckworth, for having the temerity to note that she’s spent two decades serving in the military. Walsh dismissed Duckworth, an Iraq War vet who lost both her legs in an RPG attack, as not a “true hero.”

Vote Vets, a non-partisan PAC that supports veterans issues, condemned Walsh’s comments in an exclusive statement to ThinkProgress. The veterans group wrote that “Telling a veteran to shut up on the 4th of July is beyond the pale.” They called on Walsh to “step aside and and stop embarrassing his district and America.”

h/t: Scott Keyes at Think Progress

Though he never joined the military himself, Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) disparaged his Democratic opponent’s military service at a town hall on Sunday, saying that she’s not a “true hero.”

Walsh is running against Tammy Duckworth, a double amputee who lost both her legs in Iraq when insurgents hit her helicopter with an RPG in 2004.

The Tea Party freshman opened the Elk Grove town hall by arguing that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was reluctant to discuss his own military service in 2008, which made him a “noble hero.” By contrast, “Now I’m running against a woman who, my God, that’s all she talks about,” Walsh said.

Yet, because she has the audacity to mention her military service, in Walsh’s eyes she’s not a “true hero.”

h/t: Scott Keyes at Think Progress