Fox host Steve Doocy couldn't think of one Republican “who wants to take away the right to vote,” despite the frenzy of GOP-led states passing voting restriction laws and the acknowledgement of a Republican politician that the efforts are aimed to win elections.
On May 21, Fox & Friends jumped on former DNC chairman Howard Dean for reportedly stating at a campaign event in Colorado that Republicans are “not American” because they “think it's OK to win by taking away the right to vote.” To co-host Steve Doocy, Dean's remarks amounted to a “new low,” because no Republican “wants to take away the right to vote”:
DOOCY: Excuse me, Dr. Howard Dean. Name one Republican who wants to take away the right to vote. There are Republicans who view that, you know, you should be qualified to have the vote. Only those who are registered and legitimately can vote, those are the ones who should vote. But take away the right to vote? I don't know anybody who's up to that standard.
Of course, Republicans themselves have admitted that the impetus behind GOP efforts to pass discriminatory voter ID laws and other voting restrictions is a desire to win elections -- in the run-up to the 2012 general election, Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R) openly expressed his view that a voter ID law recently passed in the Keystone State would allow Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney to win the state. Listing accomplishments of the GOP-led state legislature, Turzai proclaimed (emphasis added):
TURZAI: Pro-Second Amendment? The Castle Doctrine, it's done. First pro-life legislation - abortion facility regulations - in 22 years, done. Voter ID, which is going to allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done.