MSNBC host: 'Republican men' far too worried about 'the sanctity of sperm'

During a discussion Wednesday morning about Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis (D) and the state's highly contested push to shut down nearly every abortion clinic within its borders, "MSNBC Live" host Thomas Roberts exclaimed that "Republican men" are far too worried about "the sanctity of sperm over a woman's right to choose."

Roberts made the comment after he asked MSNBC contributor Nicolle Wallace whether Davis is "standing up for femaleness in general" by focusing the opposition in Texas so acutely against the Republicans' latest anti-abortion push.

"It's interesting to see Kathleen Parker and people like Peggy Noonan who will pile on a female leader who's emerging," he said.

"This is a very interesting phenomenon," Wallace replied. "Women are usually the first to pile on to other women..."

Thomas cut her off, suggesting that Davis's critics aren't exactly worried about getting pregnant.

"Well, they're certainly piling on," he said. "And the fact that these are women, seasoned women, who don't really have to worry about a woman's right to choose anymore, piling on a woman who's standing up for a woman's right to choose."

"Well, let me just say every woman and man should care about the issue, no matter what side you come down on," Wallace jumped back in.

"They should, but men should not care about the sanctity of sperm over a women's right to choose so much," Roberts insisted. "There are too many men, Republican men, who need a refresher course, and a manual, to how reproductive rights work. And a woman's vagina, uh..."

Wallace stopped him. "I'll leave that to you!" she said. "If you want to put together a manual, knock yourself out! But, but..."

He wasn't quite done, though. "You've heard enough Republicans talk about how they think the woman's reproductive body works, to prove..."

"I think you're talking about very damaging comments that Republicans made about inappropriate, rape or... Is that what you're getting at?"

"Correct," Roberts said. "Yeah, yeah..."

"A topic that never ceases to entertain anyone in the media," Wallace pleaded.

During the "What Have We Learned Today?" segment at the end of the show, Thomas joked that he discovered an interest in co-authoring a book with Wallace.

"A beginner's guide to female reproduction!" he said.

"Yeah, you're gonna knock 'Game Change 2' off the bestseller list," Wallace replied.

This video is from MSNBC's "Morning Joe," aired Wednesday, July 3, 2013.

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