# What is it with GOP officeholders and fetuses in jars? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 9, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983 "2010-11-09T01:12:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/1 "2010-11-09T01:12:33Z")
Geo. W. Bush is being interviewed on tv right now. He just told the story of when he, as a teenager, drove Bar to the hospital during her miscarriage. Then [she showed him the fetus in a jar.](http://www.mediaite.com/online/george-w-bush-tells-matt-lauer-about-the-grisly-experience-that-turned-him-pro-life/) TMI, Mr, President, way waaaaay TMI. So seeing that Duhbya has now joined the [Santorum](http://msgboard.snopes.com/message/ultimatebb.php?/ubb/get_topic/f/96/t/000875/p/1.html) family in the stillborn-baby-fondling community, I must ask, _What the fuck, Pubs?_ I mean, I understand being pro-life and all (although I’m not), but…_what the fucking fuck??!!_ Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/2 "2010-11-09T01:17:52Z")
NEVER. FORGET. But in all seriousness, I believe it’s similar to how pro-life protestors have large posters of aborted fetuses. Shock value has a way of forcing weak people to agree with you. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/3 "2010-11-09T01:26:04Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/4 "2010-11-09T13:42:35Z")
He omitted the end of the story where he got loaded and drank the whole lot down in one, thinking it was a bottle of tequila. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/5 "2010-11-09T14:20:51Z")
Where does/did one get a bottled fetus? ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/6 "2010-11-09T14:23:25Z")
I wonder if we started putting executed prisoners in jars, people would start rethinking the death penalty. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/7 "2010-11-09T14:41:07Z")
I saw my appendix in a jar when I was 15. That was kind of cool. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/8 "2010-11-09T17:31:10Z")
Copied from Twitter: Dubayas mommy Showed him a fetus she keeps in a jar by the door Unusual decor All the crazy people Where do they all come from? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/9 "2010-11-09T17:31:35Z")
> [@Staggerlee](#): > > He omitted the end of the story where he got loaded and drank the whole lot down in one, thinking it was a bottle of tequila. Did he eat the worm, too? ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/10 "2010-11-09T17:40:03Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Copied from Twitter: > > Dubayas mommy > Showed him a fetus she keeps in a jar by the door > Unusual decor > All the crazy people > Where do they all come from? Brilliant! ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/11 "2010-11-09T18:23:28Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I saw my appendix in a jar when I was 15. That was kind of cool. Makes me wonder if I still have my gallstones somewhere. When I had my hysterectomy, the doctor brought out a polaroid of the recently removed to the recovery room, but I never got to see it myself. Never saw any bits of myself in a jar. I wonder if part of the jarring was to allow people to give the fetus a burial, if they wanted to. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/12 "2010-11-09T18:55:17Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > I wonder if part of the jarring was to allow people to give the fetus a burial, if they wanted to. Yipes, I’m never going to one of those hospitals with elderly loved ones, then. “I’m afraid the operation was unsuccessful. But we put your grandma in this bag for you, in case you want to bury her.” ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/13 "2010-11-09T19:02:48Z")
By the way … we named my appendix Beauregard and we still set an empty place for him at every meal. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/14 "2010-11-09T19:13:32Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > I wonder if part of the jarring was to allow people to give the fetus a burial, if they wanted to. Dunno about the jar part… but it is generally believed that it’s healthier for the parents to see the baby. Aids with closure, grieving etc. ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/15 "2010-11-09T19:46:46Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > I wonder if part of the jarring was to allow people to give the fetus a burial, if they wanted to. Mrs. Bush put the fetus in the jar herself after the miscarriage and brought it to the hospital with her. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/16 "2010-11-10T02:24:50Z")
Mild-but-possibly-NSFW on-topic [comic strip](http://comicbooth.com/images/snuffy_smith_fetus.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/17 "2010-11-10T02:35:10Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > Yipes, I’m never going to one of those hospitals with elderly loved ones, then. “I’m afraid the operation was unsuccessful. But we put your grandma in this bag for you, in case you want to bury her.” “Why get a [jar] when you can get a 55- gallon drum? Hey, nickle difference…!” _-credit Louie Anderson_ * * * Me? I just wanted to know if you could infuse the water with scented oils, drive a wick through the fetus & burn that bad-boy like a Yankee Candle… ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/18 "2010-11-10T03:58:01Z")
> [@](#): > > So seeing that Duhbya has now joined the [Santorum](http://msgboard.snopes.com/message/ultimatebb.php?/ubb/get_topic/f/96/t/000875/p/1.html) family in the stillborn-baby-fondling community, I must ask, _What the fuck, Pubs?_ I mean, I understand being pro-life and all (although I’m not), but…_what the fucking fuck??!!_ Seriously. I don’t understand why you find this so strange. A lot of people who experience stillbirths want to see and hold their dead child. It’s also pretty common and normal for people to keep photos of their stillborn child to remember them by since they don’t have the luxury of having a photo of the child alive. It’s not a pro-life thing as much as a grieving parent thing. When you’ve had the experience of wanting a child only to have the pregnancy end in a tragedy, I’m sure we will all give you a pass on however you want to react to it too. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/19 "2010-11-10T04:13:14Z")
**What is it with GOP officeholders and fetuses in jars?** I dunno, but for some reason I picture them fondling them in the middle of the night. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983/20 "2010-11-10T04:30:38Z")
I absolutely loathe Santorum, but I don’t see what the fuss is about. They were a grieving family, and we’re not talking about a fetus, but a stillborn. I also don’t think there’s anything wrong with bringing the body home, or letting their other children hold him. Why do we shield children from death? Death is a part of life. Sixty years ago, no one would’ve blinked an eye. Deathbed photographs photographs used to be extremely common. Prior to WWII, funerals were usually held in people’s homes. Creepy? I don’t think so. It’s sad. (However, I don’t understand how they were able to bring the body home – that’s usually not permitted. Then again, someone of his position could probably pull a few strings. Oh well.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-gop-officeholders-and-fetuses-in-jars/559983.md?page=2)