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Are Republicans getting cold feet over the ultrasound bill?

In spite of the heat emanating from Sen. Jill Vogel’s SB 484 [1], it should come as no surprise that some legislators are getting cold feet on requiring women seeking an abortion to have an ultrasound first. The Roanoke Times picks up this twist [2] in the story:

Two legislators — one a conservative Republican — speaking Tuesday on the condition of anonymity said one idea officials have discussed is making the ultrasound legislation optional rather than mandatory.

Other options are to pass the bills by or park them in committee. Either of those moves could effectively shelve the legislation for the year.

And not to be left out of the fun, my friend Paul Goldman is circulating one of his famous columns via email, in which he writes that his sources are telling him that Gov. McDonnell may be having second thoughts, too:

Governor McDonnell is going to delay the implementation of the ultrasound mandate bill circling like the albatross in Moby Dick. The public doesn’t want it, he doesn’t need it, and there is a iron law of politics: you don’t get selected the VEEP on a winning ticket when Saturday Night Live skits are part of the package put together by a Presidential nominee’s team vetting potential running mates.

I asked McDonnell’s office for comment on these possibilities and got this response from Tucker Martin:

“My only comment is if the General Assembly passes the bill the Governor will review it, in its final form, at that time.”

In other words, “no comment.”

As the saying goes, this is “developing…”