There is a lot of virtual ink being spilled today regarding Rick Santorum’s big billionaire donor Foster Friess, and his comments on birth control. The catalyst was an interview conducted by MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell which, among other things, included the following exchange:

In an interview with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell, Friess indicated that he thinks the contraception debate is a distraction and that he doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about.

“People seem to be so preoccupied about sex — I think it says something about our culture, we maybe need a massive therapy session so we can concentrate on what the real issues are,” Freiss said. “And this contraception thing — I mean, gosh, it’s such inexpensive. Back in my days, they used Bayer Aspirin for contraceptives. The gals put it between their knees and it wasn’t that costly.”

Mitchell, like the rest of the world, is clearly baffled by the remark.

“Excuse me, I’m just trying to catch my breath from that,” she replied.

I couldn’t tell whether Mitchell was baffled or taken aback, but the reporter who wrote that article was clearly baffled. The above is followed with:

It is totally unclear what Friess is talking about and a quick Google search on links between Bayer Aspirin and contraception was unhelpful, although Bayer does manufacture birth control pills.

Hang on. No no, just one sec. I just have to catch my breath from guffawing uncontrollably. Do a Twitter search and you’ll see other similarly confused folks. Just to make it painfully clear … what can’t you do if you’re holding a tiny aspirin between your knees? Think about it … theeere we go.

Chuckling again. I just can’t stop picturing this reporter furiously typing away on their iProduct, desperately trying to figure out in what backward way people used aspirin for contraception. The earnestness … oh man, the earnestness. “Bayer does manufacture birth control pills.” HA HA HA HA HAHA. Oh my aching sides!

Anyway, levity aside, isn’t it telling that so many “progressives” didn’t get the joke? The notion that maybe not screwing everything that moves could decrease the chance of pregnancy doesn’t even occur to them!

Yeesh. In any case, it was a wisecrack, people, not medical advice. I, however, do have some medical advice: lighten up!