Giant pack of birth control to follow Romney on campaign trail

Planned Parenthood's political arm is sending a special surrogate out on the campaign trail to highlight the group's disagreements with Mitt Romney: a gigantic package of birth control.

Dubbed "Pillamina" by the group, the costumed figure will follow the presumptive Republican nominee to draw attention to his objection to President Obama's birth-control coverage mandate.

The move highlights the breadth of Planned Parenthood's political action this election cycle, as women's health issues remain in the headlines and Democrats seek to solidify their lead among female voters. 

The group recently made its third presidential endorsement ever — backing Obama — and launched a $1.4 million ad buy blasting Romney.

"Pillamina" will appear in Troy, Mich., on Wednesday, according to materials from Planned Parenthood. That state recently made international headlines after two lawmakers, both women and both Democrats, were banned from speaking on the floor for mentioning "vaginas" and "vasectomies" in an emotional debate over abortion.

Announcing the "Pillamina" effort, Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Cecile Richards sought to frame birth control as "an economic issue for women — period."

"That’s something that President Obama clearly understands, and that Mitt Romney simply doesn’t," Richards said in a statement.

Romney, like many Republicans, has said he sees the contraception coverage mandate as a violation of religious freedom. He also objects to Planned Parenthood and said he would "get rid of" the group as president.

Richards noted that Romney has also expressed doubts that the Supreme Court decided correctly in Griswold v. Connecticut, the landmark privacy case that struck down state restrictions on birth control.

Planned Parenthood said that "Pillamina" has already attended Romney events in Stratham, N.H., and Newark, Ohio, the group said.

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