Posted on 04/01/2016 4:29:09 PM PDT by ConservativeTeen
Donald Trump said Friday that he believes the laws regulating abortion should stay as they are, but he doesn't disagree with the proposition that abortion is murder.
The GOP frontrunner lit a fresh controversy this week with his shifting responses to a question on abortion policy. He said during an MSNBC town hall on Tuesday that he'd like to see the practice banned, and that women who undergo it should face "some form of punishment." But he quickly backtracked, explaining in a statement that while he believes it should be banned, the punishment should be levied on abortion providers, not the women seeking abortions.
Trump sought to clarify his position during an interview on Friday with "Face the Nation" moderator John Dickerson. The interview will air, in part, on Sunday's broadcast.
"A question was asked to me. And it was asked in a very hypothetical. And it was said, 'Illegal, illegal,'" Trump explained. "I've been told by some people that was an older line answer and that was an answer that was given on a, you know, basis of an older line from years ago on a very conservative basis."
Asked how he'd like to change the law to further restrict access to abortions, Trump replied, "The laws are set now on abortion and that's the way they're going to remain until they're changed."
"I would've preferred states' rights," he added. "I think it would've been better if it were up to the states. But right now, the laws are set....At this moment, the laws are set. And I think we have to leave it that way."
"Do you think abortion is murder?" Dickerson asked.
"I have my opinions on it, but I'd rather not comment on it," Trump replied.
"You said you were very pro-life," Dickerson followed up. "Pro-life means that...abortion is murder."
"I mean, I do have my opinions on it. I just don't think it's an appropriate forum," said Trump.
"But you don't disagree with that proposition, that it's murder?" Dickerson asked.
"No, I don't disagree with it," Trump eventually replied.
The back-and-forth over abortion wasn't the only political controversy involving Trump this week. He also stood by his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, who's been charged with battery after allegedly grabbing a reporter's arm during a public event last month. And he suggested on Tuesday that he no longer feels bound by his pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee, complaining that the party has treated him "very unfairly."
Despite a chorus of critics assailing both moves, Trump told "Face the Nation" it hasn't been the worst week of his campaign.
"I think I've had many bad weeks and I've had many good weeks. I don't see this as the worst week in my campaign," he said. "But certainly, I've had some weeks, and you've been reporting on them, where that was the end. And then the next week, you see poll numbers where they went up and everybody's shocked."
"So yeah, people want to stop me because I'm leading by a lot," he added.
For more of the interview with Trump, tune into "Face the Nation" on Sunday. Check your local listings for airtimes. © 2016 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
“President Trump has a nice ring to it.”
Dump Trump has even better ring to it. Sorry.
“So healthcare for everyone should remain legal because it is the law now?”
Two separate issues. One was passed by Congress and can be repealed by Congress.
The other one was decreed by the Supreme Court, and, unfortunately since 1803, Supreme Court decisions have been accepted as final law. It will take a Constitutional amendment to over rule it, and that will not happen.
It will take a powerful spiritual leader to accomplish that.
Did you see this Morgana?
“So is this going to be his standard response every time he’s pressed for details?”
A little dramatic, don’t you think?
He just offended tens of millions of pro-abortionists with that statement, and now he has got both camps coming down on top of him.
Congratulations; you can not stand shoulder to shoulder with Hillary and condemn Trump.
The MSM has poisoned the waters on the topic of abortion to such a degree that any answer anyone can make, other than something Hillary Clinton says, will be demonized.
I searched and didn’t see this thread. Dang it.
_____________________________________________________________
Even before the interview airs, Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks issued a statement to correct Trump’s statement:
“Mr. Trump gave an accurate account of the law as it is today and made clear that it must stay that way now — until he is President. Then he will change the law through his judicial appointments and allow the states to protect the unborn. There is nothing new or different here.”
_________________________________________________________
Dear Donald Trump:
Conservatives oppose legislating from the bench.
That is all.
BT
It’s anyone’s guess what his position will be tomorrow. I don’t even think he knows.
Liar and loser. Trump doesn’t even know what “pro-life” means.
No, it gets worse. His spokeswoman just released a clarification. See my above post.
“Congratulations; you can not stand shoulder to shoulder with Hillary and condemn Trump.”
Not sure where you conjured up the ideation that questioning Trump’s penchant for shapeshifting on policy stances somehow equates to “standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Hillary.”
Go Ted. Okay?
oh dear
I am totally with Donald Trump. I am an avid states righter and I firmly believe that abortion and gay marriage are states rights issues. I am anti abortion and anti gay marriage but the Constitution does not address these issues so they are up to the states. Donald Trump is absolutely right about this.
what you really mean is that although trump declared strongly he was pro life, he is not a zealot that thinks it is the most important of all issues to the exclusion of all others.
His statement on the law must be obeyed, means he would likely agree with the governor of Florida on the Terry decision. That is even against the boisterous protest of some who urge making a decision contrary to the law he stood up to the protest.
No need to wait until tomorrow. His spokeswoman has already issued a statement to clarify his statement.
She says he will change the law through his judicial appointments.
“Conservatives oppose legislating from the bench.”
It’s become patently obvious that nobody in the Trump campaign, from the man on down, has any idea what conservatives stand for.
I don’t know how many times ‘New York Values’ has been posted in the thread but I’ll post it again. And, no, I don’t vote for clowns.
“”Mr. Trump gave an accurate account of the law as it is today and made clear that it must stay that way now — until he is President. ...”
This is the most absurd statement I may have ever heard.
The Republicans will once again lose the election because of the abortion issue, and as a result the country will be destroyed and there will be absolutely no chance of ever stopping or reducing abortions. The battle has been fought the wrong way. Things are going to get much worse.
He’s dead, Jim.
Dr McCoy
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.