In a matter of minutes, Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump accomplished what no other politician ever ever done: anger BOTH opponents and supporters of abortion rights in America.
The “some kind of punishment” line about women who abort unborn fetuses he uttered on MSNBC Wednesday night was quickly reversed or revised (depending on where you stand) in a statement published on his website.
This combination photos shows Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, and Fox News Channel host and moderator Megyn Kelly during the first Republican presidential debate at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland on Aug 15, 2015. (AP)
Two recent polls suggest Trump’s support among women is tenuous already. In a March 23 Quinnipiac poll, 67 percent of females registered voters had unfavorable views of Trump, and in a CNN poll the next day, the news outlet reported that 74 percent of females registered voters had unfavorable views of him.
The abortion gaffe comes after a public fight with his nearest opponent Sen. Ted Cruz over their wives and the his ugly comments aimed at FOX News anchor Megyn Kelly. Women, who make up more than half of the U.S. voting electorate, are a key voting block, one that political pundits say should not be alienated by either Republicans or Democrats.
The next presidential nominating contest takes place next week in Wisconsin, the results of which may indicate if Trump has gone too far this time.
Trump the Trojan Horse
Bruce W. Griffin – The Weekly Standard
In January 2016, he wrote an op-ed saying that abortion should be limited to cases of rape, incest or danger to the mother’s life—but again refusing to call for the reversal of Roe v Wade.
Now these two positions are simply contradictory: You cannot claim to be pro-life, and refuse to call for the reversal of the Supreme Court decision that prohibits nearly every meaningful attempt to defend the right to life. The only logical conclusion is that Trump’s “conversion” to pro-life principles is a politically calculated circus: he thinks he can position himself as “pro-life” simply by using the words “pro-life” without any commitment to the substance of what those words mean….
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump holds up a campaign sign after speaking at a rally at Valdosta State University in Ga. on Feb. 29, 2016. (AP)
The battle lines for 2016 in the GOP then are strikingly clear: Trump hopes to use pro-life rhetoric to win the GOP nomination. His victory would mean the certain destruction of everything for which pro-lifers have fought and prayed and sacrificed for two score years.
Pro-lifers can rally to Senator Cruz, whose pro-life convictions have never been in question. Or they can watch a pro-choice candidate seize control of the only party pro-lifers have ever had.
Watch Trump’s comments on abortion with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews:
Dear Women Who Love Trump: Ditch This Guy
Mel Robbins – CNN
I get it. I liked him, too, when he first hit the scene in July. It was easy to understand his appeal.
He was so exciting, refreshing and fun…. But as we got to know him, and he started saying some pretty offensive things about just about everyone he didn’t like, it got kinda old — kinda fast.On Wednesday he said women who had illegal abortions under a Trump presidency should be punished by law — but he hadn’t thought up the penalty yet. You are kidding me. When conservatives called him out on it, he completely changed his story, calling women who get abortions “victims” and saying doctors who perform abortions should be punished by law instead….
And this week one of his senior people was charged with misdemeanor simple battery against a woman reporter. The whole thing is on tape, but he’s still defending the guy. It seems like every week he is obsessively attacking a woman who’s just doing her job. I know he hates his opponent Ted, but why attack his wife?
A woman blows a kiss to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (R) after Trump autographed her chest at his campaign rally in Virginia on Dec. 2, 2015. (Reuters)
Punishment is solely for the abortionist who profits off of the destruction of life - @marjoriesba https://t.co/jW7iQ0OwTA #Trump #ProLife
— Susan B Anthony List (@SBAList) March 30, 2016
One Way for Trump to Lose Even More Women Voters: Say They Should Be Punished for Illegal Abortions
Carla Hall – Los Angeles Times
He issued a statement saying he would punish the doctors who performed the abortion, not the woman. “The doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman,” the statement said. “The woman is a victim in this case as is the life in her womb.”