# Cain's Definition of "Pro-Choice" **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 22, 2011, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477 "2011-10-22T22:18:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/41 "2011-10-24T01:23:57Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Someone who’s supposedly a serious presidential candidate is an important person?! I guess you scored some sort of points there, grats! Amazing the people who come out of the woodworks to seemingly try to find fault with something I type out. As it is, way to miss the point there. The true measure of how important a person you are is by the amount of attention you receive from the people who disagree with you. The more important you are perceived to be, the greater the attention they’ll give you. And vice versa for the less important you are perceived to be. Quite simple, really. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/42 "2011-10-24T01:25:00Z")
And how is this relevant to the topic at hand? What were you trying to add to the discussion, and what point were you trying to make that specifically relates to the policy positions of Herman Cain? ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/43 "2011-10-24T01:27:50Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > And how is this relevant to the topic at hand? Because the topic was about something Herman Cain said and my comment was about the opposition paying (inordinate) attention to what Herman Cain says. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/44 "2011-10-24T01:30:10Z")
And what does it add to the discussion? What new point does it make, or what existing point does it address? Would you go into every thread and say “this topic is clearly important enough to talk about because you’re talking about it!”? ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/45 "2011-10-24T01:34:17Z")
He is a weasel and a BS artist of the highest magnitude. He will say absolutely anything to push his “brand”. He is despicable in my estimation. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/46 "2011-10-24T01:35:41Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > The true measure of how important a person you are is by the amount of attention you receive from the people who disagree with you. The more important you are perceived to be, the greater the attention they’ll give you. And vice versa for the less important you are perceived to be. Only if you have a very vague definition of ‘important’. ‘Important’ is not synonymous with ‘viable candidate’. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/47 "2011-10-24T02:11:04Z")
People say dumb stuff to get elected. News at 11. As it turns out, the president’s opinion on abortion is inconsequential–he can say what he wants and it won’t change whether abortions are legal or not. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/48 "2011-10-24T02:17:06Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > People say dumb stuff to get elected. News at 11. > > As it turns out, the president’s opinion on abortion is inconsequential–he can say what he wants and it won’t change whether abortions are legal or not. That is only true as long as Anthony Kennedy lives, though. He is 75. ETA: And even that is being generous, since the federal government does regulate abortion even under Roe /Casey (e.g. the partial birth abortion law). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/49 "2011-10-24T02:30:16Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > You know you’re important when the opposition hangs on your every word. Or, you know you’re a joke when you run for president, babble like an idiot, and people go.. WTF? That’s what is going on here. No one is hanging on his every word. They are standing, dumbfounded, as this guy hangs himself with incoherent ramblings about one of the hot button issues of the GOP primary voters. And that’s not even getting into the idiocy of his 9-9-9 plan. This guy is going down! ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/50 "2011-10-24T02:40:23Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I think Cain was very clear: He believes it’s a woman’s choice whether to have an abortion. He believes abortion should be illegal. Clarity is not the problem, the internal logical consistency of his position is the problem. Not that this isn’t news, a Republican candidate is expected to: -Increase Defense Spending yet cut taxes -Protect our citizen’s freedom yet wiretap/torture/hold indefinitely without trial anyone the government feels threatened by -Deregulate banks yet make sure Mainstreet never again suffers from Wallstreet -Support our Troops yet continue to keep them deployed in hostile lands -Pro-life yet pro death penalty -Combat what they see as intolerance for religious freedom for Christians yet keep their progress only for Christians -Family values yet not a gay families values ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/51 "2011-10-24T02:49:21Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I think Cain was very clear… I haven’t laughed that hard in a few weeks! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/52 "2011-10-24T02:58:25Z")
It’s simple, really: He wants abortions for some, and miniature American flags for others. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/53 "2011-10-24T03:12:51Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I haven’t laughed that hard in a few weeks! No, really. He wants abortions to be a family decision, and thus legal, only he wants abortions to be illegal. It’s perfectly coherent! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/54 "2011-10-24T03:39:29Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > No, really. He wants abortions to be a family decision, and thus legal, only he wants abortions to be illegal. It’s perfectly coherent! :smack: What was I thinking! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/55 "2011-10-24T03:52:43Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Because the topic was about something Herman Cain said and my comment was about the opposition paying (inordinate) attention to what Herman Cain says. It’s not only the opposition that’s paying attention. Why do you think this question is being asked every time he’s on TV lately? ---
**Author:** ![loshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce73a5/32.png) [@loshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loshan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/56 "2011-10-24T03:54:18Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > And that’s not even getting into the idiocy of his 9-9-9 plan. This guy is going down! Now the 9-9-9/9-0-9 Plan…can I get an Amen?! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/57 "2011-10-24T04:35:53Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > Yes, the red lines are where he displayed some incoherence. But look at the follow-up, the very next comments after the highlighted ones. Anywhere that Stossel questioned him (as he should have; Cain’s thoughts were very poorly expressed), Cain ultimately provided an unambiguous, “no abortions for any reason” conclusion. > > Seriously, does anyone believe that Cain simultaneously believes that a woman has the right to choose and that abortion should be without exception illegal? He did a terrible job explaining his position and created unnecessary confusion. But I don’t see him repudiating a prior position. We may be in violent agreement here, I’m not sure. > > He did a shitty job expressing himself. But I don’t see hypocrisy or waffling. I see someone stepping on his own tongue. " That’s her choice."is what he said. That is pretty damn simple English. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/58 "2011-10-24T04:44:20Z")
The guy is leading some polls for the GOP primaries - when exactly would you like us to start paying attention to his policies? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/59 "2011-10-24T04:52:55Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > You know you’re important when the opposition hangs on your every word. Logic that worked so well for Sarah Palin. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477/60 "2011-10-24T05:15:49Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > " That’s her choice."is what he said. That is pretty damn simple English. Except that is not all he said. It’s easy to take one phrase from the ramblings of a lunatic and make it sound like “simple English”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cains-definition-of-pro-choice/600477.md?page=4)