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.
I agree that he comes off as a dingbat in that interview. But the OP is claiming he once was pro-choice, and then changed his stance when he decided to run for president. I don’t know if that is true or not, but can someone substantiate it? Otherwise, we’re just debating something the OP made up.
I know it’s popular on this MB to bash Republicans. But can we at least bash them for things they actually do, and not things that people make up about them? So far in this thread we have established that he is a babbling fool in the subject of abortion. I’m on board with that. But is he a “flip-flopping coward” on the subject, per the OP? Can’t say I’m seeing that.
I don’t know, actually it is close to my position. I tend to see abortion as one more case of bumping somebody off because they are inconvenient. I like the mantra of ‘‘safe, legal, and rare’’. However I fear too many are much more concerned about the first 2 than the third.
Too many others would like to restrict abortion without giving women better options or helping them avoid unwanted pregnancies.
I view abortion as a problem, not a solution. The solution is in people’s hearts, not Washington DC.
That’s consistent with his position that women should have the choice between not having an abortion and prison; it’s just that said position is so fucking stupid that the OP didn’t realize he actually meant what he was saying.
You know that third trimester pregnancies are largely protected by Roe v. Wade, right? That decision allowed states to restrict abortions that were not for the life or health of the mother and occurred after fetus viability, which occurs between 24 and 28 weeks.
Actually, he does. He’s saying that, as president, he can’t do that.
But that is a really weird way to dance around the question. He wants to overturn Roe, so he’s good with having some states outlawing abortion, but he’s also OK with the fact that the majority of states would not. That puts him outside the mainstream of the GOP primary field.
I’m afraid, though, that it seems he really doesn’t understand the question. That is really scary, as it’s a very simple question.
Now he is backtracking that. He would support an amendment banning abortion. He also thinks he would get to sign it, which isn’t how amendments are enacted, but he supports it.
Cain has even less courage of conviction than Romney.
That’a a really stupid mistake for a presidential candidate to make. But then, I never considered him a credible candidate, so it doesn’t completely surprise me.
Of course he is important; if he is still viable, I plan to switch parties just to vote for him in the New Hampshire primary. If he is nominated, Obama will destroy him in the general election.
I found this on the first page: