Herman Cain’s Evangelical Star Loses Some Luster (325 hits)
On Tuesday, this publication ran an episode of the CitizenLink Report discussing Republican presidential contender Herman Cain’s rising appeal among evangelical voters.
On Wednesday, Cain likely lost a good deal of that support in an interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan, saying abortion “ultimately gets down to a choice that that family or that mother has to make” when rape or incest has occurred.
Though he personally believes life begins at conception, the Georgian said, “I shouldn’t try to tell them what decision to make for such a sensitive decision. … I can have an opinion on an issue without it being a directive on the nation. The government shouldn’t be trying to tell people everything to do, especially when it comes to a social decision that they need to make.”
Those statements vastly dilute very strong pro-life declarations he’s made while on the campaign trail. Last week, he told the Fox Business Channel that “abortion should not be legal.” At the Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C., he said the most basic of all human rights is the right to life. In January, he said any judge he’d nominate would have to share the view that “life begins at conception, period,” and in 2003, he said he’d support a Constitutional amendment banning abortion.
Today, he tweeted, “I’m 100% pro-life. End of story” — without clarifying any of the issues surrounding his views on the legality of abortion.
CitizenLink Executive Director Tom Minnery said such murky statements won’t help accomplish Cain’s stated goal of “not conceding the evangelical vote” in a primary race crowded with pro-life Republicans.
“It will be important to all who believe human life is sacred for Cain to quickly clarify his statement, so we know the extent of his pro-life views,” Minnery said.
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann had made statements similar to some of Cain’s in the past — that life is a fundamental right, and she is 100 percent pro-life “from conception” — without backing away. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman said he supports a right-to-life amendment and making second-trimester abortions illegal. Texas Gov. Rick Perry opposes federal funding for abortion and thinks it should only be legal in the case of rape, incest or to save the mother’s life. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich said the government should “stop forcing pro-choice morality on religious organizations.” Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum says no abortion should be legal, even in the case of rape or incest. Texas Rep. Ron Paul has said he supports legislation defining life as beginning at conception and that abortion is murder, but also that abortion laws should be made at the state level and that emergency contraception allows for individual moral choices to be made. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney used to support abortion and now says he believes “in the sanctity of life from the very beginning until the very end.”
aCTUALLY i OFTEN WONDER WH WILL GET THE BLAME : Perry or Bachmann when The Mormon gets the nomination...
remember both said they had been called by the Christian God!
Wonder if they will have to admit be asked if this all happened, because they used God's name in vain? Me, I doubt it. (smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
