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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Donald Trump: women who get illegal abortions should be 'punished' | Donald Trump: women who get illegal abortions should be 'punished' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Women who have illegal abortions should be punished, Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump said on Wednesday. | Women who have illegal abortions should be punished, Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump said on Wednesday. |
| Trump was asked by MSNBC’s Chris Matthews to define his “pro-life” stance and assertions that abortion should be banned. | Trump was asked by MSNBC’s Chris Matthews to define his “pro-life” stance and assertions that abortion should be banned. |
| “Do you believe in punishment for abortion – yes or no – as a principle?” asked Matthews, during the taping of a town hall event. | “Do you believe in punishment for abortion – yes or no – as a principle?” asked Matthews, during the taping of a town hall event. |
| “The answer is there has to be some form of punishment,” said Trump. | “The answer is there has to be some form of punishment,” said Trump. |
| “For the woman?” Matthews said. | “For the woman?” Matthews said. |
| “Yeah, there has to be some form,” Trump replied. | “Yeah, there has to be some form,” Trump replied. |
| “Ten cents, 10 years, what?” Matthews asked again, pressing. | “Ten cents, 10 years, what?” Matthews asked again, pressing. |
| “That I don’t know,” said Trump. | “That I don’t know,” said Trump. |
| Asked about a ban, the Republican frontrunner said that people would circumvent it: “Well, you go back to a position like they had where they would perhaps go to illegal places, but we have to ban it.” | Asked about a ban, the Republican frontrunner said that people would circumvent it: “Well, you go back to a position like they had where they would perhaps go to illegal places, but we have to ban it.” |
| Related: 'No hate in our state': undercover protesters take on Trump in Wisconsin | Related: 'No hate in our state': undercover protesters take on Trump in Wisconsin |
| The 90-second exchange is likely to inflame Democratic pro-choice advocates, Republicans who have criticized Trump for flip-flopping on the issue, and anti-abortion advocates who may call Trump’s comments a misunderstanding of their stance. | The 90-second exchange is likely to inflame Democratic pro-choice advocates, Republicans who have criticized Trump for flip-flopping on the issue, and anti-abortion advocates who may call Trump’s comments a misunderstanding of their stance. |
| In a 1999 interview, Trump described himself as “pro-choice in every respect”, and also said he would not “ban abortion” if he was ever elected president. But his position as a presidential candidate has changed starkly. | In a 1999 interview, Trump described himself as “pro-choice in every respect”, and also said he would not “ban abortion” if he was ever elected president. But his position as a presidential candidate has changed starkly. |
| Trump later tried to clarify his position in a statement, but stopped short of retracting his view stated on MSNBC that women should be punished. | Trump later tried to clarify his position in a statement, but stopped short of retracting his view stated on MSNBC that women should be punished. |
| However, Trump seemed to acknowledge that the establishment of any anti-abortion law would fall to Congress or state legislatures. | However, Trump seemed to acknowledge that the establishment of any anti-abortion law would fall to Congress or state legislatures. |
| “If Congress were to pass legislation making abortion illegal and the federal courts upheld this legislation, or any state were permitted to ban abortion under state and federal law, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman. The woman is a victim in this case as is the life in her womb. My position has not changed – like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exceptions,” the statement said. | “If Congress were to pass legislation making abortion illegal and the federal courts upheld this legislation, or any state were permitted to ban abortion under state and federal law, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman. The woman is a victim in this case as is the life in her womb. My position has not changed – like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exceptions,” the statement said. |
| Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton called the comments “horrific and telling”. | Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton called the comments “horrific and telling”. |
| Just when you thought it couldn't get worse. Horrific and telling. -H https://t.co/Qi8TutsOw9 | Just when you thought it couldn't get worse. Horrific and telling. -H https://t.co/Qi8TutsOw9 |
| Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the political arm of America’s best-known abortion provider, said the statements were tantamount to an incitement of violence. | Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the political arm of America’s best-known abortion provider, said the statements were tantamount to an incitement of violence. |
| To be clear, @realDonaldTrump is now inciting violence against women for making a decision that's theirs to make. https://t.co/Yjwj7g5J4X | To be clear, @realDonaldTrump is now inciting violence against women for making a decision that's theirs to make. https://t.co/Yjwj7g5J4X |
| The Susan B Anthony List, an anti-abortion group, attempted to clarify the position of the anti-abortion lobby, calling Trump a “convert” to the movement. | The Susan B Anthony List, an anti-abortion group, attempted to clarify the position of the anti-abortion lobby, calling Trump a “convert” to the movement. |
| “[Let] us be clear: punishment is solely for the abortionist who profits off of the destruction of one life and the grave wounding of another,” said president Marjorie Dannenfelser in a statement. | “[Let] us be clear: punishment is solely for the abortionist who profits off of the destruction of one life and the grave wounding of another,” said president Marjorie Dannenfelser in a statement. |
| The exchange prompted immediate questions for other Republican candidates about how they would enforce an “abortion ban”. | The exchange prompted immediate questions for other Republican candidates about how they would enforce an “abortion ban”. |
| Ohio governor and Republican nominee hopeful John Kasich told Chuck Todd the same afternoon that punishing women who have illegal abortions, in the hypothetical situation that there were a ban, was not “an appropriate response”. | Ohio governor and Republican nominee hopeful John Kasich told Chuck Todd the same afternoon that punishing women who have illegal abortions, in the hypothetical situation that there were a ban, was not “an appropriate response”. |
| .@JohnKasich reacts to Trump's abortion comments: "Of course, women shouldn't be punished" for having an abortion https://t.co/bLyaNPVGoE | .@JohnKasich reacts to Trump's abortion comments: "Of course, women shouldn't be punished" for having an abortion https://t.co/bLyaNPVGoE |
| “Absolutely not, and I mean I do have exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother,” Kasich said. | “Absolutely not, and I mean I do have exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother,” Kasich said. |
| Todd asked how an “abortion ban” would be enforced. | Todd asked how an “abortion ban” would be enforced. |
| “Well, look,” said Kasich, “I think [the exceptions are] rape, incest, life of the mother, and perhaps you build some restrictions, but I think you have to be very careful in the way you do it.” | “Well, look,” said Kasich, “I think [the exceptions are] rape, incest, life of the mother, and perhaps you build some restrictions, but I think you have to be very careful in the way you do it.” |
| In a statement issued by his campaign, Ted Cruz dismissed Trump’s remarks as a cry for attention. | |
| “Once again Donald Trump has demonstrated that he hasn’t seriously thought through the issues, and he’ll say anything just to get attention,” the Republican presidential candidate said. “On the important issue of the sanctity of life, what’s far too often neglected is that being pro-life is not simply about the unborn child; it’s also about the mother – and creating a culture that respects her and embraces life. Of course we shouldn’t be talking about punishing women; we should affirm their dignity and the incredible gift they have to bring life into the world.” |