The "I'm not a protectionist, I'm for fair trade" is the same sort of logic that has people say, "I'm not pro-abortion, I'm pro-choice."
A tariff is a tax.
Your analogy is a bad one. You logic is flawed. Abortion is an extreme life or death position. Trade is not. Trade is like international game of poker.
Tariffs are a tool and shouldn't be discarded just because someone doesn't have the balls to stand up for Americans.
Can you find me one single person who was hurt by the tariff that Reagan imposed?
Just one?