Posted on 08/19/2015 8:39:42 AM PDT by wagglebee
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 18, 2015 (LifeSiteNews) - Republicans most trust Dr. Ben Carson and Mike Huckabee to handle the issue of abortion, according to a recent CNN poll. However, a series of statements from Carson's campaign, and from Dr. Carson himself, have led to questions about the clarity of his pro-life views about when life begins, how RU-486 works, and his views on experimenting with aborted fetal tissue, among other issues.
On Tuesday, the Carson campaign defended his decision to refer women to abortionists if the child suffered from fetal deformities.
"Referring it on does not mean he is advocating it," campaign spokesman Doug Watts told Politico. "He’s advocating they are getting qualified medical supervision. He has always believed that the battle over abortion had to be waged in the hearts and minds of Americans, that you cannot legislate morality. But he also believes we’re winning the debate.”
Carson told the Baltimore Sun in 1992, “As a physician who does not believe in abortion, when faced with a patient who has severe medical problems, I would refer someone for an abortion."
"I would never advocate it’s illegal for a person to get an abortion," the doctor said at the time. "I think in the long run we do a lot of harm when we bludgeon people."
Carson made the statement the same year he participated in a study that examined tissues derived from two aborted children. While Carson played no role in harvesting or handling the tissue, he strongly defends medical experimentation with aborted babies, calling opposition to the practice "foolish." Rick Santorum has said he would never engage in medical research that was "morally suspect."
Recent misstatements also called into question whether he believes life begins at conception.
On August 12, Fox News host Neil Cavuto asked Carson, “At the point of conception - do you see that as life, Doctor?”
“Certainly once the heart starts beating - certainly at that point," Carson replied.
While he has said he opposes abortion without exceptions, he told Cavuto, "in cases of rape and incest, I would hope that [mothers] would very quickly avail themselves of emergency room and in the emergency room, they have the ability to administer, you know, RU-486, other possibilities, before you have a developing fetus."
Carson later said that he misspoke.
"I think when conception occurs, life occurs," he told Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday. He also told ABC's This Week program, "I believe that life begins at conception."
He said that his remarks to Cavuto meant to imply that both sides of the abortion debate would be able to agree that life begins when a fetal heartbeat can be detected - usually within the first six weeks of pregnancy.
When asked about "RU-486," he responded, "I think when conception occurs, life occurs. But I do believe in contraception."
"The egg is only fertilizable at certain times - and there are certain types of drugs, progestins, that can prevent ovulation...if ovulation doesn’t occur, you’re not going to have conception."
The Carson campaign later said Carson meant to speak of "emergency contraception," not the RU-486 abortion pill.
However, one of the world's foremost authorities on Plan B has said that it, too, acts as an abortifacient.
Dr. James Trussell, the director of Princeton’s Office of Population Research, wrote in 2013, "To make an informed choice, women must know that [emergency contraceptive pills]…prevent pregnancy primarily by delaying or inhibiting ovulation and inhibiting fertilization, but may at times inhibit implantation of a fertilized egg in the endometrium."
Dr. Carson is currently second in national polls of Republican presidential hopefuls, behind only Donald Trump.
In his book, America the Beautiful, Dr. Carson writes on page 102, I believe we have taken the moral low road on this issue [i.e., illegal aliens]. Some segments of our economy would virtually collapse without these undocumented workerswe all know thatyet we continue to harass and deport many individuals who are simply seeking a better life for themselves and their families. Is there a way to apply logic to this issue and arrive at an intelligent solution? (Ben Carson Has Presidential Ambitions, But Is Soft On Illegal Aliens; Jerry McConnell; Canada Free Press; 2/4/1
That was a sad day when he pulled out thanks to the media. I was really hoping to vote for Herman during the 2012 primaries.
Exactly.
As a doctor he does not have to perform an abortion but has an ethical obligation to refer care to patients who inquire. Same for pharmacist who does not believe in birth control, they have an ethical obligation to find service.
Next you'll be telling me that any human being can repent to God and be forgiven of his/her sins. The nerve!
(All said in sarcasm)
In all seriousness though, it is amazing how Conservatives are willing to go back decades and extract an aspect that they will use to absolutely discard someone like used toilet paper. I wonder if they apply the same yardstick on their own lives ...or maybe they are absolutely perfect souls that never did anything wrong decades ago.
Pharisees and saducees.
Cain was my guy in the 2012 race. His campaign suspension was saddening.
Fetal tissue research can be done without aborted babies. But the reality is - they are used. And Dr. Carson is not willing to BAN that.
Asked if fetal tissue research should be banned, or if it was immoral, Carson said no.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Double no.
Great post.
thanks for the clarification ....
Nonsense, he's a pediatric neurosurgeon, he simply needs to say he doesn't know.
Moreover, I have yet to EVER see evidence of an abortion being medically necessary where the baby was still alive.
Doctors are not required to refer patients for unnecessary procedures.
His words are not of repentance but of justification.
“I am even prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and say that perhaps he misspoke or that he held positions in the past that he no longer holds. However, IF this is the case, he needs to explain his evolution on the matter and what he really believes.”
I can see no valid reason to impeach your logic here.
“Maybe you can sell your soul...but I won’t”
Well said & I second your motion!
Please also remember that after voting for wishy-washy allegedly pro-life Republicans, we have nothing to show for it in the fight against abortion even after controlling the White House & Congress from 2000-2006. Nothing.
Agreed. He wasn’t my guy, anyway, but this takes him out of the running completely.
Excellent post!
People who are willing to compromise on the lives of children will typically compromise on anything.
Before you made your first statement, did you think to at least web search? Because if you did you would find a plethora of information on medical ethics.
Then with your second statement this would mean that your Primary care doctor doesn't have to refer you to a specialist if he feels the procedure is not necessary. So, no referrals to a dermatologist if your doctor doesn't think you child's acne isn't that bad, no referral to a plastic surgeon? How about a denist who thinks orthdonics is a cosemetic proceedure?
Idiot.
He does come across as being rather weak on this issue. Even his usual adroit rhetoric breaks down on it.
I was disappointed to learn that I differ with Carson on a number of social issues. He compromises where I would not.
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