Posted on 04/01/2016 4:29:09 PM PDT by ConservativeTeen
Donald Trump said Friday that he believes the laws regulating abortion should stay as they are, but he doesn't disagree with the proposition that abortion is murder.
The GOP frontrunner lit a fresh controversy this week with his shifting responses to a question on abortion policy. He said during an MSNBC town hall on Tuesday that he'd like to see the practice banned, and that women who undergo it should face "some form of punishment." But he quickly backtracked, explaining in a statement that while he believes it should be banned, the punishment should be levied on abortion providers, not the women seeking abortions.
Trump sought to clarify his position during an interview on Friday with "Face the Nation" moderator John Dickerson. The interview will air, in part, on Sunday's broadcast.
"A question was asked to me. And it was asked in a very hypothetical. And it was said, 'Illegal, illegal,'" Trump explained. "I've been told by some people that was an older line answer and that was an answer that was given on a, you know, basis of an older line from years ago on a very conservative basis."
Asked how he'd like to change the law to further restrict access to abortions, Trump replied, "The laws are set now on abortion and that's the way they're going to remain until they're changed."
"I would've preferred states' rights," he added. "I think it would've been better if it were up to the states. But right now, the laws are set....At this moment, the laws are set. And I think we have to leave it that way."
"Do you think abortion is murder?" Dickerson asked.
"I have my opinions on it, but I'd rather not comment on it," Trump replied.
"You said you were very pro-life," Dickerson followed up. "Pro-life means that...abortion is murder."
"I mean, I do have my opinions on it. I just don't think it's an appropriate forum," said Trump.
"But you don't disagree with that proposition, that it's murder?" Dickerson asked.
"No, I don't disagree with it," Trump eventually replied.
The back-and-forth over abortion wasn't the only political controversy involving Trump this week. He also stood by his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, who's been charged with battery after allegedly grabbing a reporter's arm during a public event last month. And he suggested on Tuesday that he no longer feels bound by his pledge to support the eventual GOP nominee, complaining that the party has treated him "very unfairly."
Despite a chorus of critics assailing both moves, Trump told "Face the Nation" it hasn't been the worst week of his campaign.
"I think I've had many bad weeks and I've had many good weeks. I don't see this as the worst week in my campaign," he said. "But certainly, I've had some weeks, and you've been reporting on them, where that was the end. And then the next week, you see poll numbers where they went up and everybody's shocked."
"So yeah, people want to stop me because I'm leading by a lot," he added.
For more of the interview with Trump, tune into "Face the Nation" on Sunday. Check your local listings for airtimes. © 2016 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
I bet he’s already working on the feasability and design phase for building the wall. Trump is a planner.
#124 don’t let rational thought take hold here. Heads would explode.
Republicans saw turnout rise from nearly 1.1 million people in 2008 to nearly 2 million this year because Trump’s message resonates with voters.
Republican turnout is, so far, the highest of any year since at least 1980, and not because of Cruz.
Trump trounced Cruz in the Southern states. That is the story.
No...Cruz supporters are looking to a man that can bring a solid agenda and stability to this nation and the people.......your guy Trump obviously is showing he’s not it.
No cleaning up needed for me. I understood exactly what he said. He said, “you’re asking me a question that you know full well can’t be answered, so (for now) the law stands and I’m not answering any more of your stupid gotcha blather.” Mr. Trump is focused on winning, for now. FGS, we’ve lived with a blithering idiot gay muslim community organizer for over 7 years and some of you can’t hang in there long enough to finally elect someone with the ability to drag us back from the chasm? So let’s just go ahead and vote for Hillary, she will stop abortion for sure.
Trump is not going to lead the pro-life movement. The pro-life movement has to lead Trump.
Unfortunately, the pro-life movement has been led by muddleheads for forty years.
The REAL spearhead for the pro-life movement should be the GOVERNORS.
The pro-life movement should forget the federal government and focus on demanding that the GOVERNORS enforce existing laws against abortion, and that the state legislatures pass new laws against abortion where they no longer exist.
And the pro-life movement should demand that the President DO NOTHING to interfere when the a governor nullifies the Supreme Court’s decisions on abortion.
I really was leaning towards Trump lately but this is unacceptable.
let us know— is Trump to anti-abortion or not enough?
Which then leads to his being ‘paranoid’...also a trait of Narcissist's...and for that bad judgment when under pressure.
.....”I will not now, or not ever, vote for ... Ted Cruz”.....
Thought all had to agree to support who wins the primary or get booted from FR.So I’d watch my step on that note.
Why are they others parroting his positions? Ted is a sitting Senator. Why did he not argue for enforcing immigration laws, create incentives to prevent corporate inversions, push for building a wall, preventing unfair trade practices?
The soap opera drama with lies by both teams and their supporters is hurting the nation and conservatives. If the focus had been issues perhaps Trump would have taken the time to solidify in his mind what to think.
It’s not an easy question; there are legitimate arguments on both sides. And it may be that whether punishments are involved depends on the state of the woman when she does the deed, just as there are different levels of charges ranging from murder to involuntary manslaughter based on the condition of the person who killed another.
Those who have hidden or outright lied about the biological facts of prenatal life are accomplices to a lot of innocent deaths today. Women who have been told by doctors that their choice is inconsequential have committed the crime of trusting their doctor, who is supposed to know the truth and say it. When doctors and politicians are not lying to women it will be a different situation.
Very true
Pro life movement was wrong for criticizing Trump. They should have just secretly acknowledged that what he said was right. Trump cares about the life of the unborn but it isn’t up to him to fix their chances to have that right. But people from both sides will cut him a lot of slack for being genuine and really caring about the baby first and for most. He just had a new grand baby. He is around lots of younger children. Trump gets that all children have the right to be born.
Funny when the seasonal trolls chime in, on what we should *trust*, isn’t it?
Thanks for pointing out the facts, about Trump’s actual accomplishments, to this bot.
Same.
You do that, but you better remember that this isn’t the Donald Trump fan site. This is Free Republic. We promote conservative values and we support conservative candidates and try to get them elected. Splitting our vote is not going to get Trump or any other conservative elected.
Jim gives us more of a free reign during primaries, but once the nominee is chosen, if it isn’t Trump, the fan club is going to be looking for a new clubhouse. The same goes for Cruz supporters if he isn’t the nominee.
Not enough if he thinks the laws don’t need to change.
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