Trump: I would change GOP platform on abortion

CNN ^ | 04/21/16 | David Wright

[writer33]

Donald Trump said Thursday he would change the Republican Party platform's position on abortion to include exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.

Trump made the remarks during a town hall on the "Today" show on NBC on Thursday morning when host Savannah Guthrie asked him about abortion exceptions.

"The Republican platform every four years has a provision that states that the right of the unborn child should not be infringed," Guthrie said. "And it makes no exceptions for rape, for incest, for the life of the mother. Would you want to change the Republican platform to include the (abortion) exceptions that you have?"

"Yes, I would. Yes, I would. Absolutely," Trump said. "For the three exceptions, I would."

Currently, the Republican platform abortion policy reads: "We assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed."

[jacknhoo]

It appears to me that Trump is setting himself up for an Independent Party run or a moderate Republican if he gets the GOP nomination. He’s going get the presidency, it appears, one way or the other.

[paladinan]

This is not a policy shift:

How does that make this position of his any better (or less reprehensible)?

[euram]

We have far more important things to worry about than abortion or bathrooms. None of that is even going to matter unless we control the massive 3rd World invasion.

[RightLady]

How about raising taxes on the Wealthy,

[proust]

But Cruz fought it really really hard!

Outcome didn’t change, but Cruz gets endless participation trophies on this site.

[lancium]

I’m surprised Trump is appearing to change positions before the convention. I expected him to go center after he won the nomination but if he starts changing views on many issues it will look more and more like a plot to destroy the republican party. He hasn’t won the nomination yet and things can change quickly...

[drinktheobamakoolaid]

I think it’s called a slippery slope....

[redleghunter]

He is then not prolife. How can he execute a unborn innocent baby?

Just three weeks ago he was throwing the abortionist and mother in jail. Now he is moving in the pro-abort direction. Can't say that I am surprised as he is a NYC liberal pol.

The 'hangover' will be enormous after Trump lays waste to what's left GOP conservatism. He clearly does not understand the history of the Pro-Life movement. That is why the SBA List will not endorse him.

[conservative98]

Did anyone have a problem with the last 5 Republican nominees, Bush, Dole, Bush, McCain and Romney having the same exceptions? I don’t remember there being such an uproar.

[Trumpinator]

Cruz, Huckabee, Santorum, Carson were the only ones running this year that didn’t have exceptions for abortion. And not a one of them will ever see the inside of the White House. The GOP is scared they’ll be seen as hostile to women. If the GOP gives the nomination to Cruz, Hillary has one more thing to wrap around his neck as part of the war on women and the GOP could care less because Cruz has as much chance of beating Hillary Clinton in a general election as I have going to the moon.

Many women agree that life begins at conception and may recoil at the idea of an abortion - but I doubt many sane women would want to carry a rapist's child. Imagine your loved one forced to carry the child of rapist Willie Horton. What of one of the women lived from that horrible attack on that doctor's family and were pregnant with the rapist / murderer's child?

[mrsmel]

Good point. Everything is national, these days. The left wouldn’t have it any other way, how long have they opposed states’ rights? They can’t tolerate other methods and means. You know how you notice your own worst fault the most, in other people? Well, that’s the left and its screaming about “tolerance”-they know they have none, even as they scream and demand it from all.

[RightLady]

Read more at https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/tax-reform Tax the wealthy—Trump

[Bubba Gump Shrimp]

I am a crossover voter.

There is no way in hell I would ever support a candidate that says my wife and I would have to keep and raise a child because my wife was gang raped by a group of Muslims or anyone for that matter.

You far right religious folks are just damn nuts.

Also, my wife, who is the mother of my children, was given a choice at some point during her pregnancy (how about 2 month’s into it?) well, you are going to have to die now, or we can abort the fetus.

She should die and let my children be motherless?

What are you religious nuts going on about?

I’ve seen more death and destruction in my life than I care to admit, and most of it un-avoidable and necessary, but when you take these crazy stances like “life begins when you put your hoojijigger inside of a woman, and it is more sacred than anything else in the cosmos”, it’s when folks like me just run from your party as quick as we can.

Trump’s correct on the issue, any other stance would be irrational.

If you want to have a rational conversation, lets have one on when life begins. I assure you most folks don’t agree it begins when you get a twinkle in your eye.

You may begin flaming now.

[Cyman]

[proust]

Trump didn’t change his position.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/donald-trump-op-ed-my-vision-for-a-culture-of-life/article/2581271

Donald Trump op-ed: My vision for a culture of life

[altura]

Digusting man. Has no clue about pro-life.

[TontoKowalski]

I think you can say the rape/incest exception is a poison pill for Democrats. They want all abortions, Trump wants to eliminate 90+ percent of them.

Cruz-servatives who currently have 0 percent just want to grandstand.

There are always going to be those who prefer a 100% loss to a 90% win. They call it being "principled."

I don't get it. "No exceptions" probably isn't even a majority position among Republicans... maybe not even self-described Evangelicals.

[CityCenter]

This exception has always troubled me. If a mother’s life is at risk, how is it that an abortion does not also put her life at risk? I can see there would be rare exceptions, like treatment needed for cancer, etc. But other than that I don’t understand how terminating pregnancy could be any less risky than giving birth.

[tumblindice]

” ... unlike Trump who has no idea why Planned Parenthood is a vile corporation.”

While Ryan and McConnell remain laid-back over using the levers of power we gave them, and while their tool Ted Cruz grandstanded, back before he took an indefinite hiatus from the job he’s getting paid to do,

Trump was saying he would shut down the government and defund Planned Parenthood:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/04/politics/donald-trump-government-shutdown-planned-parenthood/index.html

“Donald Trump said he believes Republicans should shut down the government rather than fund Planned Parenthood, the health services group that is facing scrutiny after undercover videos of its officials emerged.”

“Perhaps it is better to be irresponsible and right, than to be responsible and wrong.”
Winston S. Churchill

“The eternal difference between right and wrong does not fluctuate, it is immutable.”
Patrick Henry

“In a country that doesn’t discriminate between fame and infamy, the latter presents itself as plainly more achievable.”
Lionel Shriver

“The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell.”
Confucius

[jacknhoo]

Personally I think a move to the center is welcomed by the establishment at this point in time. It would be even more welcome if he were already an establishment guy.