Herman Cain's 'bizarre' abortion confusion
Cain may have taken his anti-government stance too far — suggesting the federal government shouldn't tell anyone what to do about abortion
A new poll puts businessman Herman Cain at the top of the Republican presidential heap in socially conservative Iowa, but his "muddled" views on abortion may drag him down again. On Wednesday night, CNN's Piers Morgan asked Cain about abortion, and his answer was "simply bizarre," says Jennifer Rubin in The Washington Post. After saying that abortion should be allowed "under no circumstances," he then said that when it comes to rape and incest, "it ultimately gets down to a choice that that family or that mother has to make. Not me as president." (Watch video below) After the show aired, Cain took to Twitter: "I'm 100% pro-life. End of story." But debate continued: Has the Cain Train just derailed over the issue of abortion?
What is Cain, a Catholic Democrat? "There's a simple term for people who feel that abortion is personally wrong, but that the government shouldn't do anything to prohibit it," says Leon H. Wolf in RedState: Pro-choice. In fact, Cain's position is indistinguishable from the "standard Catholic Democrat dodge" used by John Kerry, Mario Cuomo, and other "nominally Catholic" pro-choicers. I was considering Cain, "but this is a dealbreaker." If you believe life begins at conception, abortion is murder.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
His libertarianism got the better of him: Cain's problem here is that he's fluent in "the language of libertarian businessmen," but not in "the patois of social conservatives," says David Weigel in Slate. He probably is pro-life, and as president would certainly appoint abortion-restricting judges. But Cain will have to walk back his "choice" talk. And since he can credibly claim to have been "'trapped' by CNN," if he flip-flops quickly enough, he can still "flip his way free."
"Countdown to Herman Cain 'clarifying' his abortion position"
Cain doesn't understand the abortion debate: This is why "straight-talkin', complicated-problem-solvin' politicians succeed only in movies," says Amy Sullivan in TIME. When it comes to abortion, Cain thinks political reporters are asking him for his personal views, not policy preferences. And personally, he thinks nobody should ever choose to have an abortion, even if raped. This "pro-choice position" (for he still allows for the presense of a choice) will hurt him with conservatives, but they should really be troubled by the fact that he can't handle a simple talking point "when he steers away from pizza and entrepreneurship."
"Herman Cain somehow misses 40 years of abortion debate"
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Make legal immigration a more plausible option'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
LA-to-Las Vegas high-speed rail line breaks ground
Speed Read The railway will be ready as soon as 2028
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel's military intelligence chief resigns
Speed Read Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva is the first leader to quit for failing to prevent the Hamas attack in October
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published