Yesterday's GOP Debate More Lively and Eye-Opening
I watched this second debate with an open mind, respecting the candidates, and hoping that this time they would show us more of who they really are and I wasn't disappointed. This debate proved more lively than the first one. Some of the details of the issues that came out in this debate surprised me.
One 0f those surprises occurred when Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, who has made his pro-life views a central theme of his campaign, admitted to an exception to abortion "for the life of the mother."
He did, however, tackle a tough question on abortion very well. When asked why a woman who was raped should not have an abortion, he responded, "That would be a very difficult situation....But the basic question remains: Is the child in the womb a person? Is it a viable life? And if it is a person, it's entitled to respect.... It's a terrible situation, where there's a rape involved or incest. But it nonetheless remains that this is a child that we're talking about doing this to -- of ending the life of this child."
Another surprise occurred when former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee spoke so strongly about his pro-life views and when he confronted Rudy Giuliani on his abortion views.
"You have said that you personally hate abortion, but support a woman's right to choose," Fox News' Wendell Goler told Giuliani. "Gov. Huckabee says that's like saying, 'I hate slavery but people can go ahead and practice it.'"
Giuliani rejected the comparison, but his comeback wasn't convincing.
I have great respect for the mayor," said Huckabee. "... He's been honest about his opinion.... But I'm pro-life because I think life begins at conception, and I believe that we should do everything we can to protect that life because it is the centerpiece of what makes us unique as an American people. We value the life of one as if it's the life of all, and that's why we go out for the 12-year-old Boy Scout in North Carolina when he's lost."
Huckabee continued, "Now, if something is morally wrong, let's oppose it. The honest argument is, 'I don't think it's morally wrong.' And someone could take that position and then justify abortion. But if it's wrong, then we ought to be opposed to it, and we ought to ... find better ways to deal with our respect for human life."
Huckabee also showed that he has a humorous side, when he blurted out an off the cuff remark, stating that Congress has "spent money like John Edwards at a beauty shop". The audience roared.
Governor Mitt Romney, who has recently "converted" from a pro-choice to a pro-life stance was quite disappointing when he said, "I've always been personally pro-life.....People should make this decision, not the courts."
Rudy Giuliani's abortion stance can be summed up by this statement he made:"There are people -- millions and millions of Americans -- who are as of good conscience as we are who make a different choice on abortion. And I think in a country where you want to keep government out of peoples' lives ... from the point of view of coercion, you have to respect that."
Sorry, Rudy. I cannot approve the murder of an unborn child for any reason. People of good conscience don't condemn their innocent children to death.
One 0f those surprises occurred when Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, who has made his pro-life views a central theme of his campaign, admitted to an exception to abortion "for the life of the mother."
He did, however, tackle a tough question on abortion very well. When asked why a woman who was raped should not have an abortion, he responded, "That would be a very difficult situation....But the basic question remains: Is the child in the womb a person? Is it a viable life? And if it is a person, it's entitled to respect.... It's a terrible situation, where there's a rape involved or incest. But it nonetheless remains that this is a child that we're talking about doing this to -- of ending the life of this child."
Another surprise occurred when former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee spoke so strongly about his pro-life views and when he confronted Rudy Giuliani on his abortion views.
"You have said that you personally hate abortion, but support a woman's right to choose," Fox News' Wendell Goler told Giuliani. "Gov. Huckabee says that's like saying, 'I hate slavery but people can go ahead and practice it.'"
Giuliani rejected the comparison, but his comeback wasn't convincing.
I have great respect for the mayor," said Huckabee. "... He's been honest about his opinion.... But I'm pro-life because I think life begins at conception, and I believe that we should do everything we can to protect that life because it is the centerpiece of what makes us unique as an American people. We value the life of one as if it's the life of all, and that's why we go out for the 12-year-old Boy Scout in North Carolina when he's lost."
Huckabee continued, "Now, if something is morally wrong, let's oppose it. The honest argument is, 'I don't think it's morally wrong.' And someone could take that position and then justify abortion. But if it's wrong, then we ought to be opposed to it, and we ought to ... find better ways to deal with our respect for human life."
Huckabee also showed that he has a humorous side, when he blurted out an off the cuff remark, stating that Congress has "spent money like John Edwards at a beauty shop". The audience roared.
Governor Mitt Romney, who has recently "converted" from a pro-choice to a pro-life stance was quite disappointing when he said, "I've always been personally pro-life.....People should make this decision, not the courts."
Rudy Giuliani's abortion stance can be summed up by this statement he made:"There are people -- millions and millions of Americans -- who are as of good conscience as we are who make a different choice on abortion. And I think in a country where you want to keep government out of peoples' lives ... from the point of view of coercion, you have to respect that."
Sorry, Rudy. I cannot approve the murder of an unborn child for any reason. People of good conscience don't condemn their innocent children to death.
Very intelligent summary of what I consider the main points of the debate as far as prolifers are concerned. I was thrilled about Brownback's rape response, but next time he's faced with the life of the mother, he should do his research. An abortion is never indicated to save the life of the mother. Even in ectopic pregnancy,which threatens the mother's life, the baby is removed when the fallopian tube is removed, but NOT aborted(killed deliberately). Thus, the livesaving surgery only kills the baby indirectly, not purposefully.
ReplyDeleteLeticia,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your very relevant comment. Yes, it seems that few people realize that abortion is never indicated to save the life of the mother. You hear many congressman and others making this comment, so thanks for sharing this information. Just recently, I sat down with someone who has 35 years of experience in this area who explained it to me.
Thanks again Leticia excellent comment. can ayone tell me on the candidates views on gay rights as I did not see the debate?
ReplyDelete