Perry Shifts His Stance on Abortion
OSCEOLA, Iowa — At a town hall meeting tonight, Gov. Rick Perry said he no longer supported abortion in cases of rape and incest.
As he responded to a question from the audience, Perry said he had undergone a "transformation" after viewing the film The Gift of Life, narrated by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and talking with Rebecca Kiessling, who was conceived during a rape. "She looked me in the eye and said, 'I am the product of a rape,' and she said, 'My life has worth,'" Perry said.
Joshua Verwers, a Sheraton pastor, asked the governor to reconcile what ...
Comments (35)
Tricia Porter via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Yea but this woman's mother had the CHOICE whether to bear the child or not! Which is the whole damn point!!!!!
Amy Bishop Hayden via Texas Tribune on Facebook
He definitely lost my vote on that one
Chris Jonsson
Rick Perry, a real prince of a fellow to women.
I didn't think you could be any worse than you already are, but you surprised me again.
What else?
William Haggard via Texas Tribune on Facebook
He didn't have mine to begin with.
Chris Jonsson
Rick Perry, a real prince of a fellow to women.
I didn't think you could be any worse than you already are, but you surprised me again.
What else?
You might say Rick has widened his stance on abortion. You are invading our territory.
Jim Hsu via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Perry must have had a focus group meeting last night, and the topic: "how to look and sound like a slightly smaller eediot."
Rudy R. Collazo via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Pandering for votes.
Jaye Ramsey Sutter via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Governor Pander. He had his "reason" appealed to. He can't be V-P if he doesn't pass the test...he has to be totally anti-choice and make all the decisions he can for a woman in crisis.
Christina Jonsson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Rick Perry, a real prince of a fellow to women.
I didn't think you could be any worse than you already are, but you surprised me again.
What else?
You might say Rick has widened his stance on abortion. You are invading our territory buddy.
T D
I am against pledges for special interest groups.
These groups (whether tax protestors, religious people, or environmentalists) are essentially saying "Promise us that you will do what we want no matter what happens."
Why is that a good thing in a democracy? Aren't candidates supposed to serve the public?
Stanley Moore via Texas Tribune on Facebook
So ignorant. Ohhhh, aggie.
John Burton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
At least he is still against rape itself. For now.
Christina Jonsson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I'll bet Rick would change his mind on rape if the price was right.
Michelle Hudson Yoxall via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Yet another reason to not vote for him in ANY election....
Chris Thornton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
An unborn child has the RIGHT to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness no matter how he/she was conceived. Abortion is murder. Period.
Frances Demps via Texas Tribune on Facebook
"These are my morals, but if you don't like them I have others."
Bill Conley via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Yeah, and confederate flags are about slavery. Period.
Manny Sepulveda via Texas Tribune on Facebook
@Chris.. so does the women.... bet if men got raped and had to bear a child this would not even be an issue.... so easy is it not,, CHRIS when its not happening to you.....
Manny Sepulveda via Texas Tribune on Facebook
@ chris lets say i go all ignorant conservative and say that masturbation is murder because you are wasting a component of life... you would be guilty of murder many times over chris...
Taylor J. Harris via Texas Tribune on Facebook
A woman should have the CHOICE to end the life of a viable human being. Period! It's interesting how these conservatives want less government supposedly, but they have no problem using the big government to tell citizens not to murder another person. Double standard if you ask me.
sssdddd
More ways to make himself look like a stupid Texan.
Makes people think there are nothing but Donkeys in Texas.
Rob Lifford via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Chris Thornton, you are very much entitled to your opinion on this, and I will very happily support your efforts to make this a public policy as soon as you and every other person who supports this position agree to adopt and raise as many these children as necessary. How many children born of rape are you currently raising?
Dale Curry
Oh my God, is there nothing this career politician will not say or will not do in order to right his failed campaign? And while many may believe life begins at conception (I truly do not know), they are all too ready to ignore the fact that it is a woman's body. Ultimately, the decision is between her and whatever God she worships. For this sanctimonious liar Perry to suddenly have this "change in his stance" is laughable if it was not such a clearly pathetic attempt to pander to the most reactionary element in the GOP. That he would take such a highly charge issue and use it to further his political aspirations is not surprising. He has shown that he will say anything, do anything, and be anyone he needs to be in order to curry favor with the most reactionary of his party. He has not governed TX, he has spent his time in appealing to this element while he ignored the needs of the citizens of this state.
Rob Lifford via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Dang. "..as many _of_ these children as necessary..."
Don't type angry, kids!
Sol Hombre
I hate the abortion debate, because each side is coming from two different directions that are not the opposite of each other. They aren't even the same argument.
The right to choose and the right to life are not opposite things. They are completely different arguments to the same topic.
The right for women to choose abortion or no is simply that - the right for women to have the choice of electing for abortion.
But the right to life argument is one that is - do you agree with the concept of abortion - and that is a completely different animal. That is asking if you agree that someone should or shouldn't have one. But that is your moral choice, and that shouldn't interfere with another's right to choose.
Until people can finally separate these two arguments, this is going to be a debate we have for a long time.
Shaun Swegman via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Fetuses are nothing more than parasites; They live by the grace of their hosts. And nobody but the host has any say on how long to extend that grace. If you think calling abortion "murder" makes me uncomfortable or will challenge my opinion on the issue, think again. I don't care what you call it. Nothing gets to live inside someone else's body without permission.
Mike Snyder
I personally dislike the idea of abortions of "convenience", but vividly remember carrying a 15-year-old girl out of her home while working as a paramedic 45 years ago. She died as a result of a coat hanger abortion. Decades later one of my students came into my classroom early one morning. She was crying, devastated because she had just been raped by her step-brother. Perry wants to prevent abortions for rape and incest when he is in no way involved, he wants to force woman to submit to his sleazy pandering to a bunch of loonies promoting what they believe to be "Christianity." He wants to play God, and he wants to force more women - and children - to turn to back room abortions. What a slimy opportunist.
Joshua Bradshaw via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Abortion is murder? Understandable even if over-simplistic. But being raped isn't a choice, and it's shame such a heinous crime isn't among the same Ten Commandments that are often the basis of pro-life stances. But hey, why think critically when you're simply pandering to the votes in a primary.
Dale Curry
@ Mike Snyder - Thank you so very much for your comments. Your comments sum up my responses to the article and comments completely. Well said!
Robert Chapman
It is had to believe that at 63, after a lifetime in public life, that Rick Perry's change of heart is not more a product of his political instincts than his convictions.
Send him to Washington and unless he is placed in a sound proof bubble, he will meet someone and be convinced all over again to make another flip flop.
Robert Chapman via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Can't buy it. Call it outlawing abortion, but it is still forcing a woman to bear an unwanted child.
Samdavis
When Perry shows us a picture of his uterus then he has the right to talk about reproductive rights.
Sam Davis via Texas Tribune on Facebook
You lose all credibility when you talk about morality and then use a Confederate Flag. Couldn't find a swastika?
Mary Smith Martinez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Why can't we dethrone this guy in Texas?
Sam Davis via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The Declaration of Independence is where "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" is stated. Tell us about the fetus' independence and its right to liberty, if you are going to discuss its right to life over the mother's right to choose the course of her life.