Rick Santorum: Herman Cain just waffled on abortion
Republican Herman Cain continued his presidential close-up on Wednesday with an interview with Piers Morgan that aired late Wednesday on CNN.
One of the first topics was where the blame lies for the current economic meltdown. From the transcript:
Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain delivers a keynote address during the Western Republican Leadership Conference on Wednesday in Las Vegas. AP/Isaac Brekken
Morgan: Give me — give me a very quick pie. Here’s a pie. How much is Obama’s fault? How much is Wall Street’s a fault? How much is the fault of the people themselves?
Cain: I would say that 50 percent of it is Obama’s fault, 25 percent of it is Wall Street’s fault, and 25 percent of it is the individual’s fault.
Morgan: That’s a straight answer, from a politician.
Cain: I’m not a politician.
The pair then strayed into the topic of homosexuality. Cain repeated his contention that sexual orientation was a choice:
Morgan: Wait a minute, let me ask you. You genuinely believe millions of Americans wake up in their late teens normally and go, you know what, I quite fancy being a homosexual? You don’t believe that.
Cain: Piers.
Morgan: Do you?
Cain: You haven’t given me any evidence to convince me otherwise nor has anyone else.
Morgan: My gut instinct, Herman, tells me it has to be a natural thing.
Cain: OK, so it’s your gut instinct against my gut instinct. It’s a wash. It’s a push.
That being said, I respect their right to make that choice. You don’t see me bashing them or anything like that. I respect their right to make that choice. I don’t have to agree with it. That’s all I’m saying.
Morgan: It would be like a gay person saying, Herman, you made a choice to be black.
Cain: We know that’s not the case. I was born black.
Morgan: Yes, maybe if they said that, you would find it offensive. CAIN: Piers, this doesn’t wash off. I hate to burst your bubble.
Morgan: I don’t think being a homosexual washes off.
GOP presidential rival Rick Santorum, the former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, this afternoon attacked Cain for comments he made in the following section, on the topic of abortion. The former Georgia radio talk show host said he believes that life begins at conception – but also added that abortion “ultimately gets down to a choice that that family or that mother has to make.”
Santorum – who has based his campaign on gathering support from social conservatives — called the comments “gravely troubling.” The Iowa Republican is raising similar questions.
You decide:
Morgan: But you’ve had children, grandchildren. If one of your female children, grand children was raped, you would honestly want her to bring up that baby as her own?
Cain: You’re mixing two things here, Piers?
Morgan: Why?
Cain: You’re mixing –
Morgan: That’s what it comes down to.
Cain: No, it comes down to it’s not the government’s role or anybody else’s role to make that decision. Secondly, if you look at the statistical incidents, you’re not talking about that big a number. So what I’m saying is it ultimately gets down to a choice that that family or that mother has to make.
Not me as president, not some politician, not a bureaucrat. It gets down to that family. And whatever they decide, they decide. I shouldn’t have to tell them what decision to make for such a sensitive issue.
Morgan: By expressing the view that you expressed, you are effectively — you might be president. You can’t hide behind now the mask, if you don’t mind me saying, of being the pizza guy. You might be the president of United States of America. So your views on these things become exponentially massively more important. They become a directive to the nation.
Cain: No they don’t. I can have an opinion on an issue without it being a directive on the nation. The government shouldn’t be trying to tell people everything to do, especially when it comes to social decisions that they need to make.
Morgan: That’s a very interesting departure –
Cain: Yes.
Morgan: — from the normal politics.
Cain: Exactly.
Cain has been criticized for conducting a cable TV campaign rather than building networks of supporters in early primary states.
He returned to Iowa today after a two-month absence, and announced that his effort in that state would be headed by former Iowa GOP chairman Steve Grubbs.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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151 comments Add your comment
UGA 1999
October 20th, 2011
3:15 pm
Oh….Ok ok, please define success.
Oh, the hypocrisy
October 20th, 2011
3:15 pm
gt anchorage – what does ‘intended size’ mean? ought not government be responsive to the era in which it exists? what’s the appropriate size of government for a country with 300 million plus citizens and the world’s largest economy?
Oh, the hypocrisy
October 20th, 2011
3:17 pm
uga 1999 – affordable care act; repeal of dadt; repair american standing in the world; kill osama bin laden; iraq drawdown; preside over end of gaddafi regime; financial reform; etc. all in the face of the staunchest opposition any president has ever faced.
Gman
October 20th, 2011
3:23 pm
You southern gentlemen willl never vote for Herman “Silas” Cain to run the Barkley Ranch and you know it!
GT Anchorage
October 20th, 2011
3:24 pm
When a government gets beyond its intended functions, given to it in our constitution, then it is too big…
Big Daddy
October 20th, 2011
3:25 pm
Uncle Herman is a hypocrite. If he hadn’t been a rich man with rich buddies, he’d be as dead as Kadaffy duck, who, BTW, Herman couldn’t identify if you spotted him Liby on a map. Herman is so dumb he couldn’t address a question about neo-conservatives. Bet he couldn’t define “neo.” He sure can’t pronounce “economy.”
TruthBe
October 20th, 2011
3:27 pm
So did Obama. When asked, Obama said it was “above his pay grade”. Remember? Why don’t you ask and go after President Obama like you do to the Republicans? Media Bias???
Cujo Bendi
October 20th, 2011
3:27 pm
What the f does it matter if he if pro-choice or not??? That is a moot point.I hope he IS pro-choice. We have 6 billion people on this planet. If someone gets raped and gets preggars then they ought to be able to flush that thang down the toilet and forget about it. This is NOT an issue. If you have an issue with abortion, don’t have sex and if you do have sex then have the little rug rat and get 2nd or 3rd job to pay for it and enjoy working your butt off when you didn’t really have to. OR get welfare. Problem solved. As far as gay marriage goes, again, WHO CARES! Live your life! If a gay man gets aroused when a woman in a bikini walks into the room, why would he choose to go cuddle with some gross hairy bald prissy man??? Live your own life! Live and let live but let ME decide what to do with MY money!
Oh, the hypocrisy
October 20th, 2011
3:27 pm
gt anchorage – i suggest you read the constitution, then; the federal government is acting squarely within the powers enumerated to it. besides, the concepts of federalism and states rights are anachronisms whose utility has long since passed.
td
October 20th, 2011
3:27 pm
Oh, the hypocrisy
October 20th, 2011
3:17 pm
You are living in a dream world. Obamacare is unconstitutional and will be thrown out before the election. dadt repeal will end up making our country unsafe because recruiting has gone down since the repeal (you do not play with social policy in the military. American is thought of as a wuss in the world right now, I will give him credit for getting Osama, He is just continuing the Bush plan and we will regret the draw down when we are forced to engage with Iran in the next few years, France and GB did al the work in Lybia Obama showed weakness by not taking the lead, Why do you think the banks are not lending any money right now, He had what any president since FDR would have died for with super majorities in both houses and what did he accomplish again?
You are really showing your age and lack of knowledge with those answers. If I was you I would go and sue the college because they sure did not teach you anything.
GT Anchorage
October 20th, 2011
3:28 pm
“preside over end of gaddafi regime”… How is that an accomplishment? Do you realize what is going to happen to that country? I’m not saying that Gaddafi should have stayed in power, but they now have no one to govern them. The fighting and tyranny is going to be much worse when Al-Qaeda takes power.
Oh, the hypocrisy
October 20th, 2011
3:28 pm
cujo bendi – well said, even if a little inartfully so.
Oh, the hypocrisy
October 20th, 2011
3:29 pm
gt anchorage – at least we don’t have to foot the bill this time around. pity dubya couldn’t have been as prescient.
UGA 1999
October 20th, 2011
3:30 pm
Oh….Ok, now we are getting somewhere…..please tell me how the healthcare bill will help you? Please tell me how the DADT act will help you…..kill bin laden, that was good but you cannot give him all of the credit for that…..Iraq drawdown, wait and see how that turns out…..preside over end of Gaddafi regime, “preside” please explain……financial reform, really? HA……
Ok, now when you do you want to discuss these topics?
Unemployment at 9.2%
Suing states for enforcing the constitution.
Giving enemy combatants civilian trials.
S&P downgrading US credit to AA
What has he done about N. Korea or Iran?
Letting the New Black Panther Party threaten voters.
Failed Stimulus package.
Running up more debt at this point in his presidency than any other president in history.
Gulf Oil Spill
Do you care for me to continue?
Oh, the hypocrisy
October 20th, 2011
3:30 pm
td – not worth dignifying your comments with any more of a posting than this.
Oh, the hypocrisy
October 20th, 2011
3:31 pm
uga 1999 – continue all you wish; must be nice living in your little la la land.
Max
October 20th, 2011
3:33 pm
@ td
You are living in a dream world. Obamacare is unconstitutional and will be thrown out before the election.
Apparently you are living in a dream world, because there is no way “Obamacare” will be thrown out before the election in 2012.
Oh and to degrade someone’s school because they happen to disagree with you is immature. You don’t hold all the answers you just believe you do.
UGA 1999
October 20th, 2011
3:33 pm
Oh….are you having a hard time with facts. Come on man, I did not personally attack you, lets just talk about the facts.
Oh, the hypocrisy
October 20th, 2011
3:36 pm
max – LMAO (notice the capitals?; deliberate); i bet your comment was intended for me; let me guess – you never scored too well on your reading comprehension tests.
uga 1999 – facts don’t mean anything to cultural philistines such as yourself, so why bother?
Peter
October 20th, 2011
3:43 pm
Flip Flopper !
findog
October 20th, 2011
3:44 pm
The masses of relegious right voters are pro life, unless the republican is pro choice. If a pro life democrat was to run against a pro life republican [Romney while facing Ted for MA Senate Seat] they would, “hold their nose,” and still vote republican because they have been nrain washed in their churches.
Lovin' the Cain
October 20th, 2011
3:48 pm
As a single mother of two kids, I can appreciate that Herman Cain is Pro-Choice.
It’s not that I plan to have an abortion, but I do like knowing that the option is available if I need it.
I would be interested to know what Herman’s positions are on other issues like government funding for family/community organizations like Planned Parenthood.
Smoke
October 20th, 2011
3:50 pm
If you are pro-life and anti-affordable healthcare, do you not see the train wreck headed your way? Maybe not, because the same Dixiecrats started two wars and wanted to start two more, but cut VA and military health benefits.
Certified TheRapist
October 20th, 2011
3:51 pm
It’s always a personal choice, like voting in a Democracy. That’s what life is all about. If you are not pro-choice, then you are a Socialist.
Vote Out Obama
October 20th, 2011
3:53 pm
Cain said last night on CNN’s interview with him exactly what he should. He’s right it’s not the Federal Government’s place to pay, fund or be involved in abortion. And he has to stand on the fact it is the peoples respondsibility to deal with the issue and not the Federal Government. He believes it’s wrong, I believe it’s wrong but the nation is DUMB enough to vote against a man like Mr. Cain who can fix this nations problems and vote Obama just because Obama would stand up and say, abortion is OK. Vote for the man how has character and can fix this nations problems and not one issue.
TruthBe
October 20th, 2011
3:56 pm
Oh, the hypocrisy
October 20th, 2011
3:27 pm
“gt anchorage – i suggest you read the constitution, then; the federal government is acting squarely within the powers enumerated to it. besides, the concepts of federalism and states rights are anachronisms whose utility has long since passed”.
No you’re wrong Obama, his administration, and the Feds are breaking all kinds of Constitutional laws.
Mis-use of the Commerce Law = Obamacare
Posse-Comitatus = using our Military aganist our Citizens = Waco and Ruby Ridge
Patriot Act = illegal wire taps and spying on it’s own Citizens.
Suing the States (States Rights) = Az State Law on illegals = Obama’s AG Eric Holder suing Az because Az is forced to secure it’s own borders because Obama and the Feds refuse to do their job and secure the border.
Taxation = IRS Thugs
Freedom of Speech = Feds imposing laws to keep us from freedom of expession = Fairness Doctrine
Double taxation without Representation = IRS Laws, Federal taxes, and State Taxes
Property Rights of Ownership = Property Taxes = Don’t pay and they steal your home or property.
We could go all day, so get your facts straight and stop being a lying mouthpiece for the corrupt democrat party and your comrade Obama.
mum
October 20th, 2011
3:59 pm
@td, come on, Give the President a break. Your party criticized him for getting involved in the limited way he did in Lybia now you say he should have lead. How did you want him to lead? Haven’t enough of our children died already? The Lybian people put their lives in harms way for their own liberation. It’s always easy to find a scapegoat and that’s exactly how politicians control the electorate because while they’re ripping them off, they’re sitting there thanking them and asking for more.
Smoke
October 20th, 2011
4:02 pm
I wonder why Herman Cain didn’t go to UGA to get his Masters? Could it be because he couldn’t supply them with his birth certificate, or because his birth announcement was not in the AJC?
leetrav
October 20th, 2011
4:04 pm
I, for one, am glad Cain is taking his position. If, in fact, the GOP is for ‘less’ government, then that should include staying out of peoples very intimate and personal ‘private’ lives. Abortion and other very personal issues should be the pervue of citizens and their God, clergy, or whichever ‘belief’ system they choose. The GOP should not be looking for ‘idealogical battles’ where there are none needed or wanted. We need to win…but not at the expense of personal freedom. That thinking is supposed to come from ‘more and bigger’ guv Dems and despots.
2012: CAIN is Able!
October 20th, 2011
4:06 pm
Gman = Racist
I'm Voitng for Obama Again
October 20th, 2011
4:09 pm
Yep. That’s right.
I lovvved Hillary, and I was disappointed that Obama won the nomination.
But I voted for him. And I was hopeful that he could bring about the change that we all deserve.
Has he done that? Well, no, not really. But, do I blame him? No, not really.
I realize that the things that need fixin’ the most are not within the President’s power to fix.
Do I wish the economy were better? I guess, but I’m doing fine, so I don’t really care that much.
The only thing I know for sure is that when I walk in that voting booth and I pick Obama, I will be choosing someone who will not embarass this nation internationally like Dubya consistently did.
And I know there is no one better for the job (except maybe Hillary).
So, cry your eyes out, you right-wing rejects; it’s gonna be four more years of big-eared Barry and his socialism and his obamacare and his birth certificate and flip flops and his bailouts and political appointees. Ah, that felt good. What do you losers gave to feel good about? Newt Gingrich? Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!
karen
October 20th, 2011
4:10 pm
People with an agenda are purposely taking Herman’s quote out of context.
MORGAN: If one of your female children, grand children was raped, YOU WOULD HONESTLY WANT HER TO BRING UP THAT BABY AS HER OWN?
CAIN: You’re mixing two things here, Piers… No, it comes down to it’s not the government’s role or anybody else’s role to make that decision. Secondly, if you look at the statistical incidents, you’re not talking about that big a number. So what I’m saying is it ultimately gets down to a choice that that family or that mother has to make.
OBVIOUSLY, Herman was responding to rape victims being forced to raise these children as their own! I guess Piers has never heard of adoption. Does a baby conceived through rape deserve the punishment of death? Do your own research, people! The mainstream media is trying to shape this election. Don’t allow them!
To set the record straight
October 20th, 2011
4:11 pm
“I’m a Moron” – Mitt Romney did not win the Primary in GA 2008.
Mike Huckabee won 33.9%
John McCain 31.6%
Mitt Romney 30.2%
cb
October 20th, 2011
4:12 pm
herman cain = clayton bigsby
what an idiot, folks, if youre not 4 for 4, you aint worth a damn to the repulican party, and cant be 2 or 3, 4/4
white
male
rich
and connected
thats all they care about
i got 2,not enough
and i dont want to hear word from all of you idiots that think taking care of own is evil, that socialism is bad, that capitalism is always good, when were in the old folks home together and any us get a sniffle, that slowly and without treatment turns into pneumonia and our children live the rest of their lives with the guilt that they were powerless to help any us cause they couldnt afford to help us, when their jobs pay them less than a living wage. we already had national care when bullwinkle was our last president, you cant be turned away from a hospital, that means that the poor are taken care of, the middle class pays for it, the rich are taken care of, the middle class pay for it. and you are idiot if you let a politician do your thinking for you, especially when they tell you to get rid of healthcare when they have free healthcare for life.
now heres some other facts, but caution, if a politician has pierced your nose for you and installed a ring in there like they do for oxen, please hold your head with both hands and pushed inward as you read the following so that your head with that little thing that rattles in it like a paint can, that you claim is a brain, doesnt explode all over everything and make a mess that someone else has clean up:
-the children arent our future, we are our childrens future
-a few of the things you must be against or you are an active Socialist
the troops, UGA, the NYPD-NYFD, roads, sewer systems, clean water, public schools, the minutemen, the wagon trains that went out west, or anything where two people work together towards a common cause, like families and the fight for the cure, etc.
-hitler was a dictator, a fascist
-there is good socialism and bad socialism, there is good capitalism and bad capitalism, this isnt even bad capitalism, its just bad
-Jesus did not support the rich, was not pro-war, did not hate the poor, did not hate at all, but christians do
-people who are bad dont call themselves bad, they come up with something else:
the union of soviet socialist republics-communist; the peoples democratic republic of north vietnam-communist, the national socialist party of germany-military dictatorship
-anyone that gets physically threatening towards you, gets mad and angry at you, starts calling you names when you dont automatically agree with them on everything is WRONG
-anyone that calls another person witch, heretic, damn jew, ni$$er, damn liberal is a bad person, doing bad things
-latin, liberalis = freedom
-there are only two sides, good and bad, and neutral falls past zero clearly on the side of bad, like the kicker on a football team, looks different than most people on the team, can easily be confused with someone who isn’t really a player, and doesn’t play full time or always with full effort, but does sometimes affect the outcome of the game.
if you are neutral, you are a coward, if you ever see someone being mistreated and you do nothing, you are coward
-”everytime evil made it over the fence, neutral gave it a boost” ds
-its wrong to be mean, even to a mean person
-justice is the only thing you can justify
-if you have to tear someone else down to build yourself up, you are evil and are employed by the devil himself
-you have to be judgemental to call another person judgemental, opinionated to call another person opinionated
-sensitive people call other people sensitive, when someone dared to show courage and stand up to the bully, they got their wuttle feewings huwrt and chose to go back to 2nd grade and use schoolyard name calling on another person.
- the definition of sensitive person is = someone who just got thru standing up to another person that was acting like a jackass
-if someone asks you if you did something that you did, and you say no, youre a scumbag, you become evil when you say no and then blame an innocent person
-new republican slogan – passing the buck starts here
and for them i say – “do not forgive them God, for they know what they do”
Smoke
October 20th, 2011
4:17 pm
How do we know that Santorum is American? His dad is from Italy, who could have been brainwashed by Mussolini, and may have been a mole because he lived in three different states. His mom wa 40 years old when was supposedly born, but we haven’t seen his real birth certificate either. My goodness, he even claims to be a Catholic and thus is beholding to the Pope Benedict XVI, who was a Hitler Youth. Therefore, Santorum must be a Nazi. Makes sense doesn’t it!
honested
October 20th, 2011
4:26 pm
Another day, another misguided bit of buffoonery from herman cain helping clearly define why he is not qualified to be President although he needs to bee the millstone around the gop’s neck in the General Election!
honested
October 20th, 2011
4:27 pm
Smoke,
New reasons to dislike santorum I hadn’t even explored!
mum
October 20th, 2011
5:14 pm
Well, yesterday, Mr. Cain said he opposed abortion for any reason, including rape. Now, he’s walking it back. He said there should be an electrified fence and about it killing people, then he changed it to he was just joking. Do you want a jokester for President or someone who is thoughtful and doesn’t just run off at the mouth? Whenever he’s challenged and trying to come up with a retort, his eyes start blinking.
This country is bad shape and we really need people who take the role of President seriously.
td
October 20th, 2011
6:58 pm
mum
October 20th, 2011
5:14 pm
“This country is bad shape and we really need people who take the role of President seriously”
I am glad we agree that Obama needs to go. Playing golf or basketball 2 or three times a week and has been campaigning for the past month instead of being in DC trying to compromise with republicans. Yep, he needs to go.
Tammy
October 20th, 2011
7:45 pm
Rick Santorium is whining loser who needs to take his toys and go home. He is grasping at straws. I can’t wait for you to drop out of the race so I don’t have to listen to the wa wa waaa anymore
kreedham
October 20th, 2011
8:20 pm
I and many other democrats in Georgia will be voting in the Republican Presidential Primary…why? Well 1 because we’ve got our nominee and 2 I get to vote for the candidate who might win but most likely to screw it up for the republicans. Darn….wish Palin was running!
Tom
October 20th, 2011
10:20 pm
Piers Morgan was mixing two things which resulted in the obscure response, observe:
MORGAN: Are you honestly saying — again, it’s a tricky question, I know.
CAIN: Ask the tricky question.
MORGAN: But you’ve had children, grandchildren. If one of your female children, grand children was raped, you would honestly want her to bring up that baby as her own?
CAIN: You’re mixing two things here, Piers?
MORGAN: Why?
CAIN: You’re mixing –
MORGAN: That’s what it comes down to.
CAIN: No, it comes down to it’s not the government’s role or anybody else’s role to make
Piers is talking about “bringing up that baby as her own”. Cain said that Piers is mixing issues. Cain was focusing on the “bringing up” part. Thats where the mix occurs. His daughter could give the kid up for adoption, she doesn’t need to keep the child. Cain realizes this thus he says Piers is mixing two things.
Hopefully Mr. Cain will get to share this with with America. Spread this explanation to others.
Repubs r Stupid
October 20th, 2011
10:54 pm
td(transmitted disease), you need to just go hide somehwere. You sound just like the type that never got picked to play as a kid, and took your liitle baseball, basketball, or football and went home so no one else could play. You, like ALL Republicans, are such a loser. These Forums by the AJC are the ONLY ones that sing ANY praises of Herman Co-Cain. Only in Georgia! What a bunch of local-yocals!!!
Repubs r Stupid
October 20th, 2011
10:57 pm
The Republican part bring absolutely, positively, NOTHING to the table. Zero, nada, niet, NOTHING! It still amazes me how many pee-poor white people call themselves Republicans, when they care NOTHING about you. You get on here protecting wealth that you simply don’t have. Call it what it is… black-vs-white in your little stupid, Republican, non-thinking minds. THWR!
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Why There’s No Way Cain Will Survive His Abortion Gaffe | Appenheimer
October 23rd, 2011
12:35 pm
[...] and where “social issues” have not lost any of their old punch. Rick Santorum, who has already attacked Cain for his gaffe, is undoubtedly seeing this as a God-given opening to poach on Cain’s [...]
MissMollie
October 23rd, 2011
8:05 pm
I believe it is between Romney and Perry….I support Romney. Cain may carry Georgia..
blackthisout
October 24th, 2011
9:43 am
keep the theives and flip floppers out of the white house. please help save america and vote for the man who has the guts to say what is really happening in the world and who has all right ideas to get us out of this mess that obama and the last three presidents got us into.VOTE RON PAUL 2012