Donald Trump: Actually, Now That I Think About It, Let's Leave the Abortion Laws As They Are

I'm changing, I'm changing. I'm softening that position.

However, he then added that abortion is murder.

Asked how he'd like to change the law to further restrict access to abortions, Trump replied, "The laws are set now on abortion and that's the way they're going to remain until they're changed."

"I would've preferred states' rights," he added. "I think it would've been better if it were up to the states. But right now, the laws are set....At this moment, the laws are set. And I think we have to leave it that way."

"Do you think abortion is murder?" Dickerson asked.

"I have my opinions on it, but I'd rather not comment on it," Trump replied.

"You said you were very pro-life," Dickerson followed up. "Pro-life means that...abortion is murder."

"I mean, I do have my opinions on it. I just don't think it's an appropriate forum," said Trump.

"But you don't disagree with that proposition, that it's murder?" Dickerson asked.

"No, I don't disagree with it," Trump eventually replied.

Okay. As long as you're giving the proper amount of thought to these issues.

There was once a very intelligent man who said, "The moment Trump gets into trouble, he's going to start pandering like crazy to liberals, because he just doesn't know any better."

Here we see Trump finally realizing the damage he caused to himself with Michelle Fields and Heidi Cruz, plus his own goal on abortion, so his response, to get back those women he cherishes so much, is to say "Hey, let's leave the abortion laws as they are. But privately, I think abortion is murder. FYI."

I seriously can't think of a worse political position: On one hand, he's telling the pro-life people I'm not changing any abortion laws. Fine, okay, most presidents won't try, but few are as upfront in telling a key part of the conservative movement they're getting the goose-egg.

Simultaneously, on the other hand, he pisses off the pro-choice people, by telling them that, while he won't be changing the abortion laws, that abortion is murder.

It's lose-lose. With a bonus lose for it being dreadfully obvious that he simply hasn't given the issue a lick of thought and is now just basically button-mashing (as Allah puts it) in hopes that some combination of inputs gets him past the boss on this level.

And now it's an Open Thread.

Flashback:

Oh Well:

Prescient: I thought this point was very cagey and clever when I read it; now I see that it has the additional virtue of being correct:

[T]here's something else going on recently which is hurting Trump: he’s not winning.

The slowdown in the primary schedule and the absence of other candidates to cajole and insult has put Trump in more of a spotlight for his weaknesses and defects, not his winning. The latest polling in Wisconsin shows Ted Cruz with a double digit lead -- meaning that Trump could very well go from March 22nd to April 19th (the New York primary) without a single victory speech.

Victory speeches are more significant for Trump than they are for conventional candidates because they reiterate in the mind of the beholder his seriousness and viability. In their absence, he is reduced to humdrum campaigning -- never very interesting stuff -- and that puts his remarks in more of a spotlight, not allowing him to reset the message to one of his electoral prowess.

Trump's abortion comments yesterday are a good example of what this means: where before he could reset the conversation with a win at the ballot box, following his foot in mouth suggestion that women who get abortions ought to be punished under the law ("isn’t that what you people want to hear?"), instead the conversation can dwell on the comment -- leading to his attempt to quickly reverse course.

Yup.

posted by Ace at 07:27 PM

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