Trump dodges question over whether any past partners had abortions

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Trump dodges question over whether any past partners had abortions

Asked by Maureen Dowd whether he was ever involved with
anyone who underwent procedure, Trump replies simply:
‘Such an interesting question’

Martin Pengelly
Saturday 2 April 2016 21.26 BST

The controversy over Donald Trump’s stance on abortion took another turn on Saturday, when a New York Times interviewer wrote that the Republican presidential frontrunner appeared to avoid a question about whether any woman he had been involved with had undergone such a procedure.

Maureen Dowd referred to Trump’s suggestion this week that women who have abortions should be punished – a comment he swiftly retracted – when she wrote: “Given his draconian comment, sending women back to back alleys, I had to ask: When he was a swinging bachelor in Manhattan, was he ever involved with anyone who had an abortion?

‘Such an interesting question,’ he said. ‘So what’s your next question?’”

Trump made his initial remark on Wednesday, in an interview with MSNBC host Chris Matthews. Controversy ensued, highlighting the candidate’s extremely poor ratings with female voters of all political stripes.

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/02/donald-trump-marueen-dowd-interview-abortion-past-partners

[PatrickforO]

1. THIS is exactly the hypocrisy inherent in the entire anti-abortion movement.

They don't want poor, single women of color to even have access to basic reproductive health, but when it is THEIR spouse or daughter, they get the abortion. They just keep it on the QT.

[stevenleser]

4. You were being nice when you said spouse or daughter.

More likely, someone they talked into jumping into the sack for whom they have no intention in assuming any responsibility.

Which I wouldn't really care about assuming they were willing to let everyone have that option.

[bussta33]

3. Exactly what I expected.

Trump's a liar and hypocritical; this is expected.

[B2G]

7. Sorry, I think that's an inappropriate question

Nobody's fucking business. Because you know what the follow-up question would be.

[awoke_in_2003]

8. No, it is totally appropriate

When you come out holier than thou, expect to be hoisted upon your petard.

[B2G]

9. Until the press goes on a witch hunt

to find out who it was.

[DesertRat]

18. I completely agree with you

That was an inappropriate question.

[cwydro]

19. Agree with you. Nt

[Ilsa]

21. An appropriate question that shouldn't be answered.

I'm glad Trump was put on the spot, but his partners should not be. It's fair to make him think about his own hypocrisy.

[lame54]

10. sleeping with Trump IS the punishment

[Archae]

11. I knew it!

I predicted one or more of Trump's mistresses would have got an abortion, and Donald paid for it.

[AngryOldDem]

15. So I'm not the only one who's suspected this.

There's no way in hell he would inconvenience himself with a child he didn't want, nor take the responsibility for it (financial or otherwise).

[Democat]

12. This is not a question that liberals need to ask

I support pointing our hypocrisy, but this sounds like trying to make women who have had an abortion sound like bad people.

[B2G]

13. This. Thank you.

And if he said 'yes', what does everyone think the next question would be?

[gratuitous]

16. Well, when Trump discusses criminalizing abortion and punishing the women

It's a question that naturally ensues. How deeply held is his position? How long? If his position has changed, why did it change? Has he been involved in a relationship where the woman had an abortion? If so, should she have gone to jail, or punished in some other way? Where is Trump coming from on the issue of abortion that he takes a position so extreme that even some of the anti-choice folks think he's gone too far? What was the process that got Trump to his present position?

I suspect he said it off the cuff, and had no idea what all the implications and ramifications were. He's obviously done it before on other issues. This is not a very deep thinking man, and he's not accustomed to explaining himself. I think it's very important to bring that out.

[Democat]

17. I agree

He just says whatever he thinks at any moment and contradicts himself often.

Democrats need to fight hard and dirty when Republicans do. However, the target of our fighting should be Republicans, not women who might have crossed paths with them at one time in their past.

[bemildred]

14. I would too. nt

[Quantess]

20. Jackass.

[dembotoz]

22. how the hell would he know