By Bronte Price, PoliticKING
GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump made waves once again earlier this week after he making a controversial statement about abortion on MSNBC. Trump first proposed "some form of punishment" for women who have abortions if they were made illegal. He then retracted his statement a few hours later. Following harsh backlash from the statement, Trump changed his stance saying that only the person performing the abortion should be punished, not the women.
"The woman is a victim in this case as is the life in her womb,” Trump said. "My position has not changed - like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exceptions."
Trump, who was once a Democrat, has been criticized for supporting abortion rights in the past.
Even some anti-abortion groups have criticized Trump's initial comments as extreme.
Jeanne Mancini, President of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund said, "Mr Trump's comment today is completely out of touch with the pro-life movement and even more with women who have chosen such a sad thing as abortion." Mancini added, “No pro-lifer would ever want to punish a woman who has chosen abortion."
Trump struggles to contain abortion fallout as White House rivals pounce: https://t.co/bNs5X5KzdEpic.twitter.com/VyufVQDlFN
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) March 31, 2016
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, another group that opposes abortion, also condemned Trump. “Let us be clear,” Dannenfelser said in a statement. “Punishment is solely for the abortionist who profits off of the destruction of one life and the grave wounding of another.”
Hillary Clinton tweeted about Trump's stance on women's issues on Wednesday. "Just when you thought it couldn't get worse. Horrific and telling," she said after his latest comments.
Just when you thought it couldn't get worse. Horrific and telling. -H https://t.co/Qi8TutsOw9
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 30, 2016
Ted Cruz, also condemned the comments saying, "Once again Donald Trump has demonstrated that he hasn't seriously thought through the issues, and he'll say anything just to get attention.”
“Donald Trump is an uninformed opportunist," wrote Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times. "So maybe Trump, in his flip-flopping wavering about women's issues, can at least remind us of a larger truth. Whatever one thinks of abortion, criminalizing it would be worse."
Bernie Sanders spoke out against the comment on the Rachel Maddow Show saying, “Shameful is probably understating that position.” He added, “To punish a woman for having an abortion is beyond comprehension.”
It doesn't matter who is criminalized @realDonaldTrump, women need access to safe and legal abortion. #NeverTrumppic.twitter.com/1RdwAyb8PO
— Planned Parenthood (@PPact) March 31, 2016
Katie Glueck and Kyle Cheney in Politico wrote: "While Trump has become a master at firing off controversial comments and earning kudos from his core supporters for his disregard for political correctness, the real estate mogul is making little headway in his recently stated goal of convincing the Republican Party to unify behind him as the front-runner."
Here’s what Rep. Brad Wenstrup has to say about Trump’s campaign techniques:
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