Herman Cain just released a clarifying statement regarding his pro-life comments on CNN’s Piers Morgan show last night:
Herman Cain statement:
Yesterday in an interview with Piers Morgan on CNN, I was asked questions about abortion policy and the role of the President.
I understood the thrust of the question to ask whether that I, as president, would simply “order” people to not seek an abortion.
My answer was focused on the role of the President. The President has no constitutional authority to order any such action by anyone. That was the point I was trying to convey.
As to my political policy view on abortion, I am 100 percent pro-life. End of story.
I will appoint judges who understand the original intent of the Constitution. Judges who are committed to the rule of law know that the Constitution contains no right to take the life of unborn children.
I will oppose government funding of abortion. I will veto any legislation that contains funds for Planned Parenthood. I will do everything that a President can do, consistent with his constitutional role, to advance the culture of life.
More on the transcription of his comments here.
My sense here is that Herman Cain is indeed pro-life. This became a problem for him because he’s not a politician and so he isn’t well versed in choosing his words more carefully. He hasn’t really been around the block on these social issues and their ramifications on the national level.
The glare of the spotlight can be quite bright and thus he can get tripped up because, unlike Santorum and Bachmann who have been in the trenches on the life issue, Cain hasn’t.
Cain can navigate these waters but he needs to quickly reach out to social conservative leaders on Capitol Hill who have been through these wars for years so as to gain guidance.
Herman, welcome to primetime.