MILFORD, New Hampshire — Democratic National Committee chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) isn’t answering basic questions about her stance on abortion after a bout with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) as the Kentuckian launched his bid for president of the United States.
It all started when the Associated Press’ Phillip Elliott tried to corner Paul in an interview on Wednesday morning.
“The thing is about abortion — and about a lot of things — is that I think people get tied up in all these details of, sort of, you’re this or this or that, or you’re hard and fast (on) one thing or the other,” Paul told Elliott when the AP reporter pushed him on abortion exemptions. “I’ve supported both bills with and without [exceptions], you know. In general, I am pro-life. So I will support legislation that advances and shows that life is special and deserves protection.”
After Wasserman Schultz’ DNC pushed the AP interview to other reporters later on Wednesday, Paul was holding a press conference here in Milford and NH1’s Paul Steinhauser asked Paul about it.
“Senator, the DNC is picking up on comments you made with AP this morning on abortion, and I just wanted to know where you stand on exemptions—should there be any exemptions for abortion or no?” Steinhauser asked.“What’s the DNC say?” Paul joked.
You know, here’s the question. We always seem to have the debate way over here on what are the exact details of exemptions and where it starts. Why don’t we ask the DNC if it’s okay to kill a 7-pound baby in the uterus.
You go back and you ask Debbie Wasserman Schultz if she’s okay with killing a 7-pound baby that’s not born yet. You ask her when life begins and you ask her if she’s willing to protect life. When you get an answer from Debbie, get back to me.
Wasserman Schultz issued a statement responding to Paul that didn’t answer his question. Instead she dodged it, and attempted to reframe the debate.
“Here’s an answer,” Wasserman Schultz said.
I support letting women and their doctors make this decision without government getting involved. Period. End of story.
Now your turn, Senator Paul. We know you want to allow government officials like yourself to make this decision for women — but do you stand by your opposition to any exceptions, even when it comes to rape, incest, or life of the mother? Or do we just have different definitions of “personal liberty”? And I’d appreciate it if you could respond without “shushing” me.
Republican National Committee (RNC) spokesman Sean Spicer slammed Wasserman Schultz on two fronts, via Twitter, in response.
First, Spicer asked whether Wasserman Schultz would be able to “find a SINGLE doctor in America that would kill a 7lb baby?”
Second, Spicer hit Wasserman Schultz saying that according to her the “government has no role in protecting human life.”
“Today, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz made clear her extreme position on the issue of life,” RNC Press Secretary Allison Moore added. “It’s disturbing to know that the Chairwoman of the DNC supports zero protections for the life of an unborn child, not even in the final days before birth. We should be willing to protect the innocent. Do her fellow Democrats share their party chair’s position, which is out-of-step with the majority of American women?”
The DNC has not responded to Breitbart News’ request for follow-up comment from Wasserman Schultz, or whether she’ll actually answer the questions from Spicer or from Paul.
Paul has been under a deluge of attack from elements of the Republican establishment and from the DNC since launching his presidential campaign. But after standing up for unborn children, he’s got strong support from the pro-life community.
“The current abortion debate is centered on a highly reasonable proposal to protect children after 20 weeks, or five months of pregnancy – the point at which they can feel excruciating pain. The entire GOP field is unified in support of this legislation, which has already passed in fourteen states,” Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in response to the attacks against Paul, saying in the release accompanying the statement that Paul is “right.”
“While every potential Republican nominee is on record, potential Democratic candidates such as Hillary Clinton are silent,” Dannenfelser said. “Do they support this compassionate, common sense limit on abortion or do they stand by the Democratic Party platform: abortion on-demand, up until the moment of birth, paid for by taxpayers?”
In an interview with Breitbart News right after he launched his presidential campaign, Paul said he thinks all the attacks coming his way off the bat from both sides are because the political class in Washington is “very worried” he’ll win.
I think they’re very worried because I think we’ve tapped into a vein in America’s psyche and that’s one that attracts both Republicans and Democrats—and independents—I call it a third way.
I think these people are very concerned at the monopoly that we’ve had for so long is threatened. This liberty message is going to attract a lot of new voters who never in the past have considered Republicans. I think for many this will be the first time they’ve considered a Republican.
Not only is he a U.S. Senator, of course, but Paul is also a doctor. An ophthalmologist, he still performs eye surgery.
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