Romney, aides can't keep their story straight on reproductive rights

[ProSense]

Romney, aides can't keep their story straight on reproductive rights

By Steve Benen

Mitt Romney takes a position on tax policy, then his staff says something else. Romney takes a position on Iran, then his staff says something else. Romney takes a position on health care, then his staff says something else. Romney takes a position on his own immigration adviser, then his staff says something else.

This new one, however, is a doozy, even by Romney standards.

Mitt Romney today said no abortion legislation is part of his agenda, but he would prohibit federally-funded international nonprofits from providing abortions in other countries.

"There's no legislation with regards to abortion that I'm familiar with that would become part of my agenda," the GOP presidential candidate told The Des Moines Register's editorial board during a meeting today before his campaign rally at a Van Meter farm.

It took all of two hours before Romney's chief spokesperson said the exact opposite, explaining, "Gov. Romney would of course support legislation aimed at providing greater protections for life." Asked whether the candidate's position on abortion legislation had changed, Romney's spokesperson would "not answer directly."

Look, even before the predictable walkback, Romney's carefully-worded answer, intended to make him appear less extreme on reproductive rights, was absurd. Romney's platform calls for a constitutional amendment that bans all abortions; Romney said he "absolutely" supports a "Personhood" measure that would ban all abortions and some forms of birth control; and in 2007, Romney boasted that that he'd be "delighted" to sign a bill that would no longer allow abortions "at all, period."

For that matter, Romney intends to fill the federal judiciary with far-right judges who would agree with him on reproductive rights; he would use an executive order to reinstate the Mexico City policy; and he intends to "get rid of" Planned Parenthood by ending the federal aid it's enjoyed with bipartisan support for decades.

- more -

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/10/10/14341590-romney-aides-cant-keep-their-story-straight-on-reproductive-rights

Obama Camp On Romney’s New Abortion Talk: ‘Women Simply Can’t Trust Him’http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021504490

[still_one]

1. and the President better not waver on this or we will lose. The reason we are still holding our own

is beause of the women vote

[porphyrian]

2. They mean they believe whatever makes you vote for Romney. n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

3. Stormy Mitty's weathervane continues to spin furiously.

[tanyev]

4. See? He is running an inclusive campaign. He's got a position for everyone!

[ProSense]

6. RoboRomney. n/t

[spanone]

5. romney can't keep his story straight