Ron Paul Pressed On Abortion In The Case Of Rape

Piers Morgan pressed Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) on the question of abortion in the case of rape Friday in an interview on CNN.

Morgan asked the Republican presidential candidate whether he thought that, if one of his daughters were raped and impregnated, she should carry the baby to term.

Paul responded, "No. If it's an honest rape, that individual should go immediately to the emergency room. I would give them a shot of estrogen or give them..."

Morgan interjected, "You would allow them to abort the baby?"

Paul replied, "It is absolutely in limbo, because an hour after intercourse or a day afterwards, there is no legal or medical problem. If you talk about somebody coming in and they say, well, I was raped and I'm seven months pregnant and I don't want to have anything to do with it, it's a little bit different story."

(Video above via CNN.)

Paul, who was an obstetrician before becoming a congressman, said he believed life begins at conception. He added, "Well, you don't know if you're taking a life either, because this is an area that is -- but to decide everything about abortion and respect for life on this one very, very theoretical condition, where there may have been a life or not a life."

Morgan asked about a dilemma of a woman too ashamed to immediately go to the emergency room only to discover she is pregnant weeks or months later.

"This is like the proposal that the people who like abortion, endorse abortion because it's the woman's right to her body. You say, well, does that mean one minute before birth, you can kill the baby?" responded Paul. "I did this on one of the TV programs where some women were opposed to what I was saying." Paul continued, "I said, this nine-pound baby is in the woman. She has the right. She argues her case. I said you would abort this baby because the woman has had unfortunate circumstances, so the doctor gets paid a handsome fee to kill this nine-pound baby?"

He went on: "Oh, that's not what we're talking about. But that is what they are talking about. They are talking about a human life. So a person immediately after rape, yes. It's a tough one. I won't satisfy everybody there."

Paul has described himself as "strongly pro-life" and said that the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade was one of the "most disastrous rulings of this century." However, he says that it's up to the states to ban abortion.

Morgan previously asked Paul's GOP rival, Rick Santorum, a similar hypothetical question about what he would do if his daughter were raped and wanted an abortion. Santorum responded that he would counsel her to "accept this horribly created" baby, because it was still a "gift in a very broken way." He added, "I can't think of anything more horrible, but nevertheless, we have to make the best out of a bad situation, and I would make the argument that that is making the best."

Here are the GOP candidates' views on women's health:

 

 

Comments

[xlordinfam0usx]

02:21 PM on 02/10/2012

This interview is completely misled, cut off and not clear.
Ron Paul completely seperates church and state in government. Though on his personal beliefs "on the abortion issue, Ron Paul is pro-life. He believes human life begins at conception. But his entire political, indeed philosophical, worldview, is pro-choice. He believes that he Does Not Get To Impose His Views using the Force of Federal Law on a nation that might disagree with him -- especially in areas in which the Constitution does not give him that authority."

[highstreet]

09:05 PM on 02/08/2012

The best article on Paul's position and the practical ramifications was just published here at Huffpo:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robin-koerner/when-prolife-is-prochoice_b_1256299.html

Check it out.

[Patriot Games]

01:36 PM on 02/08/2012

Here's the deal. If someone raped my daughter, they would be crying about two dead bodies. The rapist, and the spawn.

[sapperdom]

01:13 PM on 02/08/2012

Any true libertarian would believe an abortion is between a woman and her doctor and that the government should not be involved.

Ron Paul is an utter fraud.

[highstreet]

09:11 PM on 02/08/2012

When he's seen people take late term abortions and put them in a bucket in the corner of the room to literally cry themselves to death, he thinks there is a reasonable point at which we need to take the rights of the baby into consideration also.

A true libertarian takes all life into consideration. He agrees though, the Federal government shouldn't be involved.

[xlordinfam0usx]

02:24 PM on 02/10/2012

That may be what he believes just as do many people as he is christian. But Ron Paul does indeed follow libertarian beliefs as you wrongly state he does not. He believes religion and state must indeed be separate and that he can not impose his will on other people with federal law; that states may however do as they please.

Dont get your complete information on people from the main stream media, you know better than that. Kind of funny how the interview is missing a few minutes isnt it?

[Darthwave]

12:59 PM on 02/08/2012

"If it's an honest rape" WT*! What's a dishonest rape? Dr. Paul you are not living up your non-comprising libertarian stance and looking like your waffling run of the mill politician.

[ChaCubed]

11:11 AM on 02/08/2012

Another reason to be afraid of Ron Paul: in his world, a girl/woman would be totally at the mercy of the opinion of whatever doctor she can see within 72 hours of being raped.

[just curious85]

01:48 PM on 02/08/2012

His answer "is not going to please everyone." The answer you provided ChaCubed will not please everyone. He wants to increase states rights in many areas, including abortion. Citizens are much more influential at the state level, than at a one size fits all federal level. Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, I'd think it would be appealing to have the ability to be able to influence the law at the state level.

I'm not in favor of completely taking the decision out of the woman's hands, because ultimately, if abortion services are not available, the woman will resort to other means to abort the baby/babies if she is set on that decision. Having dire consequences for woman and baby. On the other hand, if the baby is at least 12 weeks in utero, the woman had ample time to make the decision. The baby should not be subjected to the pain of being murdered (at that point they react to stress/pain).

Ron Paul is pro-life, should his opinion be imposed on everyone in the nation. No. Santorum is anti-gay marriage, should his opinion be imposed on everyone in the nation. No. Romney is anti-medical marijuana legalization, should his opinion be imposed on everyone in the nation. No. Increased states rights = more freedom to states and residing citizens.

[Darigahz]

11:24 AM on 03/05/2012

while i agree that someones religious beliefs can be different from what policy decisions they make, it should be painfully clear that the american public does not really care enough to make distinctions. we seem to have lost all touch with reality and fallen for the whole "if you don't believe and behave exactly as "I" feel you should you are one of "THEM" and i wont listen to anything you say". logic and reason no longer have any place in politics. sorry to say common sense died long ago with any other kind of sense following shortly after

[ChaCubed]

09:27 AM on 02/08/2012

Paul is an example of what is wrong with the OB-GYN speciality, and the reason I stopped using them: their primary concern is the fetus and delivering babies; their concern for the health of the female is limited to her ability to breed and reproduce. He is so out of touch with females as something other than incubators, that he doesn't know and/or care that it is not uncommon for rape victims to not immediately report the rape.

He is also a good example of why there are so many jokes about physicians who think they are God; and anyone who thinks a man with his mindset would be a good or fair leader is sorely mistaken.

[just curious85]

01:58 PM on 02/08/2012

I noticed you used the term "fetus." When does the fetus become a baby in your opinion?

Are these pictures of fetus'?: http://anti-abortion.info/pictures.php

[Yetsomeotherguy]

01:45 PM on 02/10/2012

In my opinion, we should follow Car Sagan's advice, and define the point where a fetus becomes a baby as a result of neocortexual development.

[xlordinfam0usx]

02:31 PM on 02/10/2012

Ron Paul is a christian man, and true Christians must follow their religion especially when that's what is their personal beliefs after killing perhaps thousands of developed fetuses. You wouldn't like it either? Except you dont have to see this.
Ron Paul is not for forcing "we the people" to not be able to get abortions. He has complete separation of church and state; or his personal beliefs vs federal powers.

In fact, he believes in equality in all areas. However he does want to allow the states to make these decisions and keep the federal government out of our lives as the constitution states just that.

[ChaCubed]

03:33 PM on 02/10/2012

No, read the article: he believes he has the right to make the decision if a female is worthy of his help because she was forced to have sex, in which case he will terminate the conception process.

[Kathryn Elaine Kerbs]

02:48 AM on 02/08/2012

Why is it that whenever pro-lifers mention abortion, they always talk about killing the baby first, etc.....that would imply late term abortion. They never mention early term....you know, when it is still an embryo, kinda like a chicken egg. I am so past having babies....but it's going to almost be comical when they out law it again, beings they are the loudest screamers about welfare recipients......they will have many more people to add to that list.

[mflorian]

06:32 AM on 02/08/2012

They base it all on religion. Conception = life. Which is equally ridiculous.

[orpheushangar]

01:41 PM on 02/08/2012

I mean, yes, it IS life, but it's a parasite at that stage of development, not a creature that can sustain itself outside of the womb, nor has it's own heartbeat nor brain activity. It IS alive, but it's not human (yet).

[highstreet]

09:25 PM on 02/08/2012

It's not going to be outlawed. It will be highly restricted similar to now, only because most people in both parties think it isn't desirable.

[kalemakapii]

02:01 AM on 02/08/2012

Would it be acceptable to abort in the case of alien rape? No, I don't mean illegal immigrants... I mean aliens from another planet.

[mflorian]

06:32 AM on 02/08/2012

Japan is very interested in your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

[kalemakapii]

08:36 PM on 02/08/2012

??????????????????

[sjj734]

02:01 AM on 02/08/2012

Santorum says he'd counsel his daughter to accept it, but we are not talking abiout counseling someone on their decision. We are talking about preventing them from be able to make a choice.

[kalemakapii]

01:58 AM on 02/08/2012

Paul advocates liberty, except for women. He is just like all rest of the Repub hypocrites.

[sapperdom]

01:14 PM on 02/08/2012

No liberty for gays either. Ron Paul is a fraud.

[xlordinfam0usx]

02:42 PM on 02/10/2012

Ron Paul wants Equal Liberty for the people, women and gays. Separation of Church and state. Ron Paul was practically sexually molested by Bruno lol and im pretty sure you wouldn't have liked that either being lured like that, even if you are gay.

Ron Paul believes the government has no right to decide marriages and abortion bans on we the people as it is in violation of the constitution and infringes our rights. As a christian he has his own personal beliefs.

[highstreet]

09:26 PM on 02/08/2012

At some point the liberty of the baby has to be considered. With heartbeats and ultrasounds, this becomes hard to deny.

Part of liberty is responsibility.

[kalemakapii]

11:11 PM on 02/08/2012

Responsibility is providing education and family planning services to those whom want it

[Wolf Larsen]

12:48 AM on 02/08/2012

Yes this man is a doctor. A hopelessly out of touch...passed his prime....hack of a doctor....

[mflorian]

06:33 AM on 02/08/2012

He's Dr No.

[keinangst]

12:47 AM on 02/08/2012

So.. when are you guy's going to write a NEW piece on Ron Paul on the front page?

[MKWaters esq]

11:42 PM on 02/07/2012

No one "likes" abortion but sometimes it's necessary and should be safe and legal.

[mflorian]

06:33 AM on 02/08/2012

And watch how rabid the "pro-life" crowd is to defund the alternatives, too.

[ChaCubed]

09:41 AM on 02/08/2012

Anti-birth-control, pro-abstinence, and anti-abortion: it's really all about having sex and "you play you pay."

[ChaCubed]

09:37 AM on 02/08/2012

Thank you, MK. I am pro-abortion, and find it annoying when people proclaim that "no one is pro-abortion," which is untrue; so I particularly appreciate your choice of words that no one likes abortion, which is true.

[madisonhack]

11:40 PM on 02/07/2012

Santorum said he would "counsel" his daughter in the hypothetical case, meaning she still had a choice. That's exactly what he said. If there was NO choice for her, there wouldn't be any need to counsel her.

[sapperdom]

01:15 PM on 02/08/2012

Actually Santorum would probably secretly take her for an abortion, Suppse the father weren't white or a christian?

[Patriot Games]

01:34 PM on 02/08/2012

Not everyone has a chance to go on "Dancing with the Stars" after being counciled.