- Mitt Romney: Well, I'm not about punishment. That's not what I'm considering.
I'm saying that, in my view, we should let the states make that decision and I am in favor of life and in favor of choosing life.
- Stephanopoulos: So you're not going to say what the punishment should be.
- Mitt Romney: I don't begin to have any idea for what a particular state's decision should be. I think the...
- Stephanopoulos: But you've been governor of a state. You have to have some idea.
- Mitt Romney**: Well, our state is overwhelmingly a pro-choice state and Massachusetts would, under the construct I suggested, remain a pro-choice state.
This is not about punishment. This is about allowing states to make a decision on an issue of great moral significance to a lot of people and I think, state by state, we should allow a federalist approach as it relates to the issue of abortion.
Questions
- George Stephanopoulos
- So do you now believe that abortion is murder?
- Should women who have abortions and doctors who perform them be jailed?
- If it's killing, why should states have leeway?
- What do you believe the punishment should be for an abortion?
- Wolf Blitzer
- Have you changed your opinion on Abortion?
- What is your current position on abortion?
- How do you account for your change on abortion?
- 1st Debate
- Would it be a good day for America if Roe v Wade was repealed?
- Have you always been for life or effectively pro-choice?
- When you said that being a pro-life president entails more than just appointing strict constructionist judges, was that directed at Giuliani?
- 2nd Debate
- What would you say to someone who lost a wife or a daughter to an illegal abortion if you named the Supreme Court justice who tipped the balance and over turned Roe v Wade?
- Governor Romney, during this campaign, you have been criticized -- and again tonight you've been criticized -- for changing your position on some issues. You say that it's a part of learning from experience. Can you point to an area in which your learning from experience led you to change to a position that is less popular with the Republican base?
- Katherine Jean Lopez
- Were you faking it when you said you were pro-choice?
- Dan Balz, David S Broder and Ruth Marcus
- Do you support making abortion illegal?
- Mary Katharine Ham
- What do you think about the partial-birth abortion ban?
- Mike Allen
- What policies would you initiate to show your sincerity?