Donald Trump was a no show to a call with a group of anti-abortion advocates Wednesday, according to a new report from the Daily Beast.
Trump was supposed to speak to the activists over a conference call in the wake of a gaffe where he suggested that women who attain an abortion should be forced to endure “some form of punishment” if the procedure was outlawed. He later tried to backtrack the comments, which were criticized by those in the anti-abortion movement who believed Trump crossed the line.
Politico first reported, citing anonymous sources, that Trump was expected to meet by phone with the 115 Forum, a meeting of anti-abortion activists, organized by Priests for Life.
Fr. Frank Pavone, the president of Priests for Life, told the Daily Beast that “Priests for Life carries out efforts to provide all campaigns an opportunity to connect with the pro-life leadership in America and to receive solid advice on how to deal with abortion.”
“As for Donald Trump, I far prefer the kind of mistake he made recently, and then corrected, regarding who should be punished, than the ongoing deliberate mistake of Clinton and Sanders who cannot seem to find an abortion they don’t like,” Pavone said.
Trump has a tension-ridden relationship with the anti-abortion movement, which has had serious questions about his commitment to the cause. The real estate mogul has been accused of being a flip-flopper on abortion.
Trump did not respond to the Daily Beast or Politico for comment.
I’m sure they have some kind of pamphlet that explains their tortured logic around shaming/controlling women but not “punishing” them for seeking an abortion.
I actually have micro-sympathy for Trump here. How could he have possibly imagined, while adopting an anti-abortion stance, that these foaming at the mouth people are not for all the punishment?
With his statement Rump just said what the anti-abortion movement thinks. They know it comes off as extreme so they prefer to not speak of it.
They may back out of the phone call when it’s discovered they all have to sign non-disclosure agreements beforehand.
In other words, Trump will try to convince an audience of Theocrats, who might be inclined to support Cruz, that Trump’s brand of “Fascism wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross” ain’t a bad option for them either.
On the campaign trail…
