Rand Paul Gets ‘Testy’ With Male AP Reporter On Abortion Rights

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Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) spent the day following the launch of his presidential campaign getting into a series of tiffs with reporters.

The Kentucky Republican on Wednesday got into a “testy” exchange about abortion bans with an Associated Press reporter, just hours after clashing with NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, whom Paul accused of “editorializing” while trying to correct her interviewing technique.

The AP’s Phillip Elliot pressed Paul to explain what, if any, exceptions he felt should be allowed if abortions were banned. The reporter noted that Paul has supported both legislation that allowed exceptions for cases of rape, incest and danger to the woman’s life and legislation that did not grant those exemptions.

Paul “grew testy” during the exchange, according to Elliot, saying at one point: “I gave you about a five-minute answer. Put in my five-minute answer.”

“I’ve supported both bills with and without (exceptions), you know,” he told Elliot. “In general, I am pro-life. So I will support legislation that advances and shows that life is special and deserves protection.”

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