Scott Walker stepped in it again
by digby
Here’s what he said about the bill coming to him for signature that bans abortions after 20 week with no exceptions for rape or incest:
I mean, I think for most people who are concerned about that, it’s in the initial months where they’re most concerned about it,” Walker said of pregnancies caused by rape and incest.
“In this case, again, it’s an unborn life, it’s an unborn child and that’s why we feel strongly about it,” Walker said. “I’m prepared to sign it either way that they send it to us.”
I suspect normal people are appalled that he would force a 12 year old girl to give birth to her rapist father’s child — her own sibling. (And we know that this 12 year old girl or 16 year old girl or however old she might be would be loathe to report her pregnancy in the “initial months” when Walker thinks women are “concerned” about being pregnant by their rapist.) So, sure he’s made a big mistake with people of compassion everywhere.
But what about the hardcore Christian right he’s trying to please with this barbaric bill? Guess what? They aren’t going to like what he’s said there either. Trying to have it both ways, as he clumsily does over and over again, Walker has just implied that wanting these exceptions are understandable in the “initial months” of pregnancy which is absolutely wrong in the eyes of the anti-abortion zealots. There are no exceptions in their view. You can see that Walker knows this with his attempt at recovery by saying “it’s an unborn life and unborn child” which is supposed to soothe any zealots who are afraid he’s going wobbly on abortion with that implication.
I’m not sure it works. I wrote about his troubles with the Christian Right recently discussing a recent meeting in Washington where leaders put him on notice. This bill is an important step for him to solidify his bona fides with them — it doesn’t help that he tried to soothe the pro-choice people in his comments. That’s the last thing they want him to do.
Republican presidential candidates have to walk a delicate line on this issue and the Christian Right isn’t making it easy for them. Walker is unusually awkward about it — but then, he’s unusually awkward about everything.
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