There are few things more awkward and offensive than listening to Republican candidates talk about rape and incest exemptions in abortion laws, but Scott Walker managed to take it to the next level last night when he stated that he would rather let a grown woman die than abort an undeveloped fetus.
During the Republican debates, Megyn Kelly noted that Walker recently signed an abortion bill that had exceptions for the mother’s life, but that he had objected to it, and also remarks that 83% of Americans are in favor of a rape and incest exemption in anti-abortion bills. He dodges the answer “I believe that that is an unborn child has a right to be protected,” and then celebrates the fact that he defunded Planned Parenthood in Wisconsin several years ago, putting the health of his female constituents at risk.
Never mind the fact that four years ago, Walker said he believed the choice was between a woman and her doctor. Marco Rubio also forgot that he co-sponsored a bill that similarly had such exemptions. The ramping up of the GOP’s war on women is a disgusting affront to the rights of women to be healthy and to have agency over their own bodies, to make their own choices. Nothing was more offensive last night than watching ten old white men talk about women’s bodies in such disrespectful terms.
Watch it here: