Meet the Press interviews during 2015: on Abortion

Jeb Bush: No conservative litmus test for judicial appointments

BUSH: I don't believe in litmus tests, but I'm going to make sure that my appointments to the Supreme Court would have a consistent proven record of judicial restraint.

Q: So you're not going to ask a potential Supreme Court justice if they would overturn Roe v. Wade?

BUSH: No.

Jeb Bush: Abortion ok when LIFE of mother at risk, not just her HEALTH

BUSH: My views haven't changed. I believe in the exceptions of rape and incest and the life of the mother, of course.

Q: Is there a line on health? What is that line on life and health of the mother?

BUSH: Well, the life of the mother, not health of the mother.

Ben Carson: I would love to see Roe v. Wade overturned

CARSON: In the ideal situation, the mother should not believe that the baby is her enemy and should not be looking to terminate the baby.

Q: What if somebody has an unwanted pregnancy? Should they have the right to terminate?

CARSON: No. Think about this. During slavery, a lot of the slave owners thought that they had the right to do whatever they wanted to that slave. And what if the abolitionist had said, you know, "I don't believe in slavery. I think it's wrong. But you guys do whatever you want to do"--Where would we be?

Q: Definitively, do you want to see Roe v. Wade overturned?

CARSON: I would love to see it overturned.

Ben Carson: Maybe exceptions for life of mother, not for rape or incest

CARSON: I'm a reasonable person. And if people can come up with a reasonable explanation of why they would like to kill a baby, I'll listen.

Q: Life and health of the mother?

CARSON: Again, that's an extraordinarily rare situation. But if in that very rare situation it occurred, I believe there's room to discuss that.

Q: Rape and incest?

CARSON: Rape and incest, I would not be in favor of killing a baby because the baby came about in that way. And all you have to do is go and look up the many stories of people who have led very useful lives who were the result of rape or incest.

Carly Fiorina: Planned Parenthood is about character, not condoms

FIORINA: I was protested by Planned Parenthood people who were throwing condoms at me. I don't know what that has to do with this. They're trying to distract the American people from the hideous reality that Planned Parenthood is aborting fetuses alive to harvest their brains and other body parts. Planned Parenthood will not and cannot deny this because it is happening and taxpayers are paying for it. This is not about being pro-life or pro-choice. It is certainly not about birth control. It is not even about women's health. It is about the character of our nation.

Q: Do you believe this is still something that Republicans in Congress should force a government shutdown over and have this showdown with the president?

FIORINA: I believe if the president and Democrats are willing to defend what is roughly $500 million to $600 million line item in a budget, then let them explain it to the American people.

Carly Fiorina: 2010: Roe v. Wade is a decided issue; 2015: Overturn it

FIORINA: Well, we are finding common ground. People's views evolve on all kinds of things. And the American people's views have evolved on this. So let's just take one example. The majority of women, the majority of young people, the majority of Americans now believe that abortion for any reason at all after five months is wrong. Just as they believe that the butchery of live fetuses for body parts is wrong. So I think we ought to pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act now. It is good politics. It is also good policy.

Donald Trump: Planned Parenthood is important, but abortions must stop

TRUMP:I don't know--but it's possible. I give to so many organizations over the years. Hundreds of millions of dollars, so I really don't know. But look, Planned Parenthood has to stop with the abortions. A lot of people consider it an abortion clinic. I think those tapes that I saw were outrageous and disgusting by any standpoint. And they have to stop.

Q: So you would not shut down the government over Planned Parenthood funding?

TRUMP: I wouldn't fund it if they have abortion going on. Now, you hear all different numbers. They say it's 3%, other people say it's 85%. That's a big difference. So I'd certainly look into it.

Q: But would you shut down the government over this dispute?

Source: Meet the Press 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 16, 2015

Marco Rubio: Abortion is complex issue; we must reduce the number of them

RUBIO: That's why this issue is so hard. There is no doubt that a woman has a right to her own body, has a right to make decisions about her own health and her own future. There's no doubt. And then, there's this other right. And that's the right of a human being to live. And these rights come into conflict when it comes to this issue. And, so, you have to make a decision.

Q: And that decision is.

RUBIO: Listen, you're 15 years old and you become pregnant and you're scared and you have your whole life ahead of you and you're facing this, that is a hard situation. I tell people all the time, "Don't pretend this is easy." This is a difficult question. But when asked to make a decision between two very hard circumstances, I've personally reached the conclusion if I'm going to err, I'm going to err on the side of life. I'll support any legislation that reduces the number of abortions.