Piety & Power, by Tom LoBianco: on Abortion


Richard Mourdock: Babies conceived in rape are a gift from God, like all life

The candidates met for their last debate--a showdown on October 23, 2012, at Indiana University Southeast. The moderator asked for their positions on abortion. Mourdock stood at the podium, his eyes tearing up, as they often did on the campaign trail.

"I know there are some that disagree, and I respect their point of view, but life begins at conception. The only exception I have, to have an abortion, is in that case of the life of the mother. I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize that, life is a gift from God, and I think even if life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that is something God intended."

Twitter was on fire. "Are you trying to suggest that God preordained rape?" When Mourdock was pressed: "No, that's not even close to what I said."

The next morning Mourdock held a press conference to explain himself. His point, Mourdock said, was that babies from rape were a gift from God--because all babies are a gift from God.

Source: Piety & Power, by Tom LoBianco, p.176-7 Sep 14, 2019

  • The above quotations are from Piety & Power
    Mike Pence and the Taking of the White House
    by Tom LoBianco    .
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Abortion.
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  • Click here for more quotes by Mike Pence on Abortion.
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2020 Presidential contenders on Abortion:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN) 		Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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