Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 06:44 pm
With one word, Hillary Clinton crushed Marco Rubio and the hopes of the Republican Party in 2016.
Video via Face The Nation:
Transcript via Face The Nation:
DICKERSON: Senator Marco Rubio claimed that on the question of abortion that you support abortion on baby’s due date. What do you say to that?
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CLINTON: Well, I think it’s pretty pathetic, John.
This is something that illustrates how Senator Rubio has been just going as far as he can to try to, I guess, buttress his credentials with certain parts of the Republican constituency. I have been on record for years about where I stand on making abortion safe and legal, the exceptions that are appropriate, that should be looked into, and the very difficult choices that very few women have to confront that lead to excruciating kinds of decisions.
And to begin to politicize this so early in the campaign season, to try to raise the false charges and look like he’s going to try to make sure Roe v. Wade is overturned and Planned Parenthood is defunded is just a tried-and-true tactic by those on the right.
DICKERSON: His charge here, though, is in terms of late-term abortions, that you talk about medical issues, but there are nonmedical abortions, he would say, and others who share his view would say, and that you’re not having any restrictions on those who would choose to have an abortion for nonmedical reasons puts you on the extreme side of this.
CLINTON: Well, it’s just not true.
People should go back read Roe v. Wade. Reasonable kinds of restrictions can be imposed as long as the life and health of the mother are taken into account, and that is what the law is today. And I remember very well having a lot of incredibly difficult conversations listening to women who were told something devastating toward the end of their pregnancy, who were facing horrible kinds of consequences to their health and even potentially to their life.
That’s why this has to be taken into account by each individual woman, by her physician and her family. But, of course, under Roe v. Wade, there are certain guidelines. And Senator Rubio should know that, or I hope he does now.
The Republican Party had pinned its hopes on Marco Rubio. They had bought into the fantasy that compared to Donald Trump or Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio could defeat Hillary Clinton. Last night’s Republican debate revealed that Rubio is a deeply flawed candidate who cracked under the slightest pressure from Chris Christie.
Fact checkers found that Marco Rubio lied about Hillary Clinton’s position on abortion. According to FactCheck.org, “It is certainly true that Clinton has been a staunch defender of abortion rights. But Clinton has said she’s open to restrictions on late-term abortions, provided exceptions would be given when the health and life of the mother are an issue.”
The ease with which Clinton was able to dispose of Rubio by calling his attacks pathetic should frighten Republicans. If Rubio didn’t handle an attack from Chris Christie that everybody knew was coming, he would get destroyed by Hillary Clinton in a general election. The Republican Party’s last best hope was devastated in seconds by Hillary Clinton, as the GOP’s bad 24 hours has gotten worse.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
