CNN's Don Lemon refreshingly went after Hillary Clinton on Thursday's New Day over her smear of Republicans/conservatives on Wednesday's AC360. Clinton used Donald Trump's stumble on the abortion to attack pro-lifers in general, along with Ted Cruz and John Kasich specifically: "They all want to dictate a women's reproductive health care decisions...Now maybe, they aren't quite as open about it, as Donald Trump was earlier today. But they all have the same position." Lemon contended that "to say that all conservatives feel the way that Donald Trump feels about abortion, I think, is a bit much." [video below]
The anchor, filling in for Chris Cuomo on the morning show, raised Clinton's blast during a panel discussion segment with regular guests Errol Louis and Jackie Kucinich. He turned to Louis for his take on the former first lady's attack. The journalist underlined that the Democratic presidential contender was "going to try and make the Republican Party the party of Trump."
Lemon then summarized the long-time stance of the pro-life movement on how to handle women who are considering abortion: "This is the conservative stance on this particular issue — is that we're concerned about the life of the child and the mother. Both of them are victims. We don't want to prosecute women for having abortions, even if they become illegal." Louis remarked that what Lemon "just described is a very nuanced position. It's a very difficult position. People have struggled and agonized over it. But if you've got somebody who's going to stumble into the issue like a bull in a china shop...obviously, Hillary Clinton is going to take advantage of that."
Earlier in the segment, Kucinich contended that Trump was "trying to think of the most right — the farthest right he could go. And he's running against someone like John Kasich, who effectively defunded Planned Parenthood in the State of Ohio. So, it really is — it's kind of incomprehensible where he went with this."
The transcript of the relevant portion of the Kucinich/Louis segment from CNN's New Day on March 31, 2016:
ALISYN CAMEROTA: Jackie, he was evolving in real time yesterday over the space of three hours. After he said it, there was a big eruption on all sides. So then, he tried to clarify what he meant — and he Tweeted this first to Jake Tapper. He Tweeted this at 3:58 pm — okay? So just about four o'clock. He said — oh, sorry, this is Donald Trump, Jr. This is his son — okay? So he's saying, 'Be fair.' It 'was asked if it was illegal, should there be punishment? Shouldn't there be consequences for breaking the laws?' Okay, so that's his son, first trying to say — like, wait; it was about whether or not it's illegal. First of all, the questioning was also all over the map, because Chris Matthews asked, like, umpteenth times, in different ways, but how do you feel; how do you feel?
JACKIE KUCINICH, SENIOR POLITICS EDITOR, DAILY BEAST: Right—
CAMEROTA: You know, really pressed him; so he had many different answers. Then, Donald Trump sent out this longer statement at 5 pm: 'If Congress were to pass legislation making abortion illegal and the federal courts upheld this legislation, or any states were permitted to ban abortion under state and federal law, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman should be held legally responsible, not the woman. The woman is a victim in this case, as is the life in her womb. My position has not changed — like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exceptions.' Except his position did change, and we all saw it with our own eyes.
[CNN Graphic: "Trump Ignites Firestorm Over Abortion Comment; Trump Takes 3 Positions On Abortion In 3 Hours"]
KUCINICH: Right—
DON LEMON: There was one before that — that he — didn't he issue one at 3:45 that said, 'The issue is unclear, and should be put back into the states for determination—
KUCINICH: Yeah—
LEMON: Then, he goes on again, saying — saying that it's Ronald Reagan. So, three different statements within the span of — what — two hours; three hours?
KUCINICH: Right. It's almost like he wanted to — he was trying to think of the most right — the farthest right he could go. And he's running against someone like John Kasich, who effectively defunded Planned Parenthood in the State of Ohio. So, it really is — it's kind of incomprehensible where he went with this, and now — but, you know, that said, I don't know that this will hurt Donald Trump with his people. They're very loyal. They haven't moved on any other issue that he seemed to — you know, missed the mark on.
Now, who this will affect him with is someone who might be wavering between Ted Cruz, John Kasich, and Donald Trump. If they're looking for someone who is a — you know, a traditional, evangelical conservative, Donald Trump is not their guy.
[CNN Graphic: "Trump Under Fire After Calling For Abortion 'Punishment;' CNN Poll: 73% Of Women Have Unfavorable View Of Trump"]
LEMON: Yeah—
CAMEROTA: And women — right, Errol?
KUCINICH: And women; and women — he's kind of lost women, though — 75% is pretty (laughs) — it's not great.
ERROL LOUIS, POLITICAL ANCHOR OF TIME WARNER CABLE NEWS: Yeah. He was — he was already in trouble with many women voters — including women Republicans—
KUCINICH: Yeah—
LOUIS: And so, this certainly isn't going to help.
LEMON: So Ted Cruz released a statement yesterday. John Kasich, of course, releasing a statement — or at least speaking on camera. But what's interesting, I think, is Hillary Clinton, who called into 'AC360' last night to talk about Donald Trump's comments. Let's listen.
[CNN Graphic: "Cruz: Trump 'Hasn't Seriously Thought Through' Issues; Kasich: 'Of Course, Women Shouldn't Be Punished;' Critics Pounce On Trump For Abortion Comment"]
HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (from CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360"): They all want to dictate a women's reproductive health care decisions. So, you know, the choice is really clear. The Republicans all line up together. Now maybe, they aren't quite as open about it, as Donald Trump was earlier today. But they all have the same position; and if you make abortion a crime — you make it illegal — then you make women and doctors criminals.
LEMON: Not surprising that she would capitalize on this particular issue, Errol, but to say that all conservatives feel the way that Donald Trump feels about abortion, I think, is a bit much.
LOUIS: Well, she's — right. She sees blue sky, and she's trying to capitalize on it. So, she is going to try and make the Republican Party the party of Trump. She also released a new ad yesterday that doesn't refer to anybody — although it sort of slyly refers to Trump; and, sort of, sticks his name into the ad. She's going to try and make it the party of Trump whether or not he is the nominee—
LEMON: This is the conservative stance on this particular issue — is that we're concerned about the life of the child and the mother. Both of them are victims. We don't want to prosecute women for having abortions, even if they become illegal
LOUIS: Well, that's right. I mean, look, that — what you just described is a very nuanced position. It's a very difficult position. People have struggled and agonized over it. But if you've got somebody who's going to stumble into the issue like a bull in a china shop — you know, obviously, Hillary Clinton is going to take advantage of that.
