Tim Kaine and Mike Pence went at it on the issue of a woman’s right to choose. The debate illustrated the real contrast between parties, one democratic, the other, paternalistic. Kaine asked the question every woman likely asked and it went unanswered.
Tim Kaine and Mike Spence spirited debate
Tim Kaine did not let up in showing the deep ideological differences between the parties. His final statement on a woman’s right to choose said it all.
Mike Pence intends on using his religious beliefs to impose anti-choice policies. Tim Kaine asked the only relevant question, “Why doesn’t Donald Trump trust women to make this choice for themselves?”
Mike Pence: I know you’ve historically opposed taxpayer funding of abortion. But Hillary Clinton wants to — wants to repeal the longstanding provision in the law where we said we wouldn’t use taxpayer dollars to fund abortion.
So for me, my faith informs my life. I try and spend a little time on my knees every day. But it all for me begins with cherishing the dignity, the worth, the value of every human life.
Tim Kaine: Elaine, this is a fundamental question, a fundamental question. Hillary and I are both people out of religious backgrounds, from Methodist church experience, which was really formative for her as a public servant.
But we really feel like you should live fully and with enthusiasm the commands of your faith. But it is not the role of the public servant to mandate that for everybody else.
So let’s talk about abortion and choice. Let’s talk about them. We support Roe v. Wade. We support the constitutional right of American women to consult their own conscience, their own supportive partner, their own minister, but then make their own decision about pregnancy. That’s something we trust American women to do that.
And we don’t think that women should be punished, as Donald Trump said they should, for making the decision to have an abortion.
Governor Pence wants to repeal Roe v. Wade. He said he wants to put it on the ash heap of history. And we have some young people in the audience who weren’t even born when Roe was decided. This is pretty important. Before Roe v. Wade, states could pass criminal laws to do just that, to punish women if they made the choice to terminate a pregnancy.
I think you should live your moral values. But the last thing, the very last thing that government should do is have laws that would punish women who make reproductive choices. And that is the fundamental difference between a Clinton-Kaine ticket and a Trump- Pence ticket that wants to punish women who make that choice.
Mike Pence: No, it’s really not. Donald Trump and I would never support legislation that punished women who made the heartbreaking choice to end a pregnancy.
Tim Kaine: Then why did Donald Trump say that?
Mike Pence: We just never would.
Tim Kaine: Why did he say that?
Mike Pence: Well, look, it’s — look, he’s not a polished politician like you and Hillary Clinton. And so…
Tim Kaine: Well, I would admit that’s not a polished…
Mike Pence: You know, things don’t always come out exactly the way he means them.
Tim Kaine: Well, can I say…
Mike Pence: But I’m telling you what the policy of our administration would be.
Tim Kaine: Great line from the — great line from the gospel of Matthew. From the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Mike Pence: Yeah.
Tim Kaine: When Donald Trump says women should be punished or Mexicans are rapists and criminals…
Mike Pence: I’m telling you…
Tim Kaine: … or John McCain is not a hero, he is showing you who he is.
Mike Pence: Senator, you’ve whipped out that Mexican thing again. He — look…
Tim Kaine: Can you defend it?
Mike Pence: There are criminal aliens in this country, Tim, who have come into this country illegally who are perpetrating violence and taking American lives.
Tim Kaine: You want to — you want to use a big broad brush against Mexicans on that?
Mike Pence: He also said and many of them are good people. You keep leaving that out of your quote. And if you want me to go there, I’ll go there.
But here’s — there is a choice, and it is a choice on life. I couldn’t be more proud to be standing with Donald Trump, who’s standing for the right to life. It’s a principle that — Senator Kaine — and I’m very gentle about this, because I really do respect you — it’s a principle that you embrace.
And I have appreciated the fact that you’ve supported the Hyde amendment, which bans the use of taxpayer funding for abortion, in the past, but that’s not Hillary Clinton’s view. People need to understand, we can come together as a nation. We can create a culture of life. More and more young people today are embracing life because we know we are — we’re better for it. We can — like Mother Teresa said at that famous national prayer breakfast…
Tim Kaine: This is important
Mike Pence: … bring the — let’s welcome the children into our world. There are so many families around the country who can’t have children. We could improve adoption…
Tim Kaine: But, Governor…
Mike Pence: … so that families that can’t have children can adopt more readily those children from crisis pregnancies.
Tim Kaine: Governor, why don’t you trust women to make this choice for themselves? We can encourage people to support life. Of course we can. But why don’t you trust women? Why doesn’t Donald Trump trust women to make this choice for themselves?
That’s what we ought to be doing in public life. Living our lives of faith or motivation with enthusiasm and excitement, convincing other, dialoguing with each other about important moral issues of the day…
Mike Pence: Because there are…
Tim Kaine: … but on fundamental issues of morality, we should let women make their own decisions.