Chris Christie presidential campaign, 2016/Abortion
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 Chris Christie |
Governor of New Jersey (2010-2018) U.S. Attorney for New Jersey (2002-2008) |
 Republican candidate: |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
- On MSNBC's Morning Joe on February 4, 2016, Chris Christie criticized Marco Rubio’s stance on abortion. He said, "On the issue of pro-life, Marco Rubio is not for an exception for rape, incest or life of the mother. I think that's the kind of position that New Hampshire voters would be really concerned about. I'm pro-life but I believe that rape, incest and the life of the mother -- as Ronald Reagan did -- should be exceptions to that rule.” According to CNN, “Rubio himself believes only in exceptions to abortion bans only for the life of the mother, and not for cases of rape or incest.”[1]
- Christie denied donating to Planned Parenthood on January 10, 2016, in response to an allegation from Marco Rubio that he had. “I never donated to Planned Parenthood,” Christie told CBS on Face the Nation. A spokeswoman also denied the accusation after the campaign was asked by The Wall Street Journal about a quote from Christie in a 2012 book, Chris Christie: The Inside Story of His Rise to Power, which said, “I support Planned Parenthood privately with my personal contribution.” Christie has described himself as pro-choice early in his political career, and later became pro-life.[2]
- On September 29, 2015,, U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) criticized Christie’s role in defunding Planned Parenthood in New Jersey. "We know in New Jersey, in my state, where this Gov. Chris Christie spent so much of his leverage defunding Planned Parenthood and then suggesting that the federally qualified health care centers would be able to pick up the slack. They came in and testified they couldn't possibly accommodate all the deficiencies that would occur without Planned Parenthood," she said.[3]
- Christie criticized congressional Republicans for their inability to get important legislation passed during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on September 20, 2015. He argued that Congress should defund Planned Parenthood and let President Barack Obama veto the legislation. Christie said, "We gave them majorities in 2010 in the House and then in 2014 in the Senate, and they’ve done nothing with them. They need to do some things. Now, if the president’s going to veto them, that’s the president’s choice. But at least let the American people know who the obstructionist is. ...Let the American people see that he stands with the folks who believe that the systematic murder of children in the womb, in a way that preserves the body parts to be sold on the open market for profit is something that he stands for."[4]
- During CNN's September 16 Republican presidential debate, Christie cited his efforts in New Jersey to deny Planned Parenthood government funding. He said, "I've vetoed Planned Parenthood funding, now, eight times in New Jersey. Since the day I walked in as governor, Planned Parenthood has not been funded in New Jersey. We stood up and every one of those vetoes has been sustained."[5]
- In July 2015, Christie promised to defund Planned Parenthood if elected president. To show his commitment to this pledge, Christie cited his record of defunding the organization in six New Jersey state budgets.[6]
- Christie considered himself "pro-choice" until 1995, when he first heard the heartbeat of his daughter in the womb. He stated, "I was driving back to work, I said to myself, you know, as to my position on abortion, I would say that a week ago that wasn't a life. And I heard that heartbeat. That’s a life. And it – it led to me having a real reflection on my position. And when I took time to reflect on it, I just said, you know what, I’m not comfortable with that anymore."[7]
- In 2011, Christie stated, "I am pro-life, I believe in exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. That's my position, take it or leave it."[8]
- In 2009, Christie said that he supported "restrictions on abortion rights such as banning partial-birth abortions and requiring parental notification and a 24-hour waiting period."[9]
Recent news
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See also
Footnotes
- ↑ CNN Politics, "Marco Rubio turns abortion attack on Hillary Clinton," February 4, 2016
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Chris Christie Says He Never Donated to Planned Parenthood," January 10, 2016
- ↑ NJ.com, "WATCH: N.J.'s Watson Coleman attacks Christie over Planned Parenthood funding," September 29, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Christie tells GOP to defund Planned Parenthood," accessed September 20, 2015
- ↑ Washington Post, "Wednesday’s GOP debate transcript, annotated," accessed September 16, 2015
- ↑ NJ.com, "Christie vows to defund Planned Parenthood if elected president," July 22, 2015
- ↑ MSNBC, "The other part of Christie’s ‘record’ on abortion rights," February 27, 2015
- ↑ NPR, "Don't Read Virginia Result As Pro-Choice: It's Anti-Extreme," November 9, 2013
- ↑ NJ.com, “Chris Christie promises change to a 'broken' state in campaign kickoff," February 4, 2009
