I have concluded this about Republican politicians: They should shut their pie holes when the subject of abortion comes up.
U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., is the latest Republican inductee into the Political Hall of Shameful Comments They Wish They Could Take Back.
Franks said the other day that the “incidents of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low.” He was speaking about a bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks. The bill does not exempt pregnancies that result from rape, an event that Franks said doesn’t warrant an exemption because there are so few of them.
Hmmm.
OK, now he says his comments were “taken out of context,” that he meant to reference rape-caused pregnancies in which the baby is in the womb for more than six months.
We all know by now what two other recent GOP pols said about rape. Former U.S. Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri said infamously in 2012 that women’s bodies have a way of preventing pregnancy after the woman is raped, making a ridiculous reference to what he called “legitimate rape.” Then came former Indiana State Treasurer Richard Mourdock’s comment that a pregnancy caused by a rape was “God’s will.” Both men lost their bids for higher office.
Now we have Trent Franks stepping into a realm into which he knows nothing.
I don’t particularly care how Franks intends to “clarify” his remarks. He has spoken stupidly about the hottest of hot-button issues.
In the future, when the topic of abortion comes up, simply do this: Shut. Up.