- “So I happen to believe that the Founding Fathers put it in that order— life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness—for a reason. You can pursue happiness all you want to, as long as you don’t tread on somebody else’s liberty....You can pursue liberty all you want to, as long as you don’t tread on somebody else’s life. And that includes the life of the unborn.”
On March 15, 2011, Herman Cain called Planned Parenthood "Planned Genocide" and supports de-funding it.
“It’s not Planned Parenthood. No, it’s planned genocide. You can quote me on that.” “There’s not any planning other than to abort the baby.”
Cain said the preponderance of Planned Parenthood clinics in African-American/minority communities, “says to me they are targeting blacks.”
On June 7, 2011, he told CNN he is "pro life from conception, I believe in traditional marriage." He said gay marriage decisions should be made by the states. He refused to express support for civil unions and got annoyed when Wolf asked him a second time, telling him to move on to what's important.
And of course on Meet the Press last Sunday (transcript here):
MR. GREGORY: A couple more. Same sex marriage. Would you seek a constitutional ban for same sex marriage?
MR. CAIN: I wouldn't seek a constitutional ban for same sex marriage, but I am pro traditional marriage.
MR. GREGORY: But you would let the states make up their own mind as they're doing now?
MR. CAIN: They would make up their own minds, yes.
MR. GREGORY: What about abortion? You want to overturn Roe v. Wade. Could you support or condone abortion under any exceptions at all?
MR. CAIN: I believe in life from conception, and I do not agree with abortion under any circumstances.
MR. GREGORY: Exceptions for rape and incest?
MR. CAIN: Not for rape and incest because...
MR. GREGORY: What about life of the mother?
MR. CAIN: Because if you look at, you look at rape and incest, the, the percentage of those instances is so miniscule that there are other options. If it's the life of the mother, that family's going to have to make that decision.
MR. GREGORY: Mm-hmm. But you can--would you condone abortion if the life of the mother were...
MR. CAIN: That family is going to have to make that...
MR. GREGORY: You won't render a judgment on that.
MR. CAIN: That family is going to have to make that decision.
On the Supreme Court, his role model is Clarence Thomas:
MR. GREGORY: What about the Supreme Court? Who's your model of the ideal Supreme Court justice who you would appoint?
MR. CAIN: ..... I believe that Justice Clarence Thomas, despite all of the attacks that he gets from the left, he basically rules and makes his decisions, in my opinion, based upon the Constitution and solid legal thinking. Justice Clarence Thomas is one of my models.
