Trump Finally Comments on SCOTUS Abortion Opinion

Trump Finally Comments on SCOTUS Abortion Opinion June 30, 2016

Donald Trump’s silence on Monday’s Supreme Court opinion — the most consequential abortion ruling in years — is the latest in a months-long effort to confuse and string along conservative religious voters.

But just as it took Jesus three days to rise from the dead, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee waited three days to weigh in on the decision. As pro-life advocates lamented the decision, Trump’s silence evinced a level of disinterest almost never seen from GOP politicians. (Even the ones who do not care much about criminalizing abortion will at least offer platitudes.)

It also cast serious doubt on Trump’s pledge (recently reiterated to evangelical leaders) to make pro-life jurisprudence a litmus test for federal judicial nominees.

When Trump finally addressed the decision on a radio show Thursday, his ignorance on the issue and even the judicial process was stunning.

CBS News’ Sopan Deb has a partial transcript:

Trump, as he likes to do, bashed the Chief Justice, who, as expected, sided with his pro-life colleagues on this decision. Trump also said that if the late Justice Antonin Scalia were still alive, or if a President Trump could appoint his replacement, that this ruling would have turned out differently. This is plainly wrong because there were 5 pro-choice votes. Scalia’s vote would not have changed the outcome.

To sow further confusion and doubt among social conservatives, Trump said that if Clinton is elected, this (bad) decision is only going to be the first of many. “You won’t even have to question. You won’t even have to bother going to court.” It’s as though Trump thinks that if Clinton wins the election, conservative legal advocacy groups should just cease operations. He shows a bizarre and breathtaking lack of understanding about how the Supreme Court — to say nothing of the interest group system — functions.

Thus, Trump continues to squander the only issue on which he can legitimately promise something meaningful to social conservatives. But Trump’s cluelessness, disinterest, and inconsistency prove that pro-life voters have no reason to trust him.

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