(CNN) - One month after sparking a controversy over his stance against abortion rights, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is signing a leading social conservative group's anti-abortion pledge.
Tuesday the businessman and former Godfather's Pizza CEO and radio talk show host put his name to the Susan B. Anthony List's "Pro-Life Presidential Leadership Pledge."
Programming note: GOP presidential candidates face off at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, November 22, in the CNN Republican National Security Debate in Washington, D.C.
"This decision is consistent with the Herman Cain we have come to know," Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA List, said in a statement. "He understands the wound abortion is to America and especially to the most vulnerable among us."
Cain stirred controversy last month in an interview on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight." He said he was against abortion rights, but when asked about rape or incest, Cain said the government shouldn't have a say on those issues and the decision should be left to the family.
Some social conservatives slammed Cain for his remarks in the following days, prompting him to be much more vocal about his "pro-life" positions during campaign stops and interviews over the weekend.
In addition to Cain, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania have also signed the pledge. Rep. Thad McCotter of Michigan and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty also signed, but they have since dropped their bids for the GOP presidential nomination.
The Susan B. Anthony List says their pledge asks declared presidential candidates to commit to four key pro-life goals if elected to the presidency in 2012:
FIRST, to nominate to the U.S. federal bench judges who are committed to restraint and applying the original meaning of the Constitution, not legislating from the bench;
SECOND, to select only pro-life appointees for relevant Cabinet and Executive Branch positions, in particular the head of National Institutes of Health, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Health & Human Services;
THIRD, to advance pro-life legislation to permanently end all taxpayer funding of abortion in all domestic and international spending programs, and defund Planned Parenthood and all other contractors and recipients of federal funds with affiliates that perform or fund abortions;
FOURTH, advance and sign into law a Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to protect unborn children who are capable of feeling pain from abortion.
Also see:
Cain, Paul crossed off for Iowa group's pres. endorsement
Who can make a difference in New Hampshire?
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Catholics and Protestants are more likely to have abortions than Atheists.
Most pro life people argue more against partial birth abortions, the fetus' head is crushed and the fetus is removed, and do not argue to much about actual abortions, the entire fetus is crushed and removed which is more dangerous for the mother.
Herman Cain and the majority of the pro life crowd are predominantly male, and don't really care about women's rights on the subject.
What's the difference between dumping a baby into a dumpster and having it aborted? It's not "your" body. The fetus has its own body. Not sure of how to treat the rape and incest issues, but for those who are a willing participant in the act to create a baby should know that its not all "fun and games." Act like an adult. Take responsibility and realize that your parents could have aborted you.
Anybody who signs a pledge from special interest has lost my potential vote! I believe in freedom of choice and that it should be left up to the individual!!
I'm in the wrong business.. I need to write out open ended pledges that will force congress, presidents, and other elected officials to do my personal bidding and not those of the people he or she is being elected to represent.
Tragic!
@A in Austin – Sure! I'll wait here patiently while you punish me for the actions of others. oh, wait, wasn't that your complaint, having your live altered, controlled, or modified by someone not directly involved in it? So your solution is to punish the opposing gender because members of that gender in power make a decision??? And, last I checked, he can sign all he wants, but the Supreme court would be the final hand of it, so only they could overturn Roe V. Wade... and if they do, there are women on that bench as well. So I guess it spay and neuter all around!!!
litmus tests. I thought tightie righties didn't like them? In any case not one of these losers stand a chance in the general election
What about the less government control in everyone's lives that these guys are always preaching? I think the only pledge that politician's should be making is to their electorate. How is this allowed?
Are you still here, Herm? Your sell-by date expired awhile back.
I guess we'll have to change things to say:
"I plrdge allegiance to whatever pledge I need to sign to run"
What is it with these Repub/Tea Partiers and pledges? No one running for elected office should sign a pledge...they are supposed to represent all Americans, not just a narrow group.
How did this bunch co-opt Susan B. Anthony's name?
Signing pledges to pander to conservative fringe groups isn't scoring any points with main stream American voters. It just shows your getting desparate!~
FIFTH, enforce the death penalty for women who need an abortion to save their lives.
Republicans only care about humans before they are born, and right before they die. Before they are born, a fetus or blastocyst must be protected even if that protection will kill the mother and the fetus. Right before you die, you must be kept alive at all costs, no matter how terminal your condition is, and no matter how much pain and suffering you are experiencing. In the 80 or so years in between, no unemployment insurance, no health care, no food stamps, no assistance of any kind.
I pledge allegiance to whatever pledge I pledge allegiance to that special interests put in front of me to pledge, I pledge"
Enough with the Pledges to the extreme groups..How about making a Pledge to put America before politics, religion and race.....
How about a no-pledge pledge?
Has any of these learned anything from the Debt debates ?
I just can't understand why these people think it's their business about what someone else does in their private lives. How does it affect you if your neighbor or anyone else you know to have an abortion? Or gay marriage? Or different religion? Answer: it doesn't.
Do they have a pledge to return to the middle ages in terms of science too?
another stupid pledge another stupid pandering politician..dosnt it make you sick!
Republicans are just so eager to become enthralled to pledges. How many of them would sign a pledge that stated simply "I will not place the burden of balancing the economy on the backs of the poor."?
Aww, you signed a pledge. That's cute. All my lady friends and I are going to sign one too that says we'll never vote for someone like you until you get your hands and laws off our bodies.
I just signed a pledge at the local supermarket that I won't vote for any teapublican clown canadate, that means all that are running in 2012, if you want your mom and dad kicked off soc sec, medicade, Medicare, food stamps, vote republican. That means teapublican mom and dads too.
what else is new? he has no respect for women anyway, nor for his own race. just puppet for the koch brothers, out to make money no matter what. a sad embarrassing individual.
Abortion needs to be legal for the simple reason that it will happen if its legal or not. It needs to be safe, and controlled.