(CNN) - Texas Gov. Rick Perry revealed a hardening in his stance on abortion Tuesday, telling a crowd in Iowa that he opposed abortions in all cases, including when a woman had been raped or the victim of incest.
Previously, Perry had not opposed the procedure in cases of rape or incest, or when the mother’s life was threatened.
Responding to a question about the change in position, Perry said, “You’re seeing a transformation.”
Perry told the crowd at his campaign stop that the decision came after watching a documentary on abortion produced by former Arkansas governor and 2008 presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.
“That transformation was after watching the DVD, ‘The Gift of Life,’” Perry said. “And I really started giving some thought about the issue of rape and incest. And some powerful, some powerful stories in that DVD.”
Perry said a woman who appeared in the movie who said she was a product of rape moved him to change his mind about abortion.
“She said, ‘My life has worth.’ It was a powerful moment for me,” Perry said.
Perry's abortion shift comes a week ahead of the Iowa caucuses, where socially conservative voters have long been a key voting block. Perry's campaign has made a number of other attempts to appeal to social conservatives, including television ads bemoaning the repeal of the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy and highlighting the candidate's strong Christian faith.
From CNN Politics
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Rick, kinda doesn't matter how many times you change your mind, depending on who's dumping money into your campaign. Ain't gonna happen, dude. Now cowboy up and go back to pick up the horse pucky in Dubya's back yard.
Sorry, but this guy is a serious idiot.
So Goodhair has experienced a "transformation." I wish he'd STFU and get back to his job in Texas and quit serving as a nationwide embarrassment for native Texans.
You know. I don't want a president to be swayed by a DVD. I want them to have built a core political philosophy around which decisions on the issues comes easy. So it doesn't appear that Rick has that inner strength. This adds weight to the allegations that he can be bought.
I find it sad that he would sink to this low to votes in Iowa. Why do conservatives feel they have the right to control things at this level? Is Rick Perry ready to pay for a woman who was raped to have a child, comfort her through the ordeal of bearing a child conceived in violence, and them adopt the child to raise as his own? If not, the low-life poloitical weasel should shut up and pay the price for being a moron throughout the campaign. Just being more of a mindless radical isn't a good method to gain political capital.
and they call mittens a flip flopper
So, if an otherwise healthy woman dies during a problem pregnancy caused by being raped, she's...what? Collateral damage? Wonder if he'd feel differently if it was his wife or daughter?
How disrespectful to women – and how pandering to voters! Tell me he would watch his wife or his daughter die of complications due to pregnancy just for a few votes. That's disgusting and I'm sure every resident of Iowa sees right through it.
Further endearing himself to women voters, I see. As opposed to the one woman in the video, how many other millions of women's lives have been ruined by pregnancies brought about by rape or incest? Where are the men responsible?
Perry is just saying that because he just have many brains.
Here we go again, another flip-flop GOP baffoon saying " you're seeing a transformation"
Well I call it pandering. This guy can't even get the paperwork right to be on the Va. primary ballot and he wants to
rewrite the tax code and run our country? I think not Mr. Perry. Go back to Tx. finnish your term and go away.
I thought Gw Bush was not a smart man but, you take the cake.
What a crock! For all you pro lifers, I offer the following solution: put your names in a register that can be used after a woman who is pregnant as a result of incest or rape, who does not wish to bear the child, so your name can be selected at random to accept the responsibilty of raising that child. But no! Force that woman to raise a child she did not ask for, because she was diddled by Grandpa, or attacked on the street (oh, wait I forgot that women who are raped are raped because they "asked for it"). Of course Perry realizes we're going to need lots of cannon fodder for the wars he and his ilk are contemplating.
Perry said a woman who appeared in the movie who said she was a product of rape moved him to change his mind about abortion.
“She said, ‘My life has worth.’ It was a powerful moment for me,” Perry said.
How many people has he executed as Governor of Texas ?
Perry is such a sensitive guy , must feel badly about the thought of possibly executing an innocent man .
Absolutely barbaric. Religion is not part of the public agenda. Our fore-mothers and fathers saw to it when they usurped this land in the name of freedom. How can a person of faith hold such a position while executing mentally ill prisoners?
Sometimes there aren't enough shoes to throw.
Why does Perry think he needs to pander to the Teavangelicals? His advisers need to be fired. On the other hand, the last thing we need is another Perry rise, so keep up the good work, Perry.
Flip-Flop-Flip-Flop
"Strong" "Christian" "faith", more like it.
Back to the abortion debate? A sure sign the economy is improving.
Obama 2012 – For those who think intelligence matters.
Gettin' a little desperate there, Rick? Perry has been tossing out extreme positions like Mardi Gras beads, looking for something that resonates with the Iowa caucusers. And it will do him no good; the voters want a little authenticity and a bit of intelligence, and Perry is slap out of both.
Rick Perry is not intelligent enough to be much of anything. However, in Texas, you can be a "lame louie" and go far.
A cynical move by a desparate also ran.
So Perry supports religious tyranny? This is not a quality I want in a President.
GOP 2012 slogan – Smaller government in the boardroom, but not in the bedroom.
Rick Perry Is Brain dead. He Is very close to being Insane.
idiot. Mr. Perry keeps trying to sell his soul to conservative republicans, but even they know a brown-noser for votes when they see one. Wish he'd consider coming back to Texas and fixing some of the messes he's left our state to deal with in his absence.