Good question from the DPVA:
Last night at a forum hosted by the University of Richmond, Ken Cuccinelli seemed to attempt to convince Virginians that his position on a women’s constitutional right to an abortion was decidedly more mainstream than it had been his entire career.
Despite numerous statements (including on his own 2002 campaign website) that he opposes abortion even in the cases of rape and incest, Cuccinelli made this statement last night in support, not only of the right for a woman to make her own decisions in that situation, but for public funding through Medicaid:
CUCCINELLI: “You wouldn’t know that looking at my opponents TV ads and he attacks on abortion as well and the one issue you deal with every year as governor in that area is Medicaid funding is public financing of abortion comes up in every budget every year. And my opponent has put no limits on the use of your taxpayer dollars for that. I’ve said that we’ll do that in the case of rape incest or life of the mother, but that’s it.”
This morning the Washington Post is reporting that Cuccinelli sought to retract those statements:
“His campaign said he was merely stating what abortions Medicaid funds under existing law, not voicing his personal support for abortions in cases of rape or incest.”
This is a very simple question for Ken Cuccinelli to answer: Has he changed his position on when it should be legal for a woman to make her own decisions about her health care?
Or did he get caught in a cynical attempt to mislead Virginians about his anti-women’s health record and have to admit that his position remains just as extreme as it has always been?
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