Baffled Michael Dukakis - Who Makes the Decision?

Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis answers a question from Anne Groer about how some may compare Abortion to Capital Punishment. He makes a slight contradiction on his toughness on major crime during the First Presidential Debate in Winston-Salem at Wake Forest University on September 25, 1988.

GROER: Governor Dukakis, is there a conflict between your opposition to the death penalty and your support for abortion on demand, even though in the minds of many people, that's also killing?

DUKAKIS: No, I don't think there is. There are two very different issues here, and they've got to be dealt with separately. I'm opposed to the death penalty. I think everybody knows that. I'm also very tough on violent crime. And that's one of the reasons why my state has cut crime by more than any other industrial state in America. It's one of the reasons why we have the lowest murder rate of any industrial state in the country. It's one of the reasons why we have a drug education and prevention program that is reaching out and helping youngsters all over our state, the kind of thing I want to do as president of the United States. You know, the vice president says he wants to impose the death penalty on drug traffickers, and yet his administration has a federal furlough program which is one of the most permissive in the country, which gave last year 7,000 furloughs to drug traffickers and drug pushers, the same people that he says he now wants to execute. The issue of abortion is a very difficult issue, one that I think that we all have to wrestle with, we have to come to terms with. I don't favor abortion. I don't think it's a good thing. I don't think most people do. The question is who makes the decision. And I think it has to be the woman, in the exercise of her own conscience and religious beliefs, that makes that decision.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Michael
• Dukakis
• Baffled
• Dumfounded
• Democrat
• Fast
• Talker
• Confused
• Whoops
• Oops
• Perplexed
• Uncertainty

[ApplyUrBrain]

No stars. What a goofy, useless video style. Waste of time.

[julius923]

Bah Hum Bug!!!!

[jakeh1981]

What a shit ass video. Were u high when u posted this speeded up piece of crap?

[julius923]

You should watch this video 3-4 times in a row to get the full effect. No I wasn't high, but if it works for you, by all means go for it. Just don't call me a drug pusher.

[tansuturdag]

So what's wrong with what he said? Who should make the decision? The government or the woman?

[julius923]

"I'm opposed to the death penalty. I think everybody knows that. I'm also very tough on violent crime." It's not wrong just a slight contradiction, notice the laughter.

[Claronium780]

he would have made a better Prez all in all than Bush....they called HIM rigid, stiff, etc...what about BUSH???? mr. Anti-enthusiasm!?

[hojoleon]

tough on crime, get the fuck out of here. 

[peterragone]

I'm for abortion!

[p7byrd]

Idiotic video, with idiotic effects. Thumbs down.

[3rkid2]

@baraxor

Obviously. No one is for abortion. But abortion should be available for the woman to decide.

[rizonman]

@ApplyUrBrain Agreed.



[WHOOPASSLQ]

@ApplyUrBrain lol

[ihaveaverybadcold]

he sounds like bush when you speed up his voice....

[baraxor]

Generally, a person who calls him/herself "pro-life" won't mind being called "anti-abortion"...but a person who describes him/herself as "pro-choice" becomes angry if called "pro-abortion".