Abortion

Ryan, Who Voted to Ban All Abortions Without Exception, Now Claims Akin’s Position “Outrageous”

In keeping with Mitt Romney's strategy of distancing himself from Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan is now distancing himself from Paul Ryan.

Ryan (left) and Akin. J. Scott Applewhite/AP/file.

In keeping with Mitt Romney’s strategy of distancing himself from Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan is now distancing himself from Paul Ryan.

Yesterday, Ryan told a Pennsylvania CBS afflliate that Akin’s statements were “outrageous, over the pail [sic]. I don’t know anybody who would agree with that.”

Rape is rape period, end of story,” Ryan told KDKA Political Editor Jon Delano.

Ryan apparently doesn’t know himself very well, because he was an original co-sponsor of and voted for a bill that would have banned all abortions, no exceptions, and also a co-sponsor of and voted for a bill that would have created a category for what the GOP considers to be “legitimate” rape.

Moreover, the Romney/Ryan ticket is running on a GOP platform that includes a so-called Human Life Amendment, the implications of which are to ban all abortions, no exceptions; to ban many forms of commonly used birth control; to ban in-vitro fertilization; and to criminalize miscarriage among many other odious outcomes.

Robin Marty laid out all of Ryan’s positions here yesterday.

Here is the interview of Ryan by Delano:

Delano: “Should abortions to be available to women who are raped?”

Ryan: “Well, look, I’m proud of my pro-life record. And I stand by my pro-life record in Congress. It’s something I’m proud of. But Mitt Romney is the top of the ticket and Mitt Romney will be president and he will set the policy of the Romney administration.”

Despite Ryan’s views, Romney says he will allow exceptions for rape and incest. Ryan also seemed to back away from earlier views on types of rape.

Delano: “You sponsored legislation that has the language ‘forcible rape.’ What is forcible rape as opposed…”

Ryan: “Rape is rape. Rape is rape, period. End of story.”

Delano: “So that forcible rape language meant nothing to you at the time?”

Ryan: “Rape is rape and there’s no splitting hairs over rape.”

As for the president’s claim that Romney-Ryan will restrict birth control, Ryan calls that ridiculous.

“Nobody is proposing to deny birth control to anybody,” says Ryan.

Ryan says women won’t fall for these side issues.

“And I don’t think they’re going to take the bait of all these distractions that the President is trying to throw at them.”

Actually, what I find most distracting, as a woman, is trying to figure out just how many Mitt Romneys and Paul Ryans are running for office, whose actions they are accountable for, and which one we should be listening to on which day.