HILLARY BLASTED OVER ABORTION
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio waged a heated battle over abortion yesterday, as each tried to portray the other as too extreme on the hot-button issue to be elected president.
“Hillary Clinton supports abortion even at the stage when an unborn child can feel pain,” Rubio said in a statement after Clinton attacked the Florida senator earlier yesterday. “Hillary Clinton holds radical views on abortion that we look forward to exposing in the months to come.”
Rubio claimed Clinton has defended partial birth abortion as a “fundamental right,” opposed parental notification for minors seeking an abortion and supported Planned Parenthood, even in the wake of an ongoing organ-harvesting scandal.
Clinton slammed Rubio as an abortion extremist during a campaign stop earlier yesterday in Exeter, ripping his comments during last Thursday’s primary debate ruling out abortion exceptions even in the case of rape or when the mother’s life is in danger.
“What Marco Rubio said had as much of an impact in terms of where the Republican party is today as anybody else on that stage,” said Clinton. “And it is deeply troubling, and it should be to the press, not just those of us who have been doing this work for so long.”
Clinton’s decision to single out and try to define Rubio — who is actually trailing real-estate mogul Donald Trump and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush — is an indication that the Clinton camp views him as a potential threat in the general election.
Clinton also tried to tie Trump’s recent comments about women to the entire Republican presidential field.
“While what Donald Trump said about (Fox News anchor) Megyn Kelly is outrageous, what the rest of the Republicans are saying about all women is also outrageous,” said Clinton. “I’m worried about what Republican policies would do to the rest of America’s women, and I will continue to speak out and speak up about that.”
Clinton also beat back calls by her opponents, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, for more than the six debates hosted by the Democratic Party.
“I’m not going to get into
scheduling,” said Clinton. “I’m just going to show up when I’m told to show up. I’ll be there and looking forward to it.”
Asked her feelings about Vice President Joe Biden possibly entering the race, Clinton said: “I spoke to him at his son’s funeral. I think we should all just let the vice president be with his family and make whatever decision he feels is right.”
While Clinton took questions from the press yesterday for 10 minutes, she fielded only those from reporters chosen by her spokesman, Nick Merrill, and chided the rest, who tried to ask questions out of turn.
“Nick is the man, I’m sorry,” she said. “He’s the man. I’ve got to let Nick do what he does here. That’s his job. OK, guys.”
Her two-day swing here continues today with two campaign stops in Keene and Claremont.