Ben Carson Calls Abortion to Save Mother's Life a 'Spurious Argument,' 'That Situation Rarely Occurs'

By Samuel Smith, Deputy Managing Editor Thursday, August 13, 2015

Republican presidential candidate and retired pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson was asked in a Tuesday CBS News interview to clarify whether he opposes abortion in the cases of rape, incest and when the mother's life is in danger. The argument that abortion is justified when the mother's life is at risk is misleading, he answered.

While appearing on "CBS This Morning," The 63-year-old Carson was asked to respond to comments made by Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton, who recently attacked billionaire Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for his misogynistic comments against women. She tried to lump in other GOP presidential candidates by calling their debate comments against abortion as being as "offensive" towards women as Trump's misogyny.

Carson initially responded by explaining that women have been instrumental in his life and praised his mother, wife and colleagues he has worked with. But not being satisfied with his answer, co-host Norah O'Donnell followed up by saying that the doctor's campaign website is not clear on where he stands on abortion in the cases of rape, incest and when the mother is at risk of losing her life.

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"Well you know, I spent my entire career as a pediatric neurosurgeon frequently staying up all night, fighting, struggling, to save the lives of little babies, even operating on babies inside the womb," Carson responded. "So, I don't think it should be hard for anybody to understand that I am totally opposed to killing babies."

Still O'Donnell did not get the answer she was looking for and asked him to state whether he is "opposed to all abortions even in the case of life of mother."

Carson explained that medicine has advanced so much in recent decades that the argument that an abortion is needed to save the mother's life is largely "spurious" and false today.

"I think when it comes to the case of the life of the mother, you have to look at the individual situation, recognize that's largely a spurious argument," Carson asserted. "Because we have advanced so much in medicine these days, that situation rarely occurs."

As Carson currently sits in fifth place with an average 6.3 percent in RealClearPolitics average of national Republican presidential polls, Carson is the second GOP candidate in the last week to reject the argument of abortion being necessary to save a mother's life.

During last Thursday's Fox News GOP presidential debate in Cleveland, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker issued a similar sentiment when he was asked moderator by Megyn Kelly whether he would "really let a mother die rather than have an abortion." Kelly also explained that 83 percent of Americans are in favor of a life exception to an abortion ban.

"Are you too out of the mainstream on this issue to win the general election?" Kelly asked.

Walker responded: "I've got a position that I think is consistent with many Americans out there in that I believe that that is an unborn child that's in need of protection out there, and I've said many a time that that unborn child can be protected, and there are many other alternatives that can also protect the life of that mother. That's been consistently proven."

According to Life Site News, doctors across the globe have agreed that physicians should save both the life of the mother and the baby. According the website, over 900 doctors signed a pledge stating, "As experienced practitioners and researchers in obstetrics and gynecology, we affirm that direct abortion — the purposeful destruction of the unborn child — is not medically necessary to save the life of a woman."