Why does Kamala Harris avoid the press?

1. 96

   Readmikenowposted 4 weeks ago

   Both Donald Trump and JD Vance have held press conferences and spent time answering questions from reporters.  Kamala Harris has done none of it.  Why is she hiding from the press?  Why is she and Walz afraid of holding a press conference.  They seem great giving speeches off teleprompters to crowds, but in the moment questions from reporters is something they avoid at all costs.  What do they fear would happen if they had a press conference or responded to questions by reporters?  Would Americans be able to see who they really are?
   
   21 Days: Kamala Harris has not held a press conference since emerging as presumptive Democratic nominee
   Harris spoke to reporters for just over a minute on Thursday
   
   Vice President Kamala Harris has gone 21 days without holding a formal press conference or sit-down interview since becoming the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee as of Sunday.
   
   Harris became the de facto nominee after President Biden endorsed her on July 21 when he dropped out of the race, and she officially clinched the nomination last week. She has been busy on the campaign trail, spoken at various events, and given informal remarks to reporters at various points, but hasn’t done a formal press conference or wide-ranging interview in the three weeks that have followed.
   
   Harris, amid mounting criticism on that front, briefly talked to reporters traveling with her in Michigan on Thursday. Speaking for just over a minute, she said she looked forward to debating former President Trump on Sept. 10 on ABC and defended the military record of her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
   
   https://www.foxnews.com/media/21-days-k … ic-nominee

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      Kathleen Cochranposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      FOX is a discredited source.
      
      It's not a news conference if the candidate never answers a question. It's a monologue and the media shouldn't give away free airtime.
      
      https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/me … msnbc-cnn/

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         Ken Burgessposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         The Washington Post is a discredited source, owned by an eccentric billionaire who has his own designs on how he wants the world run.

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            abwilliamsposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            Exactly. When I seek out a story, (just give me the facts) I will turn to the New York Post or the Washington Times, NEVER the New York Times or the Washington Post.
            Ya'll be sure to get your Posts and Times, right!

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   2. 85

      Sharlee01posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      Kamala Harris has a reputation for struggling to articulate clear and coherent responses when asked direct questions. Her speaking style has often been described as "word salad," as she tends to offer explanations that lack context and leave her audience puzzled. During interviews, her answers frequently seem disjointed, leading to confusion. When reading from a teleprompter, her delivery can come across as exaggerated and somewhat overly rehearsed. Given these challenges, it’s understandable why she might avoid press interactions. The media has generally provided her with favorable coverage, which likely reinforces her decision to limit press appearances and avoid potential missteps.
      
      The debate should be very interesting, due to being live, and very spontaneous. In my view, it will be a "hot mess".  It will be challenging for her to defend her past policies, especially given her clear flip-flops, and explaining why she's adopted some of Trump's long-standing positions, like eliminating taxes on monetary tips, will also be difficult.
      
      In my opinion, she'll end up coming across as a Joe 2.0—or even worse—since she doesn't have the excuse of dealing with dementia.
      
      Regarding the video ---  "Can I Get an Amen"  Preaching 101.

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         Springboardposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         Very well stated and spot on. The Democrats have much to be worried about once she starts opening her mouth, and they know it.

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            Sharlee01posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            I have to agree. I don't think someone with her difficulty communicating on camera can easily get through a debate, even with extensive preparation.

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2. 68

   abwilliamsposted 4 weeks ago

   What in the world would she say? How on earth could this woman get through a press conference?
   No, the quick "minute" 'Mala moments are her forte', her handlers understand that.

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      Ken Burgessposted 4 weeks agoin reply to this

      This is why they will minimize press appearances and heavily script them when possible:
      
      Kamala Harris Delivers Campaign Remarks
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1Uq49pUlPQ
      
      The chance for her to throw up word salads and get 'weird' up there and start spouting too many Marxist one liners is pretty high.
      
      They don't want to give Americans anything to analyze, their biggest fear is another Debate Moment like Ol'Joe provided for them blowing the whole campaign out of the water for good.
      
      Their second biggest fear is for the majority of Americans to really get to know her and then reject her... right now she is unknown... but she is not Biden and she is not Trump and for a lot of voters that is enough.
      
      They don't want to risk all those votes, just vote for Harris and Walz and the country will find out what they are and what they plan after the election.  What could go wrong?

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      1. 96

         Readmikenowposted 4 weeks agoin reply to this

         I watched the video you provided a link to online.
         
         Wow...what a mess!  People without a decimal point in front of their IQ would run screaming from it.
         
         She didn't seem like she was running for president, harris seemed like she was a street preacher saving souls for the government.  I bet there were times when people in the audience were about to put up their hands and scream "Amen."
         
         Never mentioned one policy position regarding union issues.  Absolute and total lack of anything of substance.
         
         If I were a democrat, I would be afraid...very afraid.
         
         President Donald Trump is going to enjoy debating her.
         
         I will enjoy watching it.

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            Willowarborposted 4 weeks agoin reply to this

            Her policy platform is to be published next week.

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               Readmikenowposted 4 weeks agoin reply to this

               Lets see her articulate it to the American public without a teleprompter or to the press by taking unscripted questions.
               
               That is something she needs to do.
               
               This way the American people can see who Kamala really is beneath the scripted speeches and public events.

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                  DrMark1961posted 4 weeks agoin reply to this

                  I would like to see that. We would probably learn a lot about school buses. Did you know they were yellow?

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                  1. 96

                     Readmikenowposted 4 weeks agoin reply to this

                     She knows that everyone loves a yellow school bus.

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               Kathleen Cochranposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

               I appreciate a candidate who is not making up policy on the spot.

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         2. 70

            Ken Burgessposted 4 weeks agoin reply to this

            I believe Harris is going to win. 
            
            I wanted to start with that because once you accept that, you can try to determine what is going on.
            
            Walz I am not sure is her pick, I believe it is a "Party" choice that she is going along with.
            
            I think this is a situation where she is 'the right person at the wrong time in history'... but I am unsure of this.
            
            She may be the right person in terms of what is good for quelling the unrest within America, someone who may be good for settling Americans down, cooling the hotheads on both sides of the extremes.
            
            The problem I see for her is the world is on Fire (thanks to Biden being delusional, arrogant and incompetent).
            
            What WOULD happen in any other election is that Biden would lose in a Carter-like landslide to his challenger... a new face, a new voice that the Republicans would present.
            
            But this is not like any other election we have seen... Biden shouldn't be President right now, he should have resigned or been 25thed...a YEAR ago or earlier.  So he is not running.
            
            Trump is not a new face or a new voice.  Trump may be the best of all options for America when it comes to fixing the mess that Biden has made internationally... the escalating wars, the exodus of former allies moving to side with BRICs, etc.
            
            Harris, nor Walz, is competent enough to handle the rigors of those arrayed against them on the international stage today.
            
            Trump is not the person who will be able to unify the people at home (he could if he had the backing of the media to cover for him like they did the completely incompetent Biden for almost 4 years).
            
            So America is screwed.
            
            Its a matter of where we are going to have chaos and turmoil.
            
            Overseas in escalating wars and economic woes... this is Harris.
            
            Or here at home with unrest and division reaching new heights... this is Trump.
            
            I have a low opinion of the ability of Americans to be able to separate their beliefs and understanding of facts from what the Main Stream Media puts out and the censorship enforced on Social Media.
            
            And I know Americans are far less cognizant of what is going on abroad, or how those things impact our economy, than they are what is going on here in America.
            
            So it is not a reach to conclude that Harris will win the election, because Americans always prioritize what is going on at home with what we are doing abroad (a lot of that has to do with Main Stream Media focus).
            
            This is now the Democrats' election to lose, the Media needs to run cover for her like they did Biden during the 2020 election, and Harris needs to 'stay in the basement' as much as possible for the next 80+ days.
            
            Voters will imprint onto Harris what they want to believe her to be, she will be the HOPE for change... just don't give them a reason to wake up from their delusions and they will vote for the Harris - Walz ticket.

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3. 68

   abwilliamsposted 4 weeks ago

   She has yet to be told.

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4. 96

   Readmikenowposted 4 weeks ago

   Washington Post pushes Harris to answer 'legitimate questions' about her flip-flops, agenda
   Harris has largely avoided interacting with the press and has not given a formal press conference or interview since becoming the nominee
   
   The left-leaning Washington Post editorial board argued that Vice President Harris, who has quickly succeeded President Biden as her party's nominee, needs to engage more openly with voters and with the media.
   
   "If she hopes to prevail, Ms. Harris needs to present her ideas," The Post wrote in an editorial published on Sunday. "The media and public have legitimate questions, and she should face them. This is a political necessity — Mr. Trump is already turning her avoidance of the media into an attack line. And elections aren’t just about winning. They’re about accumulating political capital for a particular agenda, which Ms. Harris can’t do unless she articulates one."
   
   Harris is facing increasing pressure to answer questions from the media after largely dodging questions and interview requests, save for brief gaggles with her traveling press corps.
   
   Prior to Thursday, Harris went 18 days without taking press questions and continues to dodge formal media engagements. She even declined an interview opportunity with TIME, which published a gushing piece about her "reintroduction" on Monday.
   
   The board called out Harris for blatantly switching positions on a number of key topics for her 2024 campaign, including border security, fracking and health care.
   
   "All of this moves her toward more popular positions," the aper wrote. "Still, it’s a lot of mind-changing for the public to absorb without further explanation. Without hearing Ms. Harris articulate her thought process, she runs the risk of leaving voters to wonder whether she is just shifting with the political winds, or, indeed, planning to revert to previous positions after she’s won the presidency. Why, for instance, did she embrace Mr. Trump’s idea to exempt tips from taxation?"
   
   https://www.foxnews.com/media/washingto … ops-agenda

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      Willowarborposted 4 weeks agoin reply to this

      A good idea to attack "flip flops" when MAGA has  Trump/ Vance ticket?  Oh my.
      
      Trump used to be a Democrat.  And Vance has likened his running mate to Hitler..

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      1. 96

         Readmikenowposted 4 weeks agoin reply to this

         Interesting how harris has to steal the ideas of President Donald Trump.  For months President Donald Trump has been talking about no tax on tips.  NOW, harris claims no tax on tips.  harris cast the deciding vote for the bill that increased IRS agents and a focus on those in the service industry.
         
         I suppose it just speaks to the popularity of President Donald Trumps policies to have harris steal them.

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            Springboardposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            Well, on top of that, she can fortify the lie that they are her ideas, because the media won't report on Trump's policies, only hers, while instead touting Project 2025 and Trump wants to be a dictator false narratives.

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               Readmikenowposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

               I agree.
               
               They've backed on their claims that President Donald Trump wants a national abortion ban...which is a blatant lie.

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            2. 70

               Ken Burgessposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

               Yes this has been a fascinating and not seen in America in our lifetimes effort at every level to shape the perception of reality that people see and believe like never before.
               
               Take this for example:
               https://twitter.com/davidmarcus/status/ … 3988735320
               
               This lie has been repeated so often, so repetitively and "factually" that even though I know what the truth is, even though I have seen what was actually said, I have to fight the negative propaganda effort to rewrite what I know to be true within my own thought process.
               
               This goes well beyond how campaigns (media) in the past used brilliant ad campaigns and insights into the American psyche, like was used to destroy Mike Dukakis decades ago.
               
               https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/01/politics … index.html
               
               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PICluK9Wjzs
               
               Keep in mind, Bush was a former CIA Director and was the 'establishment' pick to replace Reagan he had backing and support from within DC and used those agencies like no candidate in the past ever had.
               
               But that was kid stuff, child's play, compared to the effort going on now to reshape what we see in real time.
               
               Is there anyone left talking about the Assassination attempt? 
               
               Where are the regular/daily updates into the investigations of that... heck where are the photos and videos of that event? 
               
               They are being erased from the public consciousness as quickly as possible... the focus is on the Hope and Change that Harris offers as she makes promises to lower prices and close borders and make changes... changes the Party in Control (Harris) could make today if they wanted.
               
               The effort to create the perception that Harris is new, is change, has everyone of import in support of her is an excellent study in and of itself of how much the information we see today is cultivated and controlled.
               
               Today X(Twitter) is an endless barrage of posts by people showing the real events transposed next to or after what our media sources are reporting.

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         Kathryn L Hillposted 4 weeks agoin reply to this

         How can anyone compare Trump to Hitler?
         I am confused.
         
         BTW President Reagan had also been a democrat at one time. After people wise up, they change.

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            Willowarborposted 4 weeks agoin reply to this

            https://x.com/ProjectLincoln/status/1812930010149502991

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               Ken Burgessposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

               We can do better than that, can't we?
               
               https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9v0GkNWSX40
               
               https://www.nationalreview.com/2024/08/ … ss-father/
               
               https://nsjonline.com/article/2024/08/h … able-talk/
               
               During a townhall broadcast provided for her by CNN in connection with her decision to run for president (back in 2019), then Senator Kamala Harris (California) made it clear that her policies would follow a communist agenda, aiming to nationalize the fossil fuel industry (like Venezuela) and the private healthcare industry (complete the ACA overhaul) while working to ban private ownership of guns.
               
               In 2016 Harris tried to use the power of her position as California’s AG to force conservative organizations to hand her their confidential tax information so she could obtain the donor's names.
               
               The persecution of Trump and those who support him will take on a new commitment after she becomes President.

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5. 80

   Kathryn L Hillposted 4 weeks ago

   Worth repeating over and over:
   
   "Trump may be the best of all options for America when it comes to fixing the mess that Biden has made internationally... the escalating wars, the exodus of former allies moving to side with BRICs, etc.
   
   Harris, nor Walz, is competent enough to handle the rigors of those arrayed against them on the international stage today."
   
   Thank you, Ken.

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   1. 70

      Ken Burgessposted 4 weeks agoin reply to this

      Thanks back.
      
      But the other parts are just as true, and they need a Harris presidency so that we can quickly get in line with the rest of 'the West'... and this becomes the norm:
      
      https://twitter.com/BGatesIsaPyscho/sta … 2481696961
      
      https://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/stat … 6457927930
      
      https://twitter.com/wideawake_media/sta … 5369966947
      
      https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status … 9732665493

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6. 80

   Kathryn L Hillposted 4 weeks ago

   Trump took no money, except like a dollar, during his presidency.
   He dosen't have to sell his soul. So its still in tact.
   
   https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-mete … no-salary/

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7. 80

   Kathryn L Hillposted 4 weeks ago

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7GiUYYJh7w

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8. 68

   abwilliamsposted 3 weeks ago

   Have ya'll seen this?
   Wow, this TRUTH needs to spread quicker than the propaganda of the left does:
   
   https://www.facebook.com/share/v/V715Vc … tid=oFDknk

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9. 74

   Kathleen Cochranposted 3 weeks ago

   Ken:  The Washington Post has now won a total of 76 Pulitzer Prizes since 1936 and has never been convicted of lying.
   
   Sharlee: Welcome back.

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      Sharlee01posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      Kathleen, Thank you!  I appreciate the warm welcome.

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      Ken Burgessposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      Imagine that.
      
      Time (and ownership) changes all things.
      
      https://www.laprogressive.com/the-media … t-cia-ties

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         tsmogposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         Interesting, yet somewhat vague to me. Is it only about reporting topics dealing with the CIA at issue? I mean if I know Bezos owns Amazon and the Post I would think a vast many do. Or, is there meaning with something nefarious like using Amazon's data to surveil the citizenry? I am not sure what the beef is. Call me dense, I don't mind.

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         GA Andersonposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

         No more smackdowns, but . . .  Your link sounds like the criticisms of Musk owning X but from the other side of the fence.
         
         I also feel the Post has, in recent times, lost its 'unbiased' credibility, but that's an admittedly biased perception. I don't see the Amazon cloud services'/CIA connection as automatically 'bad' as the author did.
         
         GA

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            Ken Burgessposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

            Fair point.
            
            But we have a track record of how things have been 'leaked' to the Post this past decade that aid in support of my accusation.
            
            And all one has to do is peruse X (Twitter) for a little while to see it is not being used solely to spread or support the 'Narrative' being shared throughout most of our media sources today.
            
            Another way to test that, make a controversial political post on Facebook, make the same on X, see what happens.

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               Kathryn L Hillposted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

               ~ why don't we just say TwitX?

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10. 96

    Readmikenowposted 2 weeks ago

    harris is now the official Democrat nominee for president.
    
    She STILL avoids talking to the press.
    
    Don't the American people deserve to know where harris stands on issues?  Does she not know them or is she unable to articulate them? 
    
    Why?
    
    Is she hiding the fact she has no policy other than President Trump is a bad guy?
    
    Where are her policies?
    
    She has no policies to defend other than stealing President Donald Trump's no tax on tips.

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    1. 85

       Sharlee01posted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

       In my view, it’s crucial for any presidential nominee to clearly communicate their policies and positions to the American people. Voters deserve to understand where candidates stand on important issues.  Harris appears to be avoiding the press, and the reasons for this are unclear. It could be a strategic decision to avoid potential missteps that her opponent, Trump, could exploit. Alternatively, her team may be carefully managing her media exposure to ensure her messages are delivered clearly, as she sometimes appears uneasy speaking without a teleprompter. Perhaps she is wary of facing similar criticisms to those Biden received during his presidency.
       
       As a candidate, Harris needs to articulate her agenda and provide plausible explanations for how she intends to implement her policies. While she has made various promises, many of these would require Congressional approval, and her speeches often lack substantive policy details. Though she frequently speaks about her hopes for unity, there is a noticeable lack of specificity in her policy proposals.
       
       Transparency is really essential in a campaign, and if Harris has not outlined her policies, voters are justified in questioning her positions and her reluctance to hold press conferences or town halls. Harris has a history of supporting progressive far-left positions, and it’s easy to research her past views and compare them with her current statements. However, at this point, it is clear that her platform is primarily focused on opposing  Trump. It would be advantageous for her campaign to more clearly articulate her policies to dispel any misunderstandings and to give voters a clear sense of her vision for the country. In my opinion, she has not done this effectively so far.
       
       I agree she is adopting some of Trump's policies, but I think this is quite evident to most Americans.

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          Readmikenowposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

          "she is adopting some of Trump's policies, but I think this is quite evident to most Americans"
          
          I agree.

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             Ken Burgessposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

             Is she adopting them merely for the purposes of being elected?
             
             Will she actually support and see them thru?
             
             Tell the people what they want to hear... and then forget all about it once you are in power?

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                Willowarborposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                "Tell the people what they want to hear... and then forget all about it once you are in power?"
                
                What Will trump actually support? He has bragged about getting Roe v Wade overturned yet just yesterday he is using pro choice language about his stance on abortion. 
                
                Trump bragged on Friday that his administration would be “great for women and their "reproductive rights”
                
                Reproductive rights? Exactly what rights is he talking about?  The ones that don't exist for women  in 14 states?
                
                
                Pence, was the first to  jump on It...
                
                
                “The Trump-Pence administration stood for life without apology for four years,” Pence told the National Review. “The former President’s use of the language of the Left, pledging that his administration would be ‘great for women and their reproductive rights’ should be concerning for millions of pro-life Americans.”
                
                Yes, "language of the left"
                
                Reproductive rights is a term broadly interpreted to mean “the need to recognize health and reproductive health as human rights issues impacted by social, political, cultural and economic factors,” according to the National Institutes of Health, and is frequently used by pro-abortion activists to describe a woman’s supposed “right” to acquire an abortion.
                
                Is he merely adopting this language for the purpose of being elected? Where does he really stand?
                
                His flip flops on abortion... Or as he calls them today "reproductive rights.". Maybe next week he'll use the term  "healthcare".  Probably depends on how badly he's doing in the polls.
                
                https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/46 … ps-reveal/
                
                https://www.nationalreview.com/news/pen … americans/

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                   wildernessposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                   Maybe you should believe him when he states it was all about returning those "rights" (to an abortion, not the wishy washy language from the Institute) the states, where they belong. 
                   
                   If viewed in that light, his statements mostly make sense, and there is no flip flop at all.

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                      Readmikenowposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                      I also like to point out President Donald Trump made many promises before he became president and made good on them.
                      
                      That is one reason many conservatives trust him.

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                      Willowarborposted 2 weeks agoin reply to this

                      Trump is using Democratic messaging when he uses the term "Reproductive Rights". Words matter. 
                      
                      Can anyone give me an instance in which a conservative used the phrase in the context Trump did...
                      
                      The idea that his administration would be “great” for “reproductive rights” is hard to interpret in any other way than as an affirmatively pro-choice statement. By the common usage of the term, if you support reproductive rights it means you want broader access to abortion.
                      
                      This is going to be an awfully sticky situation for him at the upcoming debate.  What an interesting time for him to moderate his position.
                      
                      Philip Klein, the editor of the conservative National Review Online, wrote Friday in a piece titled "Trump's Abandonment of Pro-Lifers Is Complete," that with his Truth Social post, "Trump will further alienate pro-lifers and divide his own party while doing absolutely zero to win over anybody pro-choice."
                      
                      
                      
                      https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/t … -complete/

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