The Iowa GOP’s Clumsy Statement In Response to King’s Abortion Comments

I know I’m one of the few defending U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, today after comments he made about abortion exceptions for rape and incest. Since there is a media firestorm people want to distance themselves from him and I understand that. I also understand his opponents jumping on this.

The Republican Party of Iowa just released a statement I think was a clumsy response reported by Sarah Beckman of the local ABC affiliate for Central Iowa.

She tweeted:

So does the Iowa GOP support exceptions for abortion in the case of rape and incest because I’m pretty darned sure that’s not part of the party platform and that was the larger context of King’s comments. The point he made was spot on even if the hyperbole detracted from it.

A better statement would have been, “We don’t agree with Congressman King’s use of hyperbole in that instance, but we are fully committed to protecting life from conception to natural death.”

That would have been remarkably better.

Even Feenstra’s comments, which is what you would expect from someone who is challenging him the primary, were better.

“I am 100% pro-life but Congressman King’s bizarre comments and behavior diminish our message and damage our cause. We can’t afford to hand the 4th District to Nancy Pelosi and her allies in Congress. President Trump needs defenders in Congress, not distractions. In the State Senate, I’ve been an effective conservative who has fought for our values and delivered conservative results. I’ll do the same in Congress,” he said in a released statement this afternoon.

I understand that King is under a microscope and he has to measure his words carefully and he failed on that score. Those criticizing him should be extremely precise in their response.