Crist: I’m Pro Life and Opposed to Abortion Restrictions
WILLIAMS: "In the heat of campaigns you were once quoted, 'listen, I am pro-life, I am pro-gun,' on and on and on. You've changed your view on abortion as well."
CRIST: "Well that's not true. I am pro-life by my definition."
WILLIAMS: "But you've changed --"
CRIST: "If I might, if I might."
WILLIAMS: "You've changed your mind on abortion restrictions in the state of Florida, that's a matter of record."
CRIST: "I won't interrupt me if you don't interrupt me."
WILLIAMS: "Please, sir."
CRIST: "I am pro-life. And what I mean by that is that I'm for life. I think most of us are for life. And I think that's very important to state because even though I am pro-life -- which I am for life -- doesn't meant that I want to tell a woman what to do with her body, and I never have. Even as a Republican governor I vetoed the ultrasound bill on women. So you know, I'm the kind of guy, being raised with three sisters, that understands these are very personal decisions that women ought to be able to make on their own, and certainly not have their government injected into the discussion."
WILLIAMS: "The ultrasound bill, yes, but on the larger issue in the prior incarnation, politically, of Charlie Crist, you supported abortion restrictions. Outside of the ultrasound bill, that's a matter of record. You have changed the nuance or your view there."
CRIST: "No I haven't. That's not true. I'm going to go back to when I was a state senator. This was 1993 in spring and I was on health care committee -- I believe it was '93. First vote I have on the health care committee in the state senate, representing Tampa Bay, was dealing with a 24-hour waiting period for a woman before she could decide to have an abortion. I read the bill, and I'm thinking, what's this about? You know, this is a very difficult woman to make and we're going to put a delay on it, to make her what? So I vote no on it. What happens as a result of that? There were three 'no' votes, three 'yes' votes, the bill died in committee because I as a young Republican in the 1990s voted against it. I have not changed on this issue."
