I first met Herman Cain in 2003. He was running as the conservative in a Senate primary in Georgia against Republican Congressmen Mac Collins and Johnny Isakson. He came to our offices at Human Events to give us an interview, which I just found online. Cain told us he supported a Human Life Amendment to the Constitution. I came away from that interview with the firm belief that Cain was pro-life. I have always thought so ever since.

But last night, Herman Cain appeared on Piers Morgan’s CNN show to discuss his candidacy. When asked about abortion, he gave a surprising answer that I’m having a hard time parsing. He said, first of all, that he’s pro-life in all circumstances. When asked about a rape exception, and asked whether he would want his granddaughter to “bring up that baby as her own,” he retreated to the position that it’s up to the family. Here is the relevant excerpt: