The science of when life begins is settled, and “the value of life is timeless,” Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio, R-Fla., repeatedly asserted during a heated segment on abortion with CNN’s Chris Cuomo Friday morning.
Cuomo challenged Rubio on his record of “reproductive rights in the form of abortion,” and claimed that Rubio had sponsored bills that had rape and incest exceptions. “So it seems that you had your own record wrong” in his answer during Thursday night’s debate, Cuomo said.
Rubio replied that pro-life politicians and faith leaders had supported the bill for the same reason he did — “because it prevents abortions.”
“But it included the exception,” said Cuomo.
“Yeah but think about it this way: I’m in favor of a 20-week abortion ban,” Rubio said. “Does that mean I’m in favor of abortions at 19 weeks? No. Any bill that reduces the number of abortions is a bill I’m going to support.”
“I personally and honestly and deeply believe that all human life is worthy of protection, irrespective of the circumstances in which that human life was created,” said Rubio.
“If I have to weigh the two equities here, I’m always going to err on the side of life. I think that’s a timeless principle. Certainly our economy has evolved. But when it comes to issues like the value of every human life, I think that’s a timeless principle. It was true before, it’s true now and it will be true in the future.”
“Cultural mores in the country, certainly the opinions of women, are not in step with what you’re saying right now,” rebutted Cuomo. “You’re comfortable with that?”
“But the value of life is timeless,” replied Rubio unhesitatingly. “No, no, no, the value of life is timeless. The idea that a human life is worthy of the protection of our laws is not something that over time anybody should evolve on. I mean, you can change your economic policies to adjust for the fact that the economy is different … the idea that human life is worthy of protection is a timeless principle, I don’t care how much the world changes.”
The two then started to shout over each other as they argued whether science has decided that life begins at conception.
“But you’re deciding when it is human life,” said Cuomo.
“No, science has decided it is human life,” rebutted Rubio.
“Not at conception!” exclaimed Cuomo.
“Absolutely it has,” said Rubio. “What else can it be? It cannot turn into an animal; it cannot turn into a donkey, the only thing that that can become is a human being. It’s a human life; it cannot be anything else!”
“I understand the logic,” said Cuomo. “But that’s oversimplifying it a little bit … It having a DNA map, so does a plant. It’s about when it becomes a human being … Don’t you think, if you want to be a leader of the future, that’s a question that’s deserving of an answer that’s definitive beyond your faith. When does life begin?”
“At conception,” said Rubio repeatedly.
“That’s your faith,” said Cuomo. “That’s not science.”
“No it isn’t — that’s science,” said Rubio.
Cuomo responded that he could have scientists on the show all morning long that would be unable to say “it is definitely human life at conception.”
“They can’t say it will be human life? What would it become then? Could it become a cat?” snarked Rubio.
“I can tell you this, that every single one of us started at that same stage,” said Rubio. “That it can’t become anything other than a human being. And that it’s neither up to you, nor I, nor any politicians to decide that we’re going to allow this human life to move forward and this life not to.”
The two continued to argue. When Rubio said that a baby’s heart starts beating before most women know they’re pregnant, Cuomo shouted, “But not right away! But not right away!” over him, while claiming that these arguments were not his own but those “of science.”
