Perry: Views on abortion were 'transformed'

“You’re seeing a transformation,” said Presidential hopeful Rick Perry to Chariton pastor and Osceola resident Josh Verwers who questioned Perry on his changing views on abortion.
Perry was the special guest of a townhall meeting, Tuesday night, at Clarke Electric. The room was crowded and had standing room only for several guests and media.

Verwers first met Perry at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition dinner about a month ago when he asked Perry whether he thought there were cases where abortion was acceptable.
“Back then you had said that in cases of rape, incest and life of the mother, you thought they were ok,” said Verwers.

However, a week ago Perry signed the Personhood USA Pledge.
“In it, it states that abortion and the innocent killing of life should always be prohibited and that it’s never acceptable,” said Verwers. “To me that seems like a contradiction – where you were a month ago and where you are now.”

Transformation

Perry said his views were transformed before and after watching a DVD called “Gift of Life,” created by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee which shares stories of rape and incest.

“I really started giving some thought to the issue of rape and incest,” Perry said.
The woman depicted in the film talked to Perry before he watched the film and said, “you really need to think this through.”

The woman told Perry, ‘I am the product of rape. My life is worth.’ “It was a powerful moment for me,” he said.

Perry is joined by candidates Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Michele Bachmann in signing the pledge.

According to personhoodusa.com “candidates who sign the pledge are aligning themselves with President Ronald Reagan who declared “the unalienable personhood of every American, from the moment of conception until natural death” in his January 1988 Personhood Proclamation.”