Donald Trump was interviewed by Lesley Stahl for 60 Minutes and the soft-touch interview included some topics of interest to those fearful of what a Trump presidency might mean.
* SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: “These cases have gone to the Supreme Court. They’ve been settled. And I’m fine with that.”
* REPORTS OF ABUSE OF MINORITIES BY HIS SUPPORTERS: “I am very surprised to hear that. think it’s a very small amount.” Pressed by Stahl to say something to those doing these things, he said: “Stop it.”
* ABORTION: He’ll appoint Supreme Court justices who lean pro-life. If that means Roe v. Wade is overturned, it could mean some states (Arkansas among them) will outlaw abortion entirely. Women seeking abortion? “Yeah, well, they’ll perhaps have to go, they’ll have to go to another state.” Such a requirement is viewed under current court precedent as an impermissible burden on women. But if Roe falls that would no longer hold.
* WILL HE PUSH TO PROSECUTE HILLARY CLINTON OVER USE OF A PRIVATE E-MAIL SERVER AS SECRETARY OF STATE: “They’re good people. I don’t want to hurt them. And I will give you a very, very good and definitive answer the next time we do ’60 Minutes’ together.”
We’ve previously mentioned that he wants to keep some popular parts of Obamacare — coverage for pre-existing conditions and older children — but didn’t discuss how these can be paid for. The wall might be a fence in places. Deportations won’t be all undocumented at once, but begin with criminals. He spoke kindly of President Obama after years of suggesting he wasn’t a U.S. citizen.
So let’s note some softening of campaign rhetoric and an apparent understanding that more than half of voters did not wish him to be president.
But let’s also note that history shows that what Donald Trump says one day is subject to change, sometimes on the same day.
Trump’s appointment of Steve Bannon, with a resume marked by anti-Semitism and more, as chief strategist does NOT display a milder side. Republicans touting Trump’s pick of Reince Priebus as chief of staff (GOP state chair Doyle Webb and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, for example) were silent on the Bannon pick.