(LifeSiteNews) — The Democratic governor of Kentucky refused to apologize after saying he wished a member of Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance’s family could be raped.
In an interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, speaking at the site of the Democratic National Convention, Gov. Andy Beshear attacked Vance, saying that “JD Vance calls pregnancy resulting from rape ‘inconvenient.’”
“Inconvenience is traffic,” Bashear said. “Make him go through this.”
DISGUSTING: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear wishes for a member of JD Vance’s family to become pregnant due to rape.
“Make him go through this.” pic.twitter.com/y9e82YEfHe
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) August 20, 2024
Conservatives on social media were quick to express disgust at Beshear’s words.
Vance himself took to X, formerly Twitter, to shoot back at the pro-abortion Kentucky Democrat.
“What the hell is this?” Vance asked.
“Why is Andy Beshear wishing that a member of my family would get raped?!?”
“What a disgusting person,” he declared.
What the hell is this?
Why is @AndyBeshearKY wishing that a member of my family would get raped?!?
What a disgusting person. https://t.co/11Kp1h92MN
— JD Vance (@JDVance) August 20, 2024
Beshear doubled down
A couple hours later in another MSNBC interview, rather than apologize for his infelicitous comment, Beshear doubled down.
The Kentucky governor laughed at Vance’s comments and in a dismissive tone said, “It’s ridiculous, but it’s also deflection.”
“JD Vance knows that he and Donald Trump are so wrong on this issue. And so he’s trying to make himself the victim,” Beshear said. “As a man, JD Vance will never have to face any of this personally.”
“It’s sad that he lacks the empathy to be able to put himself in a different position, and to understand why having exceptions, having reproductive freedom is so important in the first place,” the unselfconscious Beshear said.
“Obviously, I’d never wish harm on anyone,” he continued. “Again, deflection, trying to make himself and Donald Trump the victims.”
Kentucky Gov Andy Beshear is refusing to apologize after wishing for a member of JD Vance’s family to be r*ped and says Vance is just trying to be a victim.
Evil. pic.twitter.com/JzEU8VJuWZ
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 20, 2024
While Beshear addressed empathy for women who have become pregnant from rape, he expressed zero empathy for the rape-conceived children. Beshear overlooked the fact that Vance and Trump are actually in agreement with him when it comes to aborting children conceived via rape.
The trauma of rape will never be undone by adding the trauma of abortion
“The trauma of rape will never be undone by adding the trauma of abortion,” explained a woman named Angela, who chose life for her baby after being raped.
Thanks to the encouragement of a pro-life pregnancy center, Angela chose life after sexual assault, and her daughter just turned 10 years old. “I know many women who have chosen life even after rape and not a single one regrets that choice,” she said in a June video by Students for Life.
‘When you say rape exception, you’re talking about me’
The existence of children conceived in rape whose mothers chose life challenges the popular notion that rape should be an exception to abortion restrictions.
One mom speaking at the 2020 San Francisco March for Life said that giving birth to her son conceived in rape “did not destroy my life, as the abortion side would like you to think is the only (possible) outcome, but (instead) gave reason to a painful experience. He is the beauty that came out of a very dark place.”
Her now adult son confirmed his birth mom’s words:
Often when you hear the pro-life/pro-abortion debate, what is disheartening is that even some of those who identify as pro-life make a little exception.
You’ve heard it before … “I am pro-life except, except in cases of rape.”
I want everyone to realize – especially the “excepters” – that you’re talking about me, and everyone like me.
Life is life, no exceptions. Life is a gift, no exceptions. Life is precious, no exceptions.
How I was conceived doesn’t define who I am. What has formed me is the courageous choice of my birth mother and my adoptive parents: They chose adoption, she chose life. And every blessing I’ve had flows from this choice.
He concluded:
We are called to build the pro-life generation by living pro-life lives, and to witness to those around us so that they can see it and live it as well. We must not leave a legacy of endings, but rather a legacy of beginnings and hope.
Woman conceived in rape: ‘I’m eternally grateful that they chose to allow me to be born’
“Even among Christians, even among staunch conservatives, an exception to the rule of being pro-life for many is in the case of rape,” explained Kathy Barnette, a TV and radio commentator whose mom was raped at age 11 and gave birth to her at age 12.
“And yet my life has value. From me has come two very beautiful and charming and smart kids,” Barnette said in a Live Action video. “I’m married to a wonderful husband. We’ve made a life for ourselves.”
“None of this would have happened if the ‘exception to the rule’ had applied,” she noted.
“I’m not left with bitterness,” Barnette said of the way she was conceived. “I’m left with an overwhelming sense of gratitude that not only did God see value in my life, but that my family saw value in my life.”
“I’m eternally grateful that they chose to allow me to be born.”