Former South Bend mayor and presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg told a "proud pro-life Democrat" he did not think there was room for any compromise on the issue of abortion.
"The Democratic platform contains language that basically says that we don't belong," Democratic activist Kristen Day asked Buttigieg during a Fox News town hall Sunday night. "We have no part in the party because it says abortion should be legal up to nine months and the government should pay for it. And there's nothing that says people having a diversity of views on this issues should be included in the party.
"Would you be open to language like that in the Democratic platform that really did say that our party is diverse and inclusive and we want everybody?" Day asked.
"I support the position of my party that this kind of medical care needs to be available to everyone," Buttigieg said. "I support the Roe v. Wade framework that holds that early in pregnancy there are very few restrictions and late in pregnancy there are very few exceptions. And again, the best I can offer is that we may disagree on that very important issue and hopefully we'll be able to partner on other issues."
Day, executive director of Democrats For Life of America, has previously championed language to welcome pro-life voters in state party platforms only to be shut out by abortion activists. She asked Buttigieg if he would support more moderate language in the national party platform. The candidate said he would not.
"I respect where you are coming from and I hope to earn your vote. But I'm not going to try to earn your vote by tricking you. I am pro-choice. I believe that a woman ought to be able to make that decision," Buttigieg said.
Day said she was not satisfied with Buttigieg's answer because he did not address whether or not he would support the softening of the Democratic platform's language.
"What do you say to Democrats who are pro-life, and there are obviously millions of them? What do you say to them on an issue of such deep conscience?" Fox News anchor Chris Wallace followed up. "That they should overlook this particular issue and look at the whole sum of views or go find another party?"
Buttigieg said he has never encountered another politician or voter with whom he agrees 100 percent. "I cannot imagine a decision that a woman confronts is going to ever be better, medically or morally, because it's being dictated by any government official. That's just where I am on the issues," he said.
Day tweeted about the exchange afterwards.
That woman was me!!!!! https://t.co/y4bgOJc6Vp
— Kristen Day (@ProLifeDem) January 27, 2020