Firebrand Tomi Lahren spoke to Playboy for an exclusive interview on Tuesday, lamenting conservatives’ supposed penchant for “taking down strong women,” such as herself. The former Blaze employee also smacked pro-life conservatives who are no longer fans of hers after she told the liberal women at The View that it was hypocritical to simultaneously hold limited government and pro-life views. Additionally, Lahren cleared up her abortion stance — and by cleared up, I mean muddied the waters further.
Speaking of her ousting from TheBlaze, which Lahren believes was due to her public pro-abortion stance (TheBlaze has denied this, citing diva behavior and her divisive persona), the 24-year-old told Playboy that the Left is likely happy that she was let go.
“We can’t silence, diminish, and shame a strong female voice because she takes an opinion that maybe we don’t like — even if she stands for conservative values in every other way but this one issue,” said Lahren. “I think the Left looks at us and thinks, ‘Oh, good, you’re doing our work for us by taking down strong women on the Right.'”
Continuing, the firebrand explained that she doesn’t need the conservatives who are no longer fans of hers.
“I mean, for those who are willing to discount me or throw me out as such a strong female voice on the Right, or discount me because I don’t link up on every item on your check list? I don’t really need you,” she said. “You can disagree with me, but if you now hate me or turn your back on me because I have this position, I don’t need you.”
The commentator then threw a handful of mud into the already murky water that is her abortion stance. Lahren clarified that feminist Lena Duham is a “baby killer,” as she previously stated on her show, because Dunham once said that she wished she’d had an abortion (so she could have stronger liberal credentials on the issue, or something). Lahren followed up by explaining that such baby-killing is only baby-killing if you fail to acknowledge it’s a choice, or something.
Here’s the exchange (Playboy reporter’s questions in bold):
During a “Final Thoughts” monologue last year, you were discussing Dunham, and describing that you felt like she was glorifying abortion, which led to you referring to her as a “baby killer,” because, according to you, she was not acknowledging that abortion is a difficult choice, and “wished she could have murdered a fetus.”
If you’re saying “I wish I could have had an abortion,” you are a baby killer. People have been twisting this around and saying I’m a hypocrite, which makes me so mad. What I said is you have to acknowledge that pro-choice means a choice. By not acknowledging that a choice exists, you are a baby killer. The fact that they have used that to say I’m a flip-flopper makes me so angry.
Lahren then pulls out her best Planned Parenthood talking points to highlight the “right” to abortion as a moral good:
Have you ever been pro-life?
I’m anti-abortion. But I’m pro-choice because I don’t believe the government does most things well, in the same way that I don’t believe a gun-free zone or a weapons ban is going to limit violence. I also don’t believe government-restricted abortion is going to lessen abortion. It’s going to make it less safe and more dangerous for the mother and the baby, which is why I take the position that I’m pro-choice. But personally, I’m anti-abortion.
The 24-year-old settled with Glenn Beck and The Blaze on Tuesday. “Lahren’s attorney, Brian Lauten, said in a statement Monday that his client had been released from her employment contract and denied her access to the Facebook page TheBlaze had set up for her. He said that page and its millions of followers now belong to Lahren,” reports Fox News.
In exchange, Lahren “must remove videos she made for TheBlaze from the page and return them. Other terms remain confidential.”
“I am thrilled to walk away from this with my freedom and Facebook page. I am grateful to my fans for their continued support through this storm,” said the commentator.