10/25/2011 --

Republican presidential candidate, Herman Cain is on damage control after comments he made about abortion. Cain's opponents and conservatives think he's sounding too much like President Obama.

The talk about abortion between Piers Morgan and Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain started out pretty predictably.

But then Cain -- who usually sounds like a conservative, adds that as president he would not impose his beliefs on families.

"So what I'm saying is, it ultimately gets down to a choice that that family or that mother has to make. Not me as president. Not some politician. Not a bureaucrat. It gets down to that family, and whatever they decide, they decide."

Reaction among social conservatives was not pretty. The word choice is code for almost everything the anti abortion movement opposes.

Bob Vander Plaats, the powerful president of the Family Leader Christian Policy organization in Iowa, said Cain had taken a pro-choice position.

The competition on the campaign trail pounced too. "It is a liberal canard to say I am personally pro-life, but government should stay out of that decision. If that is your view you are not pro-life. You are pro having your cake and eating it too," said Republican candidate Rick Perry.

"You can't be for... Be pro-life and then say people have a choice to do whatever they want," added Rick Santorum.

Michelle Bachmann pointed out that Cain's position sounded a lot like the Democrat now in the White House.

"President Obama also believes that the government should not intervene when it comes to the issue of abortion. I believe that the government must intervene."

Cain tried to change course, appearing on Fox News announcing that abortion should not be legal.

Meanwhile on the Christian Broadcasting Network he said if elected president he'd sign a constitutional amendment banning abortion. The problem is, presidential signatures are not required on constitutional amendments.

One Republican strategist said Cain's best damage control may be to admit the mistake, but blame it on being a newcomer to politics.

"What I would say, look, that is exactly why I should be your nominee. I am not a polished politician. I just speak from my heart, I speak from my knowledge, I speak from my head," said Republican strategist Rich Galen.

Cain says he believes the uproar was created by the way his comments have been edited.