Mainstream journalists are making one thing quite simple too sophisticated: Republicans need a nationwide abortion ban.
Republican vice presidential candidate Senator JD Vance (R-OH) participates in a debate on the CBS Broadcast Middle on October 1, 2024, in New York Metropolis. That is anticipated to be the one vice presidential debate of the 2024 common election.
(Chip Somodevilla / Getty Pictures)
In order for you a superb instance of a mainstream information group rooting for Donald Trump to at the very least maintain the polls even, right here’s the best: Politico claiming that “Trump and Vance’s efforts on the talk stage and on social media Tuesday night time had been the newest examples of the GOP ticket’s months-long effort to neutralize considered one of Democrats’ only traces of assault and rebrand as average on abortion, and there are indicators it is perhaps working.”
That’s ridiculous. Your complete world has dominated that Walz beat Vance when it got here to abortion on the Tuesday night time debate. On that and on the importance of January 6.
In any other case, Walz possibly didn’t achieve this nice. I don’t know—I didn’t watch, and I nonetheless haven’t watched, as a result of the day earlier than, as a lot of , I misplaced my 15-year-old canine. My Nation colleagues stepped in for me solely. I like them.
However I did discover the exchanges on abortion. Walz famous that Trump “brags about how nice it was that he put the judges in and overturned Roe v. Wade.” He acknowledged the tragedy of Amber Thurman, who died after touring out of restrictive Georgia to entry care in North Carolina. He talked about Amanda Zurawski, who was denied an abortion even after nearly dying of being pregnant issues. “When you don’t know [women like this], you quickly will. Their Project 2025 goes to have a registry of pregnancies,” Walz mentioned, which Vance contested.
However the Politico Playbook determined it was a draw… which truly means Vance received.
“I’m certain JD Vance put the worry in Democratic consultants final night time as a result of their magic message of ‘Republicans are unhealthy on abortion’ appeared, to me, to be mitigated,” Stan Barnes, an Arizona strategist and former GOP lawmaker, informed Politico. “For lots of voters, I believe the specter of a nationwide ban rings hole.”
Present Problem
Excuse me? So Vance promised that Trump would by no means signal a nationwide abortion ban. Trump promised this too. In the meantime, Trump is voting for the six-week abortion ban on the poll in Florida. That’s what he means by leaving it to the states.
Poor JD Vance also needs to speak to Marla Maples and Melania Trump to see if Trump retains his phrase. He cheated on all three of his wives. I don’t assume Trump will ever get the votes to signal an abortion ban, but when he did? He would signal one so quick, it will make Ivana Trump flip in her grave at his golf course. (I’m so unhappy JD can’t speak to Ivana.)
JD Vance clearly received some teaching to get him not solely to speak (comparatively) sensibly about abortion, however about every little thing. It was not the shitshow I anticipated (or let’s be trustworthy, hoped for. The Harris/Trump showdown was among the finest nights of my latest political life).
This was not. However I believe Deliberate Parenthood summed it up completely: “JD Vance mentioned he helps a ‘minimum national standard’ and he’s even mentioned he ‘definitely would really like abortion to be illegal nationally.’ Let’s be clear: A nationwide minimal commonplace is identical factor as a nationwide ban.”
Why do now we have to maintain appearing like that is up for debate? Republicans will impose an abortion ban in the event that they get the prospect. If Democrats maintain the Senate, and elect Kamala Harris, they received’t have that probability. It’s that easy, and in addition that sophisticated, since our media received’t make it easy.
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