While noting the near universal criticism of Donald Trump's comments on abortion, NBC's Late Night host Seth Meyers couldn't help but take a few moments early Friday morning to blast pro-lifers as "hypocritical" for calling out Trump since GOP state legislators "are still looking for other non-criminal ways to essentially punish women for having abortions."
Meyers also gave the house away in flashing his pro-abortion views by relying on articles from the liberal site Vox.com and a piece from MSNBC.com by Steve Benen (who's been written about multiple times on this site) as the sole sources for his commentary.
After fomenting praise for MSNBC's Chris Matthews and his town hall that got Trump to utter the statements in question, Meyers noted that "it wasn't just pro-choice advocates who were angry at Trump" but also "intense criticism from...anti-abortion advocates, the vast majority of whom do not favor any kind of criminal punishment for women who receive abortions."
Turning his sights from Trump to the very pro-life movement that have denounced the billionaire, Meyers complained:
[W]hile it's right for anti-abortion advocates to criticize Trump, it's also a little hypercritical because in state houses across the country, anti-abortion advocates are still looking for other non-criminal ways to essentially punish women for having abortions.
Utah and the GOP-led governorship and legislature served as the first target of Meyers as he repeatedly quoted a Vox.com article about the new law requiring women who have abortions be under anesthesia.
Citing unnamed medical professions, Meyers ruled that "such a procedure is medically unnecessary and risky, it also makes no sense" and sought to back up his claim by quoting a doctor from the Vox piece. Further, Meyers took issue with the fact that a legislator who was the main backer of the bill didn't have a medical background but instead works as a certified public accountant.
The second target was none other than Florida and, to give him a hand, he turned to an MSNBC article:
Meanwhile, in Florida, “the Republican-led state legislature passed a measure intended to cut funding to reproductive health clinics, and in the process, the state would direct women to dentists and optometrists for reproductive care.”
Using both scenarios, Meyers attempted to squeeze out some humor while on the political soapbox;
Can you imagine having to go to a dentist for reproductive care? The only thing a dentist and gynecologist have in common is they both say open wide. [LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE] Seriously, you might be better off with a CPA. [LAUGHTER]
He then concluded with more abortion talking points:
So while it's nice that everyone agrees a woman shouldn't be criminally punished for getting an abortion, let's not forget the state legislatures across the country are still proposing plenty of other abortion restrictions that essentially punish women for making choices about their bodies.
As NewsBusters readers may recall, this marks the third appearance of Meyers in the past week on these pages. On the show that aired the previous day (early on March 31), Meyers spent over seven minutes demurring those in favor of religious freedom bills in Georgia and North Carolina and compared North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory to segregationists.
Exactly one week earlier, the liberal host attacked the Last Supper as boring for only having bread and wine and admitted that he didn't blame Judas for "dropping a dime" on Jesus moments afterward.
The relevant portions of the transcript from NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers early on April 1 can be found below.
NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers
April 1, 2016
12:44 a.m. Eastern
SETH MEYERS: Now, it wasn't just pro-choice advocates who were angry at Trump. He also received intense criticism from the right, and from anti-abortion advocates, the vast majority of whom do not favor any kind of criminal punishment for women who receive abortions, but while it's right for anti-abortion advocates to criticize Trump, it's also a little hypercritical because in state houses across the country, anti-abortion advocates are still looking for other non-criminal ways to essentially punish women for having abortions. [CITING VOX ARTICLE] Look at Utah where Governor Gary Herbert “just signed a law that will require doctors to ignore best medical practice and give some women unnecessary anesthesia for abortions.” Not only do doctors say such a procedure is medically unnecessary and risky, it also makes no sense. [CITING SAME VOX ARTICLE] As one doctor put it, “I’ve e-mailed the governor and asked him to tell me what to do because I don't know what to do...It's like saying, ‘Take someone's widget out using standard medical practice. I don't know what that means.” [LAUGHTER] Although to be fair, the widget is probably pretty close to how most men describe the female reproductive system. [LAUGHTER] So how do you think it works down there? Well, you know. There's a widget and thingamajiggy. [LAUGHTER] There's a handle. I'm pretty sure there's a handle, right? [LAUGHTER] Perhaps those in the medical community question why women should have to endure such a dangerous and unnecessary procedure could have e-mailed the State Senator responsible for the Utah anesthesia law, Curt Bramble. He may not be a doctor, but he is a certified public accountant. [LAUGHTER]
So if you're a woman about to go under before an abortion and you're at all worried, just remember, it's been approved by an accountant. [LAUGHTER] [CITING MSNBC ARTICLE BY STEVE BENEN] Meanwhile, in Florida, “the Republican-led state legislature passed a measure intended to cut funding to reproductive health clinics, and in the process, the state would direct women to dentists and optometrists for reproductive care.” Can you imagine having to go to a dentist for reproductive care? The only thing a dentist and gynecologist have in common is they both say open wide. [LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE] Seriously, you might be better off with a CPA. [LAUGHTER] So while it's nice that everyone agrees a woman shouldn't be criminally punished for getting an abortion, let's not forget the state legislatures across the country are still proposing plenty of other abortion restrictions that essentially punish women for making choices about their bodies. Meanwhile, Chris Matthews doesn't need anyone's permission to get treatment for his hardballs. This has been A Closer Look. [LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE]
