CNN’s Don Lemon welcomed global affairs analyst Susan Glasser on to his Monday show to discuss left-wingers demonstrating in front of Supreme Court justices’ homes in the wake of the leaked draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. For both, the picketing is understandable, because the Court has become increasingly political and the discussion really should be on the violence from the other side.
Lemon began by noting that the White House has sought to distance itself from some of the demonstrations, but wondered whether it was the right move, “So, the White House is probably drawing a line in the sand -- line on protests, I should say, around the draft court decision. Is this smart, to distance themselves, or is this playing into the hands of Republicans who want this to be about the leak, the protests, anything but the actual decision?”
Of course, it is not yet “the actual decision,” but that aside, Glasser dismissed Republican concerns, “Republicans are going to say what they are going to say regardless” and described demonstrations as “an indication of the hyper charged nature of our politics coming to the Supreme Court.”
Lemon then reported and wondered, “The Senate tonight passing a bipartisan plan to get more security to the justices and their families after the explosive leaked draft. Is this another unprecedented development in a series of them?”
Glasser concurred, “Almost all of our public institutions have been politicized in recent years, have seen an enormous drop in trust and, you know, independent viewpoints surrounding it. I think that's what we are seeing with the Court.”
The pro-Roe media has definitely had a role in that, but lost in this conversation, Glasser argued, is that the real extremists are on the other side, “Think of the images that you and I grew up with of anti-abortion protesters outside of abortion clinics, blocking the way, making it almost impossible for women to go in and out of those clinics. And, you know, protests didn't just begin with this Supreme Court draft opinion, but it has been a turbocharged aspect of — of — of this debate for decades, for our entire lifetime, basically.”
Lemon then interrupted to add “and sadly, bombing of some clinics.”
Glasser continued, “That's exactly right. I mean, you know, there have been violent protests, extreme protests as a hallmark of the anti-abortion movement, certainly, as well as, you know, now you have very passionate feelings on those who are afraid a right that has existed for decades is now going to be taken away.”
Lemon concluded by noting “I think it's important for the White House to point out that violence is never acceptable, but it is also to point out the history of what you have been pointing out, that you have been talking about, the violence that has happened, you know, around clinics and so forth.”
While CNN warns of right-wing violence, it makes excuses for left-wing intimidation tactics while pro-life facilities are targeted with Molotov cocktails.
This segment was sponsored by Safelite.
Here is a transcript for the May 9 show:
CNN Don Lemon Tonight
5/9/2022
11:35 PM ET
DON LEMON: The draft Supreme Court decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade spreading outrage all across the country. This weekend, protesters marched to the homes of Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts, and protesters tonight outside the home of Justice Samuel Alito.
The White House warning today that protests should never include -- quote -- "violence, threats or vandalism."
So, joining me now to discuss, CNN global affairs and staff writer -- analyst and staff writer for The New Yorker Susan Glasser. Hi, Susan. Good to see you. Thank you for coming on and discussing this with—wisth-- me this evening.
So, the White House is probably drawing a line in the sand -- line on protests, I should say, around the draft court decision. Is this smart, to distance themselves, or is this playing into the hands of Republicans who want this to be about the leak, the protests, anything but the actual decision?
SUSAN GLASSER: Well, look, there, Republicans are going to say what they are going to say regardless. I saw Ted Cruz tonight saying that these protests were somehow worse than the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol. So, I think that gives you a sense of what the Republicans are going to say regardless of what the White House says about it.
I mean, look, it's an indication of the hyper charged nature of our politics coming to the Supreme Court and institution that has been much more insulated and isolated from really the toxic public and political culture of Washington in recent years. The Court, they’re not even televised, their deliberations. They’ve maintained a remarkable lack of transparency up until now. That's part of why this leak was so shocking in the first place.
And I think one of the things we're seeing is the view of the Court being transformed before our eyes into a much more explicitly political institution, including with this kind of the protests even at the prospect of a draft opinion being leaked.
LEMON: The Senate tonight passing a bipartisan plan to get more security to the justices and their families after the explosive leaked draft. Is this another unprecedented development in a series of them?
GLASSER: Yeah, absolutely. I just, I think we’re literally watching before our eyes, sort of the transformation of how the public views the Supreme Court and the role it's going to play in our public life going forward.
It's something that has been resisted by Chief Justice John Roberts and other members of the Court. But I -- it has this inexorable feel. Almost all of our public institutions have been politicized in recent years, have seen an enormous drop in trust and, you know, independent viewpoints surrounding it. I think that's what we are seeing with the Court.
But, you know, I was also thinking tonight back to, you know, decades and decades of protests, including a very aggressive sort over every facet of the abortion debate ever since the 1973 Roe decision.
Think of the images that you and I grew up with of anti-abortion protesters outside of abortion clinics, blocking the way, making it almost impossible for women to go in and out of those clinics.
And, you know, protests didn't just begin with this Supreme Court draft opinion, but it has been a turbocharged aspect of—of—of-- this debate for decades, for our entire lifetime, basically.
LEMON: And sadly, bombing of some clinics.
GLASSER: That's exactly right. I mean, you know, there have been violent protests, extreme protests as a hallmark of the anti-abortion movement, certainly, as well as, you know, now you have very passionate feelings on those who are afraid a right that has existed for decades is now going to be taken away.
LEMON: I think it's important for the White House to point out that violence is never acceptable, but it is also to point out the history of what you have been pointing out, that you have been talking about, the violence that has happened, you know, around clinics and so forth.
