When the March for Life takes place every year, it is a time for media to lament attacks on “abortion rights.” When pro-abortion people take to streets, it is a great time for Saturday’s Good Morning America on ABC and CBS Saturday Morning to lament attacks on abortion rights.
In the 7:00 Eastern hour on GMA, reporter Ike Ejiochi reported that “Over 17,000 people expected to gather in Washington, D.C. There will be more than 450 marches all across the country today from Los Angeles to New York City where nearly 40,000 people have signed up to participate.”
Ejiochi did note that pro-liferes, or “anti-abortion activists,” “will also be out in force in D.C. and elsewhere around the country.”
Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins even got her own clip, but Ejiochi quickly pivoted back, “160 young artists and celebrities like Ariana Grande and Kendall Jenner using their platform to call attention to the issue, taking out an ad in the New York Times supporting abortion rights ahead of today's protests.”
In the 9:00 hour, correspondent Zohreen Shah put the demonstrations in context with plenty of pro-abortion euphemisms, “This morning, days after the Senate failed to pass a major vote protecting abortion access ahead of a likely Roe v. Wade reversal, multiple states bracing for a dramatically different landscape for reproductive rights.”
After promoting California’s radical plan to promote abortion last week, Shah turned to Oregon, “In the first law of its kind, Oregon lawmakers approving a war chest of $15 million for abortion, some to help women from other states, including next door Idaho, where abortion could be completely banned.”
Showing just how pro-abortion the media is, Shah then lamented that dark blue Oregon has only one facility for women further along in pregnancy, “In Portland, a quarter of the Lilith Clinic's patients are from out of state, 10% from Texas. It's the state's only option for abortions closer to 22 weeks.”
Ignoring the arson attack at a Wisconsin pro-life facility, Shah added “This center upping security recently often seeing abortion protesters outside.”
Shah then interviewed one of those protestors, a non-threatening woman with a “it may not be too late” brochure.
Over at CBS, correspondent Christina Ruffini then further hyped the events, “The organizers of the Bans Off Our Body rally here in D.C. Today say they're expecting as many as 17,000 people including members of Congress like Elizabeth Warren. The plan is to March all the way from the Washington Monument up here to the Supreme Court to protest that possible overturn of Roe v. Wade.”
Ruffini then played a series of clips of Democratic politicians supporting abortion with Ruffini falsely adding, “On Wednesday, a bill to codify Roe into law failed to pass the Senate… Even with Vice President Kamala Harris presiding, Senate Democrats fell short of the 60 votes needed to pass federal abortion rights protection.”
Unlike ABC, CBS did not even have a token pro-life perspective, only Sen. John Thune giving the federalist prospective.
As for NBC's Today show, they mentioned the rallies in a much more matter-of-fact way while mentioning that pro-lifers would also be demonstrating.
Good Morning America was sponsored by McDonald’s and CBS Saturday Morning was sponsored by Nissan.
Here are transcripts for the May 14 show:
ABC Good Morning America
5/14/2022
7:09 AM ET
IKE EJIOCHI: This as thousands are expected in the nation's capital and cities across the country in protest demanding access to safe and legal abortions.
RACHEL O’LEARY CARMONA: We want to make sure that folks have the opportunity to make their voices heard.
EJIOCHI: Over 17,000 people expected to gather in Washington, D.C. There will be more than 450 marches all across the country today from Los Angeles to New York City where nearly 40,000 people have signed up to participate. The call to action stemming from a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, guaranteeing a woman's right to an abortion. If overturned 26 states would ban or severely restrict access to abortion affecting more than half the people of reproductive age in this country according to Planned Parenthood.
Not everyone gathering Saturday will be calling for abortion rights. Anti-abortion activists will also be out in force in D.C. and elsewhere around the country.
KRISTAN HAWKINS: We survived this abortion industry and we—we--consider it a great responsibility that we will become the first generation to live in a post-Roe America.
EJIOCHI: 160 young artists and celebrities like Ariana Grande and Kendall Jenner using their platform to call attention to the issue, taking out an ad in the New York Times supporting abortion rights ahead of today's protests.
Now, the protest is expected to swarm to around 20,000 people here in the district today with everything beginning around noon. Now, as far as security, local law enforcement is saying they've closed off several roads and streets around the area, not to mention a heightened police presence in and around the city.
…
9:05 AM ET
ZOHREEN SHAH: This morning, days after the Senate failed to pass a major vote protecting abortion access ahead of a likely Roe v. Wade reversal, multiple states bracing for a dramatically different landscape for reproductive rights.
In Oregon several nonprofits started working years ago to expand abortion access.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's going to pave a path towards a better future here in Oregon and that's incredibly powerful.
SHAH: In the first law of its kind, Oregon lawmakers approving a war chest of $15 million for abortion, some to help women from other states, including next door Idaho, where abortion could be completely banned. Idaho's lieutenant governor recently calling for a special session which would in part eliminate rape and incest from abortion rights. In this interview with NBC affiliate KTVB –
JANICE MCGEACHIN: we can once and for all prohibit all abortions and—and-- make Idaho be the sanctuary of life that we believe that life begins at the moment of conception.
SHAH: Even though her words received backlash from her own party, abortion activists bracing for many scenarios, including potential criminalization for abortions.
Are you guys ramping up for a legal fight at your organizations?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 2: Absolutely. We know that they're not going to stop at the constitutional right being overturned. We know they're going to start trying to target providers and people in states like ours who are continuing to provide that care.
SHAH: And despite efforts to expand coverage, Oregon also bracing to turn away more women.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 2: I don't think we ever want to tell someone no, but we only have limited number of appointments.
SHAH: In Portland, a quarter of the Lilith Clinic's patients are from out of state, 10% from Texas. It's the state's only option for abortions closer to 22 weeks.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 3: And this is where patients are seen.
SHAH: This center upping security recently often seeing abortion protesters outside.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 4: We're out here because we believe that we want to help women in their pregnancies.
SHAH: And they only expect to see more protesters and patients.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 5: We already serve patients who are traveling hundreds or thousands of miles to get here for basic health care services and we expect that number to only increase.
SHAH: Two of the women on that panel were Native American and Latina. They fear their communities will be hit very hard by a potential Roe reversal. One saying this is just one thing in a long line of things that impacts tribal families. Guys?
CBS Saturday Morning
5/14/2022
8:09 AM ET
JEFF GLOR: Thousands of demonstrators are expected to March in cities throughout the nation today in support of abortion rights. The rallies are part of a nationwide campaign in response to a leaked majority draft opinion by the Supreme Court that could overturn Roe v. Wade even though the draft does not represent the final position of any member of the Court.
It has raised concerns that the court could rule as soon as next month when it decides on a controversial abortion law in Mississippi. Christina Ruffini is on Capitol Hill with the latest on this. Christina, good morning.
CHRISTINA RUFFINI: Good morning, Jeff. The organizers of the Bans Off Our Body rally here in D.C. today say they're expecting as many as 17,000 people including members of Congress like Elizabeth Warren. The plan is to March all the way from the Washington Monument up here to the Supreme Court to protest that possible overturn of Roe v. Wade.
NANCY PELOSI: Hands off women's reproductive health care.
RUFFINI: House Democrats gathered on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Friday in a show of support for abortion rights.
BARBARA LEE: They won't stop until a national -- nationwide abortion ban is enacted.
RUFFINI: On Wednesday, a bill to codify Roe into law failed to pass the Senate.
KAMALA HARRIS: The motion is not agreed to.
RUFFINI: Even with Vice President Kamala Harris presiding, Senate Democrats fell short of the 60 votes needed to pass federal abortion rights protection.
HARRIS: The Senate failed to stand in defense of a woman's right to make decisions about her own body.
RUFFINI: Reporter: West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin voted with Republicans to block the bill saying it went too far.
JOE MANCHIN: It is not Roe v. Wade codification. It's not expansion.
RUFFIN: On CBS Mornings Friday, Senate Republican Minority Whip John Thune said the issue should be decided by the states.
JOHN THUNE: This is a decision that's been made by nine unelected judges, and it's now going to go back to the people and their elected representatives.
RUFFINI: But Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says Democrats will continue to focus on this issue between now and the November midterms.
CHUCK SCHUMER: Elect more MAGA Republicans if you want to see a nationwide ban on abortion. If you want to see doctors and women arrested, if you want to see no exceptions for rape or incest.
