The cast of characters that made up Thursday night’s The 11th Hour on MSNBC could barely contain their excitement at Democrats running on abortion “as an issue of freedom” and that such tactics appear to be working.
Guest host Alicia Menendez cited Kansas and data showing that nearly two-thirds of newly registered voters are women and asked editor-at-large of the The 19th, Errin Haines, “those numbers don't lie. The issue clearly motivating voters of all kinds, right? What are you seeing?”
Thrilled with the news, Haines pointed out that is appropriate considering Friday would mark the anniversary of the 19th Amendment, “which my newsroom is named for.” Even better news is that this is happening “Particularly in states where abortion rights are under threat. Places like Kansas which you pointed out, Pennsylvania, where I am, Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama.”
Haines would acknowledge that women care about other issues as well, but even that was presented with a left-wing bent, “but this is really not just about abortion, but also, issues like voting rights, climate change, the economy, and education, all issues, by the way, that are women's issues, and more than that, they’re the kitchen table issues that women care about.”
Abortion isn’t just an issue specifically for women, Haines continued, “But, you know, Alicia, I don't want to leave men out of this, because we are seeing this on the ballot, and the administration is framing this as an issue of freedom. Men are running for office, and taking up that message.”
Her great proof of this is that Beto O’Rourke plans to run ads during football games, “I mean, we see Beto O’Rourke in Texas who was out today with his first ads of the campaign, taking on Governor Greg Abbott, referring to “Abbott's” abortion ban and those ads are going to air during the preseason showdown, between the Cowboys and the Texans. So, don't tell me that's not about reaching male voters.”
In the real Texas, Abbott is leading somewhat comfortably. Menendez, meanwhile, also hyped the freedom angle, “Yeah, and the frame around freedom, big part of what we saw in Kansas, right, that that’s really what voters were coming out and voting about, government overreach.”
She then introduced a clip of regular host Stephanie Ruhle interviewing Maryland Democratic gubernatorial nominee Wes Moore. In the clip, Ruhle didn’t waste any time getting to her scare tactics, “Whether it’s Roe v. Wade, people starting to question will gay marriage stay legal, do people realize that all of these rights, that have been amazing, that we now have, could start to go away?”
For his part, Moore called the Supreme Court’s decision “barbaric” and “a real wake up call,” but nothing the Supreme Court did in Dobbs can be as barbaric as abortion.
This segment was sponsored by Subaru.
Here is a transcript for the August 25 show:
MSNBC The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle
8/25/2022
11:33 PM ET
ALICIA MENENDEZ: Errin, those numbers don't lie. The issue clearly motivating voters of all kinds, right? What are you seeing?
ERRIN HAINES: Well, look. First of all, Alicia, I have to point out tomorrow is the anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which my newsroom is named for, and that was when American women got the right to vote that they had long fought for. So, it is good that we’re talking about these statistics on voter registration among women really surging.
Particularly in states where abortion rights are under threat. Places like Kansas which you pointed out, Pennsylvania, where I am, Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, but this is really not just about abortion, but also, issues like voting rights, climate change, the economy, and education, all issues, by the way, that are women's issues, and more than that, they’re the kitchen table issues that women care about, and that we should talk to them about, as voters, and in terms of what their priorities are, headed into November.
But, you know, Alicia, I don't want to leave men out of this, because we are seeing this on the ballot, and the administration is framing this as an issue of freedom. Men are running for office, and taking up that message. I mean, we see Beto O’Rourke in Texas who was out today with his first ads of the campaign, taking on Governor Greg Abbott, referring to “Abbott's” abortion ban and those ads are going to air during the preseason showdown, between the Cowboys and the Texans. So, don't tell me that's not about reaching male voters.
MENENDEZ: Yeah, and the frame around freedom, big part of what we saw in Kansas, right, that that’s really what voters were coming out and voting about, government overreach. The president is in Maryland, campaigning with gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore tonight. Our own Stephanie Ruhle got a chance to talk to Moore about the Roe decision for an interview we’re going to bring you in the days ahead, I promise, but here is just a slice of that conversation.
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Whether it’s Roe v. Wade, people starting to question will gay marriage stay legal, do people realize that all of these rights, that have been amazing, that we now have, could start to go away?
WES MOORE: I think they are now, you know, and I tell you, I think, Roe v. Wade and the barbaric decision that the Supreme Court made, I think was a real wake up call.
