On Friday afternoon, MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell lauded leftist Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) as a "pioneer" for recalling the time she had an illegal abortion as the Democratic congresswoman yesterday argued against laws protecting unborn babies.
Mitchell might also have had her political correctness switch turned extra high as she conspicuously seemed to be avoiding using the word "women," instead referring to "people" getting abortions, possibly to appease transgender activists.
The MSNBC host introduced Congresswoman Lee and began by praising her and other congressional Democrats who recently spoke of their own experiences of having abortions when they were younger:
And joining us now is Congresswoman Barbara Lee of California, who shared her deeply personal story on Capitol Hill yesterday about getting a back alley abortion before it was legal as a 16-year-old. Congresswoman, thank you very much. And thank you when your colleagues -- it was such a deeply moving moment to hear from members of Congress -- of different ages, of course. But, you know, you were one of the pioneers in that you remember just how terrifying it was to get an illegal abortion in those days before Roe v. Wade.
After Congresswoman Lee fretted that women would endanger themselves with illegal abortions, Mitchell followed up:
And I think people should understand how difficult it was for you and the others to speak out -- that deciding an abortion, from what I have heard over the years, is not only deeply personal, it is very very difficult -- that it's not that people want to get abortions -- it's that they feel that there are reasons in their lives to do it. Either way, it's either pro or con, these are very tough, personal decisions to make.
At one point, Lee actually claimed that giving birth to her child would have "destroyed" her life:
I'm a person of faith -- I went to Catholic school -- I had to pray a lot over this. I was a cheerleader -- the first black cheerleader at my school. I was an accomplished pianist. I was on the Honor Society -- made great grades. Can you imagine what I was feeling? The stigma and people knew and "What am I going to do?" and "How am I going to explain this?" at 16 years old. It was like, "What do I do?" And so I just knew that my life was going to be destroyed.
Even though she never seems to have any pro-life guests on her show to argue in favor of abortion restrictions, Mitchell hedged as she concluded by giving token praise to pro-life Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL), who recalled on the House floor that her mother chose to give birth to her under difficult circumstances.
This episode of MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell Reports was sponsored in part by Doan's. Their contact information is linked.
Transcript follows:
MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell Reports
October 1, 2021
12:34 p.m.
ANDREA MITCHELL: And the Supreme Court has been asked, of course, to take an appeal on the restrictive Texas abortion law on a fast track, bypassing the Court of Appeals. A Federal judge in Texas today is taking up the Biden administration's challenge to the near ban on all abortions in the state. The Justice Department is asking the Supreme Court to temporarily block the law.
And joining us now is Congresswoman Barbara Lee of California, who shared her deeply personal story on Capitol Hill yesterday about getting a back alley abortion before it was legal as a 16-year-old. Congresswoman, thank you very much. And thank you when your colleagues -- it was such a deeply moving moment to hear from members of Congress -- of different ages, of course. But, you know, you were one of the pioneers in that you remember just how terrifying it was to get an illegal abortion in those days before Roe v. Wade.
(...)
CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA LEE (D-CA): But now we see, unfortunately, these states where these laws possibly going back to those days. So the reason I decided, as hard as it was because it's so personal to me, to speak out is because I'm trying to send a warning that we do not want to go back to the days of back alley abortions because it's deadly, and people die.
MITCHELL: And I think people should understand how difficult it was for you and the others to speak out -- that deciding an abortion, from what I have heard over the years, is not only deeply personal, it is very very difficult -- that it's not that people want to get abortions -- it's that they feel that there are reasons in their lives to do it. Either way, it's either pro or con, these are very tough, personal decisions to make.
CONGRESSWOMAN LEE: They're very personal -- they're very tough. They're heart-wrenching, and they're gut-wrenching. I mean, you know, and some people make one decision -- others make another decision. But that's okay. It's whatever that individual decides. And, again, I'm a person of faith -- I went to Catholic school -- I had to pray a lot over this. I was a cheerleader -- the first black cheerleader at my school.
I was an accomplished pianist. I was on the Honor Society -- made great grades. Can you imagine what I was feeling? The stigma and people knew and "What am I going to do?" and "How am I going to explain this?" at 16 years old. It was like, "What do I do?" And so I just knew that my life was going to be destroyed.
(...)
It's important to share these stories now because, again, you don't want to see us back in those days of back alley abortions. These states are passing laws that are going to kill women -- that are going to force women to do things that would be very dangerous if, in fact, they come to those points in their lives that they have to make this very hard, hard decision.
MITCHELL: Congresswoman, thank you so much for being -- for what you're doing -- for being -- you and your colleagues -- pro and con because there was a Congress member also speaking out against this yesterday.
CONGRESSWOMAN LEE: But you know what, Andrea? Can I just say something? Andrea, let me just say about my colleague. She said her mother made that decision, okay, to go through with her pregnancy. And that's the point -- it was her mother's decision. It's everyone's decision to make -- it's not anyone else's decision. And it's based on your values -- what you decide to do and not anyone else. And so it's about freedom -- reproductive freedom.
MITCHELL: Well, thank you again. Thank you for all you're doing and your colleagues.
