Thursday’s CBS Mornings kept up the drumbeat in favor of murdering babies, falsely claiming Wednesday’s unsuccessful Senate vote on abortion was “to codify Roe vs. Wade” when, in reality, it would have gone far beyond the notion of allowing women to get abortions and instead legalize abortion up to birth on a national scale.
National Review’s John McCormack noted it would have also invalidated nearly every state law (including those parental consent), removed “state laws requiring a 24-hour waiting period prior to obtaining an abortion,” allowed “non-doctors to perform abortions,” banned states from “requiring that abortionists inform women of alternatives,” forced all 50 states to cover abortions “for Medicaid recipients,” axed “conscience and religious liberty protections,” and struck down state laws banning abortions based on the baby’s gender.
Of course, none of that was mentioned by co-host Tony Dokoupil in his lead-in to congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane as well as ABC’s George Stephanopoulos and NBC’s Savannah Guthrie in delivering respective news briefs on Good Morning America (GMA) and Today.
“A bill to protect abortion rights falls short in the senate as every Republican and one Democrat voted against it,” said Dokoupil in a tease alongside a soundbite of Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) noting that the vote wasn’t “Roe v. Wade codification” but “an expansion.”
Before going to MacFarlane, Dokoupil lamented “the failure of the Senate and Democrats there to push through legislation to protect abortion rights nationwide” that was met by a protest of “disapproval” from “female House Democrats.”
The chyron was similarly vague: “Abortion Rights Vote Fails; Democrat-Backed Bill to Guarantee Abortion Rights Fails in Senate.”
MacFarlane opened his report with the lie: “Congress took a largely symbolic vote on this measure to codify Roe vs. Wade, and as expected it failed, raising the stakes higher for this ruling from the high court.”
Griping that Republicans and Manchin “blocked debate on a measure writing some federal abortion rights into law,” MacFarlane’s soundbites from Manchin and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) didn’t line up as both underlined him with the latter saying the proposal was “way, way beyond codifying the status quo.”
A Harris soundbite later about how the Senate doesn’t reflect the beliefs of the American people (when it actually does), MacFarlane tried to get his liberal viewers excited by continuing his refusal to denounce protests at justices’ homes and teaming with Governor J.B. Pritzker (D-IL) to insist abortion should be a top-of-mind issue to voters (click “expand”):
J.B. PRITZKER (D-IL): I think it needs to be a drum boat.
MACFARLANE: Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker says Democrats in his own party are not sounding the alarm loud enough leading into the midterm elections. His state of Illinois is now surrounded by five states that are set to restrict or completely end access to abortion if Roe vs. Wade is struck down by the high court as anticipated.
PRITZER: We need to be talking about this and making sure that voters know about this from now through November and, frankly, as long as it takes.
MACFARLANE: As crowds continue to gather near some of the justices’ homes, state and local law enforcement agencies are issuing awareness reports that demonstrations may become flashpoints for violence with little to no warning. Outside the homes of the Supreme Court justices, there’s been requests for added protection from the governors of Virginia and Maryland.
Tossing back to co-host Nate Burleson, MacFarlane again sided with the pro-murder lobby by boasting they’ll be “rally[ing] at the Washington Monument” on Saturday “as they try to continue to have their voices heard.”
Earth to Scott: How about making sure the “voices” of pro-lifers are heard?
On GMA, Stephanopoulos had a news brief on the Supreme Court justices gathering for their first meeting since the leak of draft abortion opinion, tacking on an esoteric framing of the Senate proposal as “a bill that would ensure national access to an abortion.”
Guthrie followed the same formula, telling viewers that “[t]he Senate failed to advance a Democratic-led bill yesterday that would have preserved broad protection for abortion nationwide.”
Thursday’s network-wide support for murdering the unborn was made possible thanks to the backing of advertisers such as Consumer Cellular (on CBS), Dicks (on NBC), and Target (on ABC). Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.
To see the relevant transcripts from May 12, click “expand.”
ABC’s Good Morning America
May 12, 2022
8:04 a.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: GMA Morning Rundown; Supreme Court Reconvenes; Justice Hold First Private Conference Since Abortion Draft Decision Leak]
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We’re going to turn now to the Supreme Court. The first meeting since the leak of the draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade — it’s set for later today. Only the justices will be in the room for what could be tense talks and this comes after Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would ensure national access to an abortion.
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CBS Mornings
May 12, 2022
7:00 a.m. Eastern [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Abortion Showdown]
TONY DOKOUPIL: A bill to protect abortion rights falls short in the senate as every Republican and one Democrat voted against it.
SENATOR JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): It is not Roe v. Wade codification. It's an expansion.
(....)
7:08 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Abortion Rights Battle]
TONY DOKOUPIL: But, for now, we do move onto Washington and the failure of the Senate and Democrats there to push through legislation to protect abortion rights nationwide. Female House Democrats staged a protest to show their disapproval of the Senate vote yesterday as the nation waits for a landmark ruling on the issue from the Supreme Court. Scott MacFarlane is outside the high court for us once again. Scott, good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Abortion Rights Vote Fails; Democrat-Backed Bill to Guarantee Abortion Rights Fails in Senate]
SCOTT MACFARLANE: Tony, good morning to you. Congress took a largely symbolic vote on this measure to codify Roe vs. Wade, and as expected it failed, raising the stakes higher for this ruling from the high court. No twists, no turns, it went nearly straight down party lines.
VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS (D-CA): The motion is not agreed to.
MACFARLANE: The Senate blocked debate on a measure writing some federal abortion rights into law with all Republicans —
SENATE MINORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): Their extreme proposal goes way, way beyond codifying the status quo.
MACFARLANE: — and West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin opposing.
MANCHIN: We should not be dividing the country further than we're already divided.
MACFARLANE: Vice President Kamala Harris presided over the vote.
HARRIS: And this vote clearly suggests that the Senate is not where the majority of Americans are on this issue.
MACFARLANE: Inside, House Democrats crossed the Capitol chanting.
FEMALE HOUSE DEMOCRATS: My decision.
HOUSE FEMALE DEMOCRAT: My body.
MACFARLANE [TO PROTESTER]: And outside — so, what do you do next?
UNIDENTIFIED ABORTION ACTIVIST: Well, next, we just start campaigning like crazy.
J.B. PRITZKER (D-IL): I think it needs to be a drum boat.
MACFARLANE: Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker says Democrats in his own party are not sounding the alarm loud enough leading into the midterm elections. His state of Illinois is now surrounded by five states that are set to restrict or completely end access to abortion if Roe vs. Wade is struck down by the high court as anticipated.
PRITZER: We need to be talking about this and making sure that voters know about this from now through November and, frankly, as long as it takes.
MACFARLANE: As crowds continue to gather near some of the justices’ homes, state and local law enforcement agencies are issuing awareness reports that demonstrations may become flashpoints for violence with little to no warning. Outside the homes of the Supreme Court justices, there’s been requests for added protection from the governors of Virginia and Maryland. Meantime, Saturday abortion rights groups rally at the Washington monument across from the White House as they try to continue to have their voices heard. Nate?
NATE BURLESON: We know this will continue to be the topic of conversation. Scott, thank you.
(....)
8:01 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Abortion Rights Fight]
BURLESON: A Senate bill to protect abortion rights fails by a vote of 49-51.
HARRIS: This vote clearly suggests that the Senate is not where the majority of Americans are on this issue.
---
NBC’s Today
May 12, 2022
7:31 a.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Today’s Headlines; Abortion Rights Bill Fails]
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: More fall out this morning from that leaked draft Supreme Court decision appearing to strike down Roe vs. Wade. The Senate failed to advance a Democratic-led bill yesterday that would have preserved broad protection for abortion nationwide. The final vote, 49-51. Democrat Joe Manchin joining Republicans to vote against that measure. In the meantime, there were more protests last night outside the homes of Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.
