On Sunday’s Face the Nation, CBS host Margaret Brennan went around and around with Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (D-TX) over abortion and bemoaning how Democrats have “not been able to deliver on” expanding and protecting the barbarous act of being able to kill unborn children.
Not that abortion wasn’t a top-of-mind issue for liberals and their media allies, but the topic came up as Saturday marked one year since the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization overturned Roe v. Wade.
Brennan began by fretting:
It’s been 50 years since 1973 and that ruling. But in that time, Congress failed to pass any protections for abortion access. Even when Democrats controlled both houses, even when presidents were Democrats. We’re now at this point where our CBS News polling shows 53 percent of Democrats feel as though your party isn’t doing enough on the issue of abortion.
“Why do Democrats think this is a winning issue for the party when they’ve not been able to deliver on it for so long,” she asked.
Escobar cited the fact that “House Democrats have passed the Women’s Health Care Protection Act” in “both sessions of Congress, the last two, when we had a majority, but as you know, and as the American people know, we did not have a wide enough majority in the Senate.”
Thus, she argued, Republicans were the real party to blame for “23 million women los[ing] access to reproductive health care” and “18 states enact[ing] harsh abortion bans.”
Brennan wasn’t having it:
But even when there was unified control, it wasn’t delivered on. When you look at what’s happening now, half of those polled by CBS say abortion access has become more restricted over the past year, as you’ve just detailed. So, we know President Biden is taking these executive actions and orders. Why isn’t there more grassroots mobilization at the state level if the entire point of the court ruling was that it goes back to the states?
Escobar blabbered on about “grassroots mobilization at the state level,” but Brennan was still unmoved as Democrats are pouring resources into states where “you’re losing” on the issue.
The lefty Congresswoman insisted 2024 must be an abortion-centric election so that not only do Democrats retake the House, but expand their Senate control to a veto-proof majority.
Brennan pivoted ever so slightly to the center by citing a potential middle ground proposed by 2024 presidential candidate Nikki Haley to rule out late-term abortions, ensure access to contraception, and rule out women who do seek out abortions from getting the death penalty.
Of course, Escobar thought those ideas are still too extreme (click “expand”):
BRENNAN: Well, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was recently on this program and she said candidates aren’t telling the American people the truth. Republicans and Democrats, she puts in that bucket. She said, there’s not – you know, if there’s neither the consensus nor the votes for either party to either legalize or fully ban abortion. Listen to what she said.
HALEY [on CBS’s Face the Nation, 05/14/23]: So, let’s be honest with the American people and say, let’s find national consensus. Let’s agree on, you know, getting rid of late-term abortions. Let’s agree on the fact that we need more adoptions. Let’s agree on the fact that we need accessible contraception. Let’s agree on the fact that mothers shouldn’t be jailed or go to – you know, get the death penalty for abortions.
BRENNAN: Doesn’t she have a point? There are smaller issues related to abortion you can find consensus on?
ESCOBAR: The national consensus, Margaret, is that 80 percent of Americans do not agree with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. That is –
BRENNAN: But in terms of what you could actually get passed in Congress?
ESCOBAR: – well, we – again, we – Democrats passed the Women’s Health Care Protection Act in the House.
BRENNAN: In the House. Yes, only in the House.
ESCOBAR: – when we had the majority and the challenge in the Senate is that you need a supermajority.
BRENNAN: Right.
ESCOBAR: You need 60 votes.
BRENNAN: Exactly.
ESCOBAR: And so, right, which is why we need to win elections this – next November. And, furthermore, we’ve got to retain the White House because there’s only one person who will be on the ballot next November, and that’s President Biden, who has promised and committed to fighting for women’s reproductive freedom. Make no mistake about it –
BRENNAN: Yes.
ESCOBAR: – as much as Nikki Haley wants to talk about finding consensus here and there, the bottom line is all these –
BRENNAN: Well, stopping women from being prosecuted, for example, the death penalty. I mean you have to appreciate that.
ESCOBAR: – yes, but –
BRENNAN: I mean why not pass a law on that front?
Escobar remained entrenched for the rest of the interview with vague claims about the country wanting “protections under Roe v. Wade restored” with no verbal commitment to when abortion should be limited. Brennan floated 24 weeks, but Escobar wouldn’t say yes. With time running out, Brennan let her off the hook.
Seeing as how the liberal media have spent decades casting Republican calls for abortion restrictions after x-number of weeks, it’s no surprise a liberal wasn’t afforded the same aggressiveness.
Sunday’s abortion promotion was brought to you by advertisers such as Apple and Hyundai. Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.
To see the relevant transcript from June 25, click here.
