The network evening newscasts continue to feast on coverage of the potential political fallout over an Arizona Supreme Court ruling ratifying an 1864 territorial statute that bans abortion in all instances except to save the life of the mother. Understandably so, as newscast time spent hyping abortions in Arizona is less time available to cover the types of things adverse to Democrats generally, and to the Biden presidency, specifically.
Watch as NBC’s Hallie Jackson gives the game away:
HALLIE JACKSON: On the Arizona ruling that reinstates an 1864 law banning nearly all abortions, with the exception of those to save the mother's life, the Biden campaign is looking to put Republicans on defense as Mr. Trump acknowledges overnight Democrats have the political advantage.
DONALD TRUMP: The only issue they have, the only issue they think they have is on abortion, and now all I say is the states are handling it.
JACKSON: The former president accusing Democrats of trying to distract from the economy and immigration, both consistently the most important issue for voters, with polls showing Americans prefer Mr. Trump to President Biden by about 20 points on the economy, 30 points on the border.
Jackson concedes both that the economy and immigration are the most important issues for voters, and that Trump polls the strongest on these. This is also reflected in the amount of time that the networks devote to these issues. Which is, not very much at all in comparison to a state supreme court ruling now on its third day of A-block coverage because of its perceived benefit to the Biden campaign.
Of weird note: CBS’s Janet Shamlian named the abortion providers she interviewed, but not the pro-life activist which, by the way, was the sole pro-life perspective presented across all three network newscasts.
JANET SHAMLIAN: The group Arizona for Abortion Access says it’s gathered enough signatures for a November ballot initiative allowing abortions up to around 24 weeks. Nurse Ashleigh Fiering has been helping the effort.
ASHLEIGH FIERING: It is far more dangerous to make abortions illegal and have abortions go underground, because I will tell you that people will not stop getting abortions.
SHAMLIAN: An anti abortion rights group is mounting a campaign against the ballot initiative.
JOANNA DE LA CRUZ: This amendment would be absolutely catastrophic for the health of women and girls.
That would be Joanna De La Cruz from the “It Goes Too Far” campaign, whose name CBS published in the companion article.
Common thematics across networks revolved around pure politics, such as Vice President Kamala Harris’ trip to Arizona to speak on the issue, and general observation of the Biden campaign’s targeted advertising in the Grand Canyon State.
It remains unclear whether an abortion referendum makes it to the Arizona ballot in November, but one thing is for certain: the networks will continue to pound abortion politics, given that this spares them from having to cover any more of the Biden Malaise than is minimally necessary.
Click “expand” to view the transcripts of the aforementioned reports as aired on their respective networks on Thursday, April 11th, 2024:
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT:
WHIT JOHNSON: Now to the abortion battle in Arizona, after the state Supreme Court ruled a law from 1864 that banned nearly all abortions will take effect in a matter of weeks. State lawmakers left town without taking action. Doctors already describing chaos and confusion. ABC's Rachel Scott in Arizona tonight.
RACHEL SCOTT: Tonight in Arizona, doctors describing chaos and confusion, after the state's highest court upheld a 160-year-old law banning abortion in all cases, except to protect the life of the mother. Arizona's state legislature was expected to swiftly repeal the law, but Republicans blocked that effort.
PROTESTERS: Shame on you!
SCOTT: And Dr. Jill Gibson at Planned Parenthood tells me the impact is already being felt.
What have you been experiencing the last 48 hours inside of this clinic?
JILL GIBSON: Patients are already saying that they're looking for means of getting abortions through other means. Looking for pills online.
SCOTT: Arizona's Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes says she won't enforce the law, but concedes she can't stop local prosecutors.
KRIS MAYES: I would urge Arizonans who are pregnant to make a plan. And I can't believe I'm having to say that, but it's time to make a plan for 60 days from now, if something goes wrong, if you need an abortion, if you want an abortion. Start thinking about California and Nevada and New Mexico or Colorado.
SCOTT: Voters could ultimately decide the issue in November, when Arizona and as many as 13 other states could have abortion measures on the ballot. And the law has become a flashpoint in the race for the White House, where Arizona is a key battleground. Donald Trump says he's proud to have appointed three of the five Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe versus Wade. But sensing political quicksand, he now says abortion should be left to the states.
TRUMP: It was an incredible thing, an incredible achievement. We did that and now the states have it.
SCOTT: Now Trump says Arizona went too far. But President Biden says by appointing the justices who helped overturn Roe, Trump cleared the way for 21 states to ban or severely restrict access to abortion. And tonight in this state, these billboards going up: "Abortion is banned in Arizona thanks to Donald Trump. He won't stop until it's (banned) nationwide."
Whit, there's a lot of uncertainty here in Arizona. The Supreme Court put that ruling on hold for 14 days, but tonight, the state's attorney general tells me that it could be an additional 45 days before that law goes into effect, because of a separate lawsuit. As for the White House, they want to keep this issue in the spotlight. The vice president plans to visit Arizona tomorrow. Whit.
JOHNSON: Rachel Scott in Phoenix tonight. Thank you.
CBS EVENING NEWS:
NORAH O’DONNELL: The Biden campaign launched a seven-figure ad buy an Arizona today that focuses on abortion. The Grand Canyon State is now the epicenter in the battle over reproductive rights after that state’s supreme court upheld a Civil War-era law that bans all abortions except to save the life of the mother. Abortion is currently legal until 15 weeks. CBS's Janet Shamlian takes a look at those already being impacted.
JANET SHAMLIAN: This is the busiest abortion clinic in Arizona, according to Dr. Gabrielle Goodrick, seeing some 350 patients a month. But now, Goodrick says she is worried about what could happen.
GABRIELLE GOODRICK: We provide an essential health care service for the patients of Arizona, and if we cannot provide that, they are going to be lost, they are going to be in danger.
SHAMLIAN: Efforts Wednesday in the state legislature to repeal the newly-revived law were shut down by Republicans.
PROTESTERS: Shame! Shame! Shame!
SHAMLIAN: The Arizona House Speaker saying, "Democrats are so eager to enshrine in our state Constitution a right to kill unborn children. We are going to take the time needed to listen to our constituents.” Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs:
KATIE HOBBS: I am ready to do whatever it takes to get the 1864 ban repealed.
SHAMLIAN: The group Arizona for Abortion Access says it’s gathered enough signatures for a November ballot initiative allowing abortions up to around 24 weeks. Nurse Ashleigh Fiering has been helping the effort.
ASHLEIGH FIERING: It is far more dangerous to make abortions illegal and have abortions go underground, because I will tell you that people will not stop getting abortions.
SHAMLIAN: An anti abortion rights group is mounting a campaign against the ballot initiative.
JOANNA DE LA CRUZ: This amendment would be absolutely catastrophic for the health of women and girls.
SHAMLIAN: Most abortions take place at 15 weeks or less. Only a very small number take place 21 weeks or later. The timeline of when the new law could take effect is unclear. Dr. Goodrick says when it does, it will be a dangerous time for women.
GOODRICK: It will harm a tremendous amount of Arizonans, and, um… no, it will be terrible.
SHAMLIAN: As politicians continue to weigh in on the ruling, Vice President Kamala Harris will be here in Arizona tomorrow for a campaign event, discussing what the White House calls the fight for reproductive freedoms. Norah.
O’DONNELL: Janet Shamlian, thank you.
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS:
LESTER HOLT: Now to the escalating battle over abortion. The Biden campaign counting on the Arizona court ruling on that sweeping Civil War-era abortion ban to give them an edge, while President- former President Trump is also speaking out. Here’s Hallie Jackson.
HALLIE JACKSON: A new, aggressive push tonight from the president.
JOE BIDEN: If Donald Trump gets back in power, what freedom will you lose next?
JACKSON: A new ad blitz pinning the blame on his predecessor for Arizona's controversial abortion ban.
BIDEN: Your body and your decisions belong to you, not the government, not Donald Trump. I will fight like hell to get your freedom back.
JACKSON: On the Arizona ruling that reinstates an 1864 law banning nearly all abortions, with the exception of those to save the mother's life, the Biden campaign is looking to put Republicans on defense as Mr. Trump acknowledges overnight Democrats have the political advantage.
DONALD TRUMP: The only issue they have, the only issue they think they have is on abortion, and now all I say is the states are handling it.
JACKSON: The former president accusing Democrats of trying to distract from the economy and immigration, both consistently the most important issue for voters, with polls showing Americans prefer Mr. Trump to president Biden by about 20 points on the economy, 30 points on the border. Even though Mr. Trump opposes the Arizona abortion ban and a national ban, he is also taking credit for the overturning of Roe versus Wade, a decision which paved the way for very restrictive, broadly unpopular abortion limits. He and other Republicans now trying to thread the needle, including Arizona's Kari Lake.
KARI LAKE: A full ban on abortion is not where the people are. The issue is less about banning abortion and more about saving babies.
JACKSON: For the ban's opponents in Arizona, anger turning to action.
You say you're ready to do whatever it takes to get the ban repealed, but how?
KATIE HOBBS: I immediately called for the repeal of this ban and I'm going to continue to do that. I think a lot of Republicans are seeing that this is going to hurt them in the election.
JACKSON: And state lawmakers could pass a repeal as early as next week, before the ban is set to go into effect later this spring. Lester.
HOLT: Hallie Jackson, thanks.
