On CBS’s Face the Nation, moderator John Dickerson asked his political roundtable if there were any stories they felt were not getting enough news coverage. Predictably, the liberal journalists on the panel fretted that Republican efforts on the state level to “ban abortion” and engage in “voter suppression” were happening “completely under the radar.”
After Dickerson encouraged the pundits to highlight “something that you’ve noticed that’s been happening that deserves more attention that’s out there,” USA Today Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page chimed in: “If look at even a hot-button issue like abortion, Republican state legislators have managed to pass bans on abortion in some circumstances.”
She warned viewers:
Just in the last six months since the last election, in five states, bans on abortion in certain circumstances. Eleven states, major restrictions on abortion. In three states, new restrictions on funding for Planned Parenthood.
Page seemed to even use the issue to make a get-out-the-vote pitch to Democrats: “And that shows the importance of the midterms next year, not just for Congress, for these state legislatures too.”
Slate Magazine’s Jamelle Bouie followed up by claiming that supposed GOP efforts to keep minorities from voting were being ignored: “I think lost in these conversations about African-American voters is the very real fact that efforts at voter suppression are ongoing in the states. Efforts to sort of restrict access to the ballot.”
He then started hurling accusations at the Trump administration: “And then, on the federal level, it is simply the case of President Trump’s cabinet members – Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been remarkably successful at turning the Justice Department’s mission away from its charge of defending the civil rights of Americans.”
“And I think that’s going completely under the radar in our sort of focus on whatever the President is saying on any given day,” Bouie concluded.
Dickerson didn’t actually require his guests to bash Republicans, they could have mentioned any topic, but both just naturally had the instinct to attack the GOP.
Here is a transcript of the November 27 exchange:
10:42 AM ET
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JOHN DICKERSON: I want to end with a philosophical question – Susan, I’ll start with you – which is there’s a lot of things that get covered but there’s stuff that doesn’t get covered in these periods. And I wondered if each of you have an idea, something that you’ve noticed that’s been happening that deserves more attention that’s out there. Susan?
SUSAN PAGE: You know, one of the things that we’ve talked about on this roundtable is how the Republicans have been unsuccessful in delivering anything since winning unified control of the Washington capital. But if you look at state capitals, that’s not the case, big Republican gains there.
If look at even a hot-button issue like abortion, Republican state legislators have managed to pass bans on abortion in some circumstances. Just in the last six months since the last election, in five states, bans on abortion in certain circumstances. Eleven states, major restrictions on abortion. In three states, new restrictions on funding for Planned Parenthood.
So the Gridlock that has affected Washington has not affected state capitals. And the Republicans who have made big gains there. And that shows the importance of the midterms next year, not just for Congress, for these state legislatures too.
DICKERSON: State legislatures.
JAMELLE BOUIE [SLATE MAGAZINE]: So in our conversation about Alabama, we talked about black voters in the state and their enthusiasm their enthusiasm. Before the Virginia election, there was a lot of talk about black voters and their enthusiasm, but I think lost in these conversations about African-American voters is the very real fact that efforts at voter suppression are ongoing in the states. Efforts to sort of restrict access to the ballot.
And then, on the federal level, it is simply the case of President Trump’s cabinet members – Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been remarkably successful at turning the Justice Department’s mission away from its charge of defending the civil rights of Americans. And I think that’s going completely under the radar in our sort of focus on whatever the President is saying on any given day.
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