While reporting on Texas passing new abortion regulations designed to protect unborn children, on Thursday, NBC’s Today show immediately parroted talking points from pro-abortion activists absurdly claiming the legislation was “a public health threat.” The network then proceeded to exclusively feature reaction to the bill from those left-wing activists.
“Let’s move now to Texas, where the state’s governor signed a controversial abortion ban into law yesterday. Critics say it’s among the most restrictive in the nation,” co-host Hoda Kotb announced as she sounded the alarm about legislation. In the report that followed, correspondent Morgan Chesky fretted: “...now at least a dozen states passing more restrictive abortion measures. Here in Texas, this new law now makes it the biggest, with the so-called heartbeat ban abortion law.”
Before the taped portion of the segment began, he proclaimed: “Advocates say it’ll save countless lives, but critics say it’s not only unconstitutional but a public health threat.”
After the reporter noted that “similar heartbeat bans passed by other states have so far failed to hold up in court,” a soundbite ran of pro-abortion advocate Amy Hagstrom Miller, president and CEO of Whole Woman’s Health Alliance, complaining: “These kinds of restrictions don’t do anything to reduce the need for abortions. They’re just blocking people from getting safe abortions.”
Ignoring the nonsense that a procedure specifically designed to exterminate human life could ever be deemed “safe,” Chesky instead cited statistics hyping concerns over the availability of abortions in Texas: “A 2017 study found 96% of Texas counties had no clinics that provided abortions. 43% of Texas women, however, lived in those counties.”
He then tied the state’s new law to the impending federal legal battle over the issue:
The Texas law comes at a key time, as a landmark case deciding constitutional protections for abortions could be in question. The Supreme Court announced it would hear a Mississippi case challenging Roe v. Wade, over a law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks.
A clip was then included of another pro-abortion activist – Center for Reproductive Rights president and CEO Nancy Northup – ranting: “States are in open defiance of Supreme Court precedent in the hope that this newly constituted Supreme Court is gonna reverse Roe vs. Wade, and that’s why we see them passing blatantly unconstitutional laws.”
Meanwhile, on CBS This Morning, co-host Anthony Mason offered a news brief on the Texas abortion law in which he touted promises from the nation’s largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, to “fight back like hell” against the new regulations:
Texas has just adopted one of the most restrictive anti-abortion laws in the nation. Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed the bill yesterday. It bans the procedure as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women even know they’re pregnant. It also allows private citizens to sue medical professionals who offer abortions after the deadline or anyone helping a woman get an abortion at that point. Planned Parenthood CEO says her group plans to, quote, “Fight back like hell” to overturn the law in the courts. The law is scheduled to take effect in September.
After the Supreme Court on Monday announced its decision to take up challenges to the Mississippi abortion law, Tuesday’s network morning shows all decried the “much more conservative court” ruling on the case and wailed that it was “striking fear among abortion advocates.”
Leftists in the media never hesitate to adopt the concerns and rhetoric of the far left. That’s the only way to explain how such an Orwellian notion of protecting unborn children being deemed a “health threat” could be repeated by supposed journalists.
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Here is a full transcript of the May 20 report on NBC’s Today show:
8:04 AM ET
HODA KOTB: Let’s move now to Texas, where the state’s governor signed a controversial abortion ban into law yesterday. Critics say it’s among the most restrictive in the nation. NBC’s Morgan Chesky is in Dallas for us this morning. Hey, Morgan.
MORGAN CHESKY: Yeah, Hoda, good morning. And nationwide, the debate over abortion rights only ratcheting up, the Supreme Court deciding to hear a case and now at least a dozen states passing more restrictive abortion measures. Here in Texas, this new law now makes it the biggest, with the so-called heartbeat ban abortion law. Advocates say it’ll save countless lives, but critics say it’s not only unconstitutional but a public health threat.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Texas Governor Signs “Heartbeat” Abortion Ban]
This morning, Texas taking center stage in the debate over abortion rights. Passing a law potentially impacting millions of women.
GOV. GREG ABBOTT [R-TX]: The Texas heartbeat bill is now law in the Lone Star State. [Cheers and applause]
CHESKY: Governor Greg Abbott signing a bill Wednesday banning abortions in most cases where a fetal heartbeat is detected. Potentially as early as six weeks into pregnancy, before many women even know they’re pregnant.
ABBOTT: In Texas, we work to save those lives.
CHESKY: Similar heartbeat bans passed by other states have so far failed to hold up in court. The Texas bill is unique, permitting almost anyone to sue any person or provider who may have helped someone get an abortion after the limit.
AMY HAGSTROM MILLER [WHOLE WOMAN’S HEALTH ALLIANCE PRESIDENT AND CEO]: These kinds of restrictions don’t do anything to reduce the need for abortions. They’re just blocking people from getting safe abortions.
CHESKY: A 2017 study found 96% of Texas counties had no clinics that provided abortions. 43% of Texas women, however, lived in those counties. The Texas law comes at a key time, as a landmark case deciding constitutional protections for abortions could be in question. The Supreme Court announced it would hear a Mississippi case challenging Roe v. Wade, over a law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks.
NANCY NORTHUP [CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS PRESIDENT AND CEO]: States are in open defiance of Supreme Court precedent in the hope that this newly constituted Supreme Court is gonna reverse Roe vs. Wade, and that’s why we see them passing blatantly unconstitutional laws.
CHESKY: And again, that Texas law is set to go into effect on September 1st. As for that Mississippi case, the Supreme Court expected to hear it this fall, with the decision expected sometime early next year. Hoda?
KOTB: Alright, Morgan Chesky for us in Texas. Thank you, Morgan.
