NBC’s Today show decided that the best way to mark Good Friday was to talk to a radical, left-wing activist wearing a t-shirt that read, “Thank God for Abortion.” It was part of hysterical coverage across all three network morning shows bemoaning an “abortion crackdown” across the country, with Florida’s new pro-life legislation being the latest skirmish in the “battle over abortion rights.”
“Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law yesterday a measure to ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. That makes Florida the largest state and the latest to tighten access to the procedure ahead of a U.S. Supreme Court decision over abortion rights,” fill-in co-host Tom Llamas proclaimed on Today. In the report that followed, correspondent Kerry Sanders sensationalized: “This morning, Florida is at the epicenter of the escalating battle over abortion rights.”
The reporter hyped how “critics argue it’s unconstitutional and will have ripple effects beyond Florida,” before playing a soundbite of Mayte Canino from the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates ranting: “This is a very cruel law that has passed in the state of Florida. Now people will have to go to North Carolina in order to access abortion past 15 weeks.”
Sanders was then shown speaking with “Abortion rights activist Stephanie Loraine Pineiro [who] says the law would have blocked her own access to the procedure.” Wearing a t-shirt with the wildly offensive phrase, “Thank God for Abortion,” Piniero blasted the law: “As a person who had a abortion as a result of a sexual assault, if I was pregnant right now I wouldn’t be able to have an abortion.”
When asked about partial-birth abortion during a House Judiciary Committee last November, Pineiro testified that “anybody should have the right to have an abortion at any time.”
On Friday, Sanders fretted that the Florida legislation was “the latest in a series of strict new abortion laws enacted in recent days, from Oklahoma....to Kentucky, where the Republican-led legislature overrode the Democratic governor’s veto to enact sweeping restrictions.”
After ABC’s World News Tonight hyperventilated Thursday evening about Florida’s new abortion regulation, on Friday’s Good Morning America, correspondent Rachel Scott decried: “And just this week alone, at least three states have moved to restrict access to abortion. These are some of the strictest abortion laws that we have seen in decades and the latest right there in Florida, banning the procedure at 15 weeks.”
With the chyron blaring “Abortion Crackdown” across the screen, Scott sounded the alarm: “This morning, the battle over abortion rights is intensifying across the country....Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signing a new law banning most abortions past 15 weeks.” She touted: “Abortion rights advocates vowing to fight it before it goes into effect July 1st.”
A clip played of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida president and CEO Stephanie Fraim announcing: “We will pursue getting this stopped in any way we can.”
Scott mourned pro-life measures elsewhere:
But in Kentucky, some women are already facing a new reality. Republican lawmakers in that state overrode the governor’s veto on a new law banning the procedure at 15 weeks and strictly regulating access to abortion pills. All of it forcing the only two remaining clinics in the state to stop providing abortions for now.
The report on CBS Mornings began sounding nearly identical to NBC and ABC, with co-host Vladimir Duthiers telling viewers: “Florida has joined a growing list of states that want abortion laws to be more restrictive. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law yesterday banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.”
Correspondent Jan Crawford explained that “we’re seeing this kind of wave of legislation because if the court does overturn Roe vs. Wade this summer, like many people expect, then each state is going to get to decide whether or not it’s going to allow access to abortion.”
However, she then presented a rather straightforward breakdown of red states implementing pro-life legislation and blue states trying to counter abortion regulation. Crawford concluded: “But you see these political battles in the states, they are already well under way.” Co-host Tony Dokoupil chimed in: “Yeah, the stakes could not be higher.”
Overall, lamenting fewer abortions was how the networks chose to mark the end of Holy Week heading toward Easter Sunday.
NBC’s chat with a “Thank God for Abortion” activist was brought to viewers by IHOP, while ABC’s coverage was brought to viewers by Dawn and CBS’s was brought to viewers by Jeep. You can fight back by letting these advertisers know what you think of them sponsoring such content.
Here is a full transcript of the April 15 segment on NBC’s Today show:
8:05 AM ET
TOM LLAMAS: Alright, back here at home, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law yesterday a measure to ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. That makes Florida the largest state and the latest to tighten access to the procedure ahead of a U.S. Supreme Court decision over abortion rights. NBC’s Kerry Sanders is in Fort Lauderdale with the reaction. Kerry, good morning.
KERRY SANDERS: Well, good morning. This is a significant step by Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, banning most abortions after 15 weeks. The law here is modeled after the restrictive abortion law in Mississippi, which is now before the U.S. Supreme Court and is considered by many to be the greatest challenge to the landmark decision of Roe v. Wade in decades.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Florida’s 15-Week Abortion Ban Signed Into Law]
This morning, Florida is at the epicenter of the escalating battle over abortion rights.
GOV. RON DESANTIS [R-FL]: We are here today to defend those who can’t defend themselves.
SANDERS: Governor Ron DeSantis signing a bill into law, Thursday, that bans most abortions after 15 weeks.
DESANTIS: This will represent the most significant protections for life that have been enacted in this state in a generation.
SANDERS: The new law, House Bill Five, is set to take effect in July. While it permits women to obtain an abortion if their health is in danger or if the baby has “fatal fetal abnormality,” it contains no exceptions for rape or incest. Critics argue it’s unconstitutional and will have ripple effects beyond Florida.
What is your reaction to this new law in Florida?
MAYTE CANINO [FLORIDA ALLIANCE OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD AFFILIATES]: This is a very cruel law that has passed in the state of Florida. Now people will have to go to North Carolina in order to access abortion past 15 weeks.
SANDERS: Abortion rights activist Stephanie Loraine Pineiro says the law would have blocked her own access to the procedure.
STEPHANIE LORAINE PINEIRO [CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FLORIDA ACCESS NETWORK]: As a person who had a abortion as a result of a sexual assault, if I was pregnant right now I wouldn’t be able to have an abortion. [Wearing a t-shirt that says “Thank God for Abortion”]
SANDERS: It’s the latest in a series of strict new abortion laws enacted in recent days, from Oklahoma...
GOV. KEVIN STITT [R-OK]: We want to outlaw abortion in the state of Oklahoma.
SANDERS: ...to Kentucky, where the Republican-led legislature overrode the Democratic governor’s veto to enact sweeping restrictions. Florida’s law is modeled after a Mississippi law banning virtually all abortions after 15 weeks. Now under review by the U.S. Supreme Court, representing the most serious challenge to Roe v. Wade in nearly three decades.
Back in December, a majority of the conservative justices on the Supreme Court indicated that they may indeed uphold the Mississippi restrictive abortion law. A decision on that is expected in weeks. Meantime, here in Florida, Planned Parenthood says that they will follow the new rules, the new law here in Florida, even though they disagree with it. Tom?
LLAMAS: A lot of states dealing with these new rules. Alright, Kerry, we thank you for that.
Here is a full transcript of the segment on ABC’s GMA:
7:12 AM ET
CECLIA VEGA: We’re gonna turn now to the latest state restricting abortion. Florida’s governor signing a law that bans the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Congressional correspondent Rachel Scott joins us now with what this means for women all over the southeast. Good morning, Rachel.
RACHEL SCOTT: Cecilia, good morning. And just this week alone, at least three states have moved to restrict access to abortion. These are some of the strictest abortion laws that we have seen in decades and the latest right there in Florida, banning the procedure at 15 weeks.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Abortion Crackdown; New Florida Law Bans Procedure After 15 Weeks of Pregnancy]
This morning, the battle over abortion rights is intensifying across the country.
PRO-ABORTION PROTESTERS: This is what democracy looks like!
SCOTT: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signing a new law banning most abortions past 15 weeks.
GOV. RON DESANTIS [R-FL]: We are here today to protect life. [Cheers] We are here today to defend those who can’t defend themselves.
SCOTT: No exceptions for rape or incest. The only exceptions, to save the pregnant woman’s life or if it poses a serious risk. Abortion rights advocates vowing to fight it before it goes into effect July 1st.
STEPHANIE FRAIM [PRESIDENT & CEO, PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF SOUTHWEST & CENTRAL FLORIDA]: We will pursue getting this stopped in any way we can.
SCOTT: But it’s not just Florida. Across the country, several states have enacted laws restricting access to the procedure. Just days ago, Oklahoma enacted a law to make performing an abortion illegal, punishable by up to ten years in prison.
TALCOTT CAMP [CHIEF LEGAL & STRATEGY OFFICER, NATIONAL ABORTION FEDERATION]: The implications for people in Oklahoma are devastating.
SCOTT: That law won’t go into effect until this summer. But in Kentucky, some women are already facing a new reality. Republican lawmakers in that state overrode the governor’s veto on a new law banning the procedure at 15 weeks and strictly regulating access to abortion pills. All of it forcing the only two remaining clinics in the state to stop providing abortions for now.
All of these laws will certainly be challenged in court and most of them are modeled after Mississippi’s ban on abortion at 15 weeks into a woman’s pregnancy. A challenge to that will come before the Supreme Court this summer and determine the future of Roe vs. Wade, George.
GEORGE STPEHANOPOULOS: Janai Norman [sic], thanks.
Here is a full transcript of the segment on CBS Mornings:
7:13 AM ET
VLADIMIR DUTHIERS: Florida has joined a growing list of states that want abortion laws to be more restrictive. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law yesterday banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. There are no exemptions for rape, incest, or human trafficking. It comes as the Supreme Court is set to review and potentially overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that prevents states from banning abortion. Jan Crawford covers the Supreme Court for us. Jan, good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Abortion Rights Fight; FL Is Latest to Pass Restrictive Law Ahead of SCOTUS Roe v. Wade Case]
JAN CRAWFORD: Well, good morning, Vlad. You know, we’re seeing this kind of wave of legislation because if the court does overturn Roe vs. Wade this summer, like many people expect, then each state is going to get to decide whether or not it’s going to allow access to abortion.
Twenty-three states now have laws that would restrict or ban abortion if Roe is overturned. Florida’s law, for example, it bans abortions after 15 weeks, that’s modeled after that Mississippi law now before the Supreme Court. And we’re seeing other Republican-led states do the same thing. Kentucky has cleared the way for its 15-week ban, as has Arizona. And West Virginia is among those considering it. And then you see these states passing even more restrictive laws like Oklahoma, that would make performing an abortion there a felony.
Now on the flip side, there’s the Democratic states – 16 states and District of Columbia now protect the right to an abortion, and other blue states are pushing that kind of legislation, or trying to go the route of Michigan, where the governor, she’s suing to get the state courts to say abortion is protected there.
So, you know, we’re not expecting a decision from the Supreme Court before the end of June. We don’t know what it’s going to rule. But you see these political battles in the states, they are already well under way. Tony?
TONY DOKOUPIL: Yeah, the stakes could not be higher. Jan, thank you very much.
