The state of Alabama enacted the most pro-life law in the country on Wednesday and the liberal media were outraged at the thought of protecting unborn life. Each of the three broadcast networks kicked off their evening news programs by fretting over it, with NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt decrying how “46 years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled abortion a constitutional right, the state of Alabama has just openly defied that landmark decision.”
On ABC’s World News Tonight, correspondent Steve Osunsami began by huffing about how “Alabama Governor Kay Ivey ignored the protests and took her pen to paper late this evening, signing this bill into law that effectively outlaws abortion statewide.” Despite the fact that Alabama's governor was a woman and the bill had support from women, he tried to make hay out the fact that the state legislature was 85 percent male.
Osunsami had some real nerve to whine about Ivey ignoring protests when ABC routinely ignores the massive March for Life protests in Washington, D.C. every year. In fact, he sounded almost fearful when he announced: “There's a movement happening. More than a dozen states have recently passed laws restricting abortion. All meant for a showdown at the nation's highest court.”
He also didn’t seem to like how “faith weighed heavily” in the Alabama legislature’s debate. “Providing an abortion would become a crime, even if the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest,” he lamented as an extreme. But ABC didn’t see anything extreme with New York’s abortion law which allowed abortions on a baby’s birthday, nor the failed Virginia bill that would have allowed abortions on “delivered” babies.
ABC spoke with two abortion clinic workers who Osunsami said were “frightened” because women wouldn’t have the option to kill the baby (click “expand”):
OSUNSAMI: Dr. Yashica Robinson works at one the state's three remaining clinics, and she's frightened.
DR. YASHICA ROBINSON: Women will have limited options when it comes to how they handle pregnancies. Basically, their only option is going to be to continue a pregnancy.
OSUNSAMI: Mia Raven works full-time at a clinic less than a mile from Alabama's capital. Last year, doctors here performed more than 1,500 abortions. It's the only provider between Tampa, Florida, and Jackson, Mississippi.
MIA RAVEN: We are always here for our patients and we will continue to be here for our patients.
OSUNSAMI: Even if it means going to jail?
RAVEN: I don't think we'll get to that point, actually.
While Osunsami was busy fear mongering, NBC’s Kerry Sanders admitted: “The Governor here says while she signed the abortion bill, she also knows it is unenforceable because of Roe v Wade.” And to Sanders’ credit, he spoke with Republican State Representative Terri Collins to get more context for the law. Although, he did claim the "abortion debate" was "newly energized".
“We believe in Alabama that baby in the womb is a person. That’s already a part of our law. If a drunk driver kills a mother expecting a child, it's a double homicide in our law,” Collins explained to him.
Meanwhile, on the CBS Evening News, correspondent Jericka Duncan suggested “the Alabama bill has reignited the debate over abortion,” effectively showing how they ignore the longtime efforts of the pro-life movement.
Duncan also pressed Governor Ivey: “Where is the money coming from to support people who aren't ready to be mothers or aren't financially stable to take care of a child?” “You simply cannot defer protecting lives of unborn children because of cost,” Ivey pushed back.
And as their narrative dictates, people who supported Alabama’s law weren’t pro-life, they were slapped as “anti-abortion.”
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
May 15, 2019
6:32:00 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: And we begin tonight with the breaking news just moments ago. Alabama's Governor Kay Ivey a short time ago signing the most restrictive abortion law in the nation. Essentially, making abortion a crime. The bill passing after a contentious debate in the state legislature. Under the law, doctors could now face 99 years in prison for performing an abortion. And tonight, supporters of the law in that state have made it clear they hope the legal fight that will now come after the governor signed this bill tonight will take the debate right to the Supreme Court, to challenge Roe versus Wade. ABC's Steve Osunsami leads us off with the breaking news from Alabama.
[Cuts to video]
(…)
STEVE OSUNSAMI: Alabama Governor Kay Ivey ignored the protests and took her pen to paper late this evening, signing this bill into law that effectively outlaws abortion statewide.
GOVERNOR KAY IVEY: All human life is precious.
OSUNSAMI: Providing an abortion would become a crime, even if the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest. The only allowed exception, if the mother's life is in danger. And doctors performing abortions could be sentenced to 99 years in prison. This was decided by mostly men, about 85 percent of state lawmakers. The debate was intense and faith weighed heavily.
(…)
OSUNSAMI: Dr. Yashica Robinson works at one the state's three remaining clinics, and she's frightened.
DR. YASHICA ROBINSON: Women will have limited options when it comes to how they handle pregnancies. Basically, their only option is going to be to continue a pregnancy.
OSUNSAMI: Mia Raven works full-time at a clinic less than a mile from Alabama's capital. Last year, doctors here performed more than 1,500 abortions. It's the only provider between Tampa, Florida, and Jackson, Mississippi.
MIA RAVEN: We are always here for our patients and we will continue to be here for our patients.
OSUNSAMI: Even if it means going to jail?
RAVEN: I don't think we'll get to that point, actually.
OSUNSAMI: Supporters of the bill are crystal clear about their endgame, getting the issue before the U.S. Supreme Court. Hoping there are finally enough justices willing to outlaw abortion.
(…)
OSUNSAMI: The President promised as much during his campaign.
DONALD TRUMP: That'll happen automatically, in my opinion, because I am putting pro-life justices on the court.
OSUNSAMI: There's a movement happening. More than a dozen states have recently passed laws restricting abortion. All meant for a showdown at the nation's highest court.
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: We're watching this all over the country. Steve Osunsami is live in Alabama tonight. And Steve, the Governor signing that bill into law just before we came on the air tonight. But as I understand it, it won't go into effect for six months and I suspect the legal challenges will be almost immediate?
OSUNSAMI: David, at one of the clinics we were at today, they told us they had their lawsuits prepped for the very minute the Governor signed this bill into law. They are preparing for a long fight and say this is every day for them in Alabama. David?
MUIR: Steve Osunsami leading us off tonight with the breaking headline. Steve, thank you.
NBC Nightly News
May 15, 2019
7:01:42 p.m. Eastern [2 minutes 38 Seconds]LESTER HOLT: Good evening. We start with breaking news. 46 years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled abortion a constitutional right, the state of Alabama has just openly defied that landmark decision. Moments ago, Governor Kay Ivey signed into law a bill that provides harsh prison terms for those found guilty performing abortions, and sets the stage for a new and potentially decisive court battle over one of this country’s most emotionally charged issues. Our Kerry Sanders is in Alabama tonight.
[Cuts to video]
KERRY SANDERS: Tonight, Alabama the latest battleground in the newly energized abortion debate.
(…)
SANDERS: Late today, Republican Governor Kay Ivey signed the nation's most restrictive anti-abortion law in the country to take effect in six months.
GOVERNOR KAY IVEY: All human life is precious.
SANDERS: The restrictions would make it a felony for anyone to perform an abortion, punishable by up to 99 years in prison. Only legal if there is serious health risk to the mother, no exception for rape or insist. Outlawed at any stage of the pregnancy.
STATE REP. TERRI COLLINS: We believe in Alabama that baby in the womb is a person. That’s already a part of our law. If a drunk driver kills a mother expecting a child, it's a double homicide in our law.
SANDERS: This law goes further than 28 other states that either recently introduced or enacted abortion restricts, some defining life begins when a fetal heartbeat is detected. Missouri and Louisiana debating abortion today.
(…)
SANDERS: Legislators here say they specifically worded this abortion bill to challenge Roe v. Wade but tonight, Reverend Pat Robertson says it's gone too far.
PAT ROBERTSON: It's an extreme law and they want it challenged Roe versus Wade but my humble view is that this is not the case we want to bring to the Supreme Court because I think this one will lose.
[Cuts back to live]
SANDERS: Tonight, the Governor here says while she signed the abortion bill, she also knows it is unenforceable because of Roe v Wade. She says that she believes it's now time for that 1973 decision to be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court. But Lester, there are a lot of steps between a governor signing a bill into law here in Montgomery and the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington.
HOLT: All right. Kerry Sanders in Alabama tonight, thank you.
