In the aftermath of the Georgia state legislature passing a heartbeat bill that would protect unbabies from abortion after a heartbeat can be detected, CNN's New Day Saturday co-host Christi Paul focused the show's coverage primarily on liberals who object to the bill, and even interviewed a Democratic state legislator who had made news by going on a rant against Republican Governor Brian Kemp.
Paul first covered the issue at 6:11 a.m. Eastern in a full piece that ran more than two and a half minutes, during which four quotes from liberals were used to criticize the plan while only one quote supported it, with 46 seconds being spent on the four liberal comments but only 10 seconds on the one conservative, Governor Kemp.
Paul began by informing viewers that the legislature "just passed a controversial anti-abortion law known as the heartbeat bill," noting that it would ban abortion at about six weeks into pregnancy. After relating that the governor plans to sign the bill, which she described as "one of the most restrictive" in the country, the report then switched to a soundbite from Democratic State Rep. Erica Thomas trash talking about the governor's political career being over.
Thomas was seen ranting: "You did not need to sign this bill because you did this in your first year because you know you are done. You signed this bill -- you are done!"
Paul soon further added to complaints by liberals: "Opponents of the measure say many women don't even know they are pregnant after six weeks, and these restrictions would cause these women undue hardship."
After Paul noted that there would be an exception made for rape, the report then switched to a soundbite of Democratic State Rep. Jen Jordan: "What gives this body the right to substitute its choices for those of the women who will no doubt bear the scars, the consequences, and who will face death, and nowlikely prison?"
A second clip added: "It is not for the government or the men of this chamber to insert itself in the most personal, private, and wrenching decisions."
After spending 10 seconds reading a tweet by Governor Kemp defending the bill, Paul then went to his former Democratic opponent, Stacey Abrams and read a tweet from her on the matter: "With one horrible exception, Georgia didn't jeopardize stability, opportunity and leadership for dangerous legislation that treats the lives of women as political pawns."
The CNN host then pivoted to reading a line from a letter in which a number of Hollywood liberals threatened a boycott of Georgia by the film making industry if the bill is passed.
At 8:34 a.m., State Rep. Thomas joined the show live on set, and, after Paul began the the interview by asking about the irony that she is fighting to keep abortion legal at a time when she is about the give birth, Thomas was given the chance to expand on her rant from earlier.
