The liberal media flocked to elevate the some 400-plus pro-abortion protests held Tuesday as they continued to rail against the wave of pro-life legislation designed to protect unborn life. ABC, CBS, NBC, and Spanish-language networks Telemundo and Univision took time out of their evening newscasts to praise the protesters plus the 2020 Democrats who attended.
To make matters worse in terms of news judgement, CBS was the lone network to cover the rallies ahead of the severe and dangerous storms sweeping the Midwest.
“Let's turn now to the protests from coast to coast today. People taking a stand against the growing number of states passing strict new abortion laws,” NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt cheerfully announced. NewsBusters has published numerous studies over the years detailing how the March for Life doesn’t get this kind of warm reception from the media.
Speaking of which, for 2019's March for Life the networks spent a whopping 58 seconds on the Washington, D.C. gathering featuring hundreds of thousands of pro-life protesters. Tuesday's evening newscasts added up to five minutes (4 minutes 59 seconds) of pro-abortion fawning.
In the midst of her report, correspondent Stephanie Gosk teed up a worker from a Louisiana abortion clinic to claim supporting abortion made her fear for her safety (click “expand”):
GOSK: You don't do a lot of interviews.
KATIE CALDWELL: No, I don't
GOSK: Why?
CALDWELL: Personal security reasons. [Transition] But I think that now is kind of a tipping point. And so because I'm able to I will visibly and vocally advocate for this.
Gosk, who had cheered some grotesque positions on abortion, then had the clinic worker explain why killing an unborn baby was no big deal:
GOSK: There's a large group of people in this country who believe life starts at conception and the taking of that life is murder. Why isn't that the case?
CALDWELL: That's a difficult question to answer. Everyone’s entitled to their beliefs. They are not entitled to infringe upon other people's bodily autonomy.
Um, the act of abortion is destroying the bodily autonomy of that child.
On the CBS Evening News, political correspondent Ed O’Keefe hyped a new CBS News poll designed to gauge the popularity of abortion. “More than eight in 10 Democrats support the decision, while Republicans are more evenly divided. And politics, not gender, seem more likely to influence view on abortion with more than six of 10 men and women in support of keeping Roe v. Wade as it is,” he boasted.
Though the poll questions seemed too vague and lacked the nuance to measure how people felt about the issue. One questions asked: “Abortion should be…”; with answers: “Generally available”, “available but limits”, and “not permitted”. A more detailed Marist/Knights of Columbus poll from January asked a much more specific question on the issue.
O’Keefe also touted how “a federal judge, appointed by President Obama, criticized the so-called ‘heartbeat’ law during a court hearing.” What that criticism was CBS viewers won’t know because he did share that part.
As for ABC’s World News Tonight, anchor David Muir only offered up a news brief where he celebrated the “[m]ore than 400 events were planned at state houses and courthouses in all 50 states, from the steps of the Supreme Court to the capitals of the Midwest, the South, and the West Coast. Thousands of women and men saying they will take this issue to the ballot box.”
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
May 21, 2019
6:44:31 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: In other news across the country today, abortion rights advocates rallied to protest the wave of states passing strict new abortion limits in recent days. More than 400 events were planned at state houses and courthouses in all 50 states, from the steps of the Supreme Court to the capitals of the Midwest, the south, and the west coast. Thousands of women and men saying they will take this issue to the ballot box.
CBS Evening News
May 21, 2019
6:31:27 p.m. EasternMAJOR GARRETT: Good evening. I'm Major Garrett. Abortion rights activists made their voices heard today. More than 400 rallies were held coast to coast in opposition to new restrictions on abortion. This year, lawmakers in eight states have passed laws limiting abortion access with the hopes of overturning Roe v. Wade, which made abortions legal across the United States. A CBS News poll just out finds 67 percent of Americans want the Supreme Court to keep Roe v. Wade as is. 28 percent told us they want it overturned. Ed O’Keefe has more.
[Cuts to video]
PROTESTERS: Take your politics out of my uterus.
ED O’KEEFE: Protesters opposed to new abortion restriction took to the streets today in all 50 states.
PROTESTERS: Vote them out!
O’KEEFE: And on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.
(…)
O’KEEFE: The D.C. rally attracted Democratic presidential candidates and congressional leaders. ...
O’KEEFE: Does this have the potential to become a bigger campaign issue for your party, you think?
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER: Absolutely, absolutely. When they-- when Republicans-- they have shown who they are.
O’KEEFE: A new CBS News poll finds sharp partisan divides remain over Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion. More than eight in 10 Democrats support the decision, while Republicans are more evenly divided. And politics, not gender, seem more likely to influence view on abortion with more than six of 10 men and women in support of keeping Roe v. Wade as it is.
Eight states so far this year have passed laws severely limiting abortion rights. One of them is Mississippi. Where today, a federal judge, appointed by President Obama, criticized the so-called “heartbeat” law during a court hearing.
The law bans abortion after six weeks and was passed by a Republican legislature and signed by the Republican governor. In Missouri, the state's Republican governor says he'll sign a similar bill this week. The same goes for Louisiana, but there, the issue is bipartisan. Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards was elected on an anti-abortion rights platform.
GOV. JOHN BEL EDWARDS: When I ran for governor I said I was pro-life, and so that's something that's consistent.
[Cuts back to live]
O’KEEFE: It could take at least a year for one of these state laws to make it here to the Supreme Court. And now some state leaders are pushing back. Wisconsin's Democratic governor said today that he'll veto a similar bill that's now up for debate in his state. Major.
GARRETT: Ed O’Keefe, thank you very much.
NBC Nightly News
May 21, 2019
7:04:31 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Let's turn now to the protests from coast to coast today. People taking a stand against the growing number of states passing strict new abortion laws. Our Stephanie Gosk is in Louisiana with more.
[Cuts to video]
PROTESTER: Get everyone you know to that voting booth.
STEPHANIE GOSK: On the steps of the Supreme Court today, abortion rights activists grab back the megaphone.
(…)
GOSK: Hundreds of protesters were joined by Democrats, looking for votes in 2020.
PROTESTERS: We will not go back
GOSK: Demonstrations organized in cities nationwide, triggered after a wave of restrictive abortion laws passed in multiple states
(…)
DR. LEANA WEN (President, Planned Parenthood): Abortion care is safe and still legal in all 50 states
GOSK: But that message may not be getting through
KATIE CALDWELL: I've seen patients that are already scheduled for their procedures calling in, asking whether or not they're going to be able to access care.
GOSK: Katie Caldwell is the coordinator at an abortion clinic in New Orleans, one of three in Louisiana
You don't do a lot of interviews.
CALDWELL: No, I don't
GOSK: Why?
CALDWELL: Personal security reasons. [Transition] But I think that now is kind of a tipping point. And so because I'm able to I will visibly and vocally advocate for this.
GOSK: There's a large group of people in this country who believe life starts at conception and the taking of that life is murder. Why isn't that the case?
CALDWELL: That's a difficult question to answer. Everyone’s entitled to their beliefs. They are not entitled to infringe upon other people's bodily autonomy.
GOSK: At the Louisiana capital --
STATE REP. KATRINA JACKSON (Louisiana-D): We believe that babies in the womb are worth having the same opportunity to live as all of you.
GOSK: A state law banning abortions as early as six weeks into pregnancy is likely just days away from being passed. Stephanie Gosk, NBC News, New Orleans.
