Appearing as a guest on Monday's The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, Guardian columnist Ana Marie Cox -- formerly of Time.com -- asserted that "a lot of Republican women out there" are upset over the abortion issue because the GOP "is really taking a step backwards when it comes to women's rights."
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Monday, July 1, The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC:
LAWRENCE O'DONNELL: Wendy Davis told the Huffington Post today that she thinks some Republicans in Texas are having second thoughts. Let's listen to what she said. I guess we have to read what she said. I'm sorry. It's not on video.
She said, "I think that there are certainly some members across the aisle that are giving this a second thought. The reaction that they're seeing, the very organic reaction that they're seeing from across the state of Texas I think, it's giving some people pause, as it should."
And, Ana Marie Cox, it is probably giving Republicans pause outside of Texas as they see the way this plays for the party nationally:
ANA MARIE COX, THE GUARDIAN: Yes, this doesn't really help their re-branding efforts because this is the kind of issue that, I should say I'm glad Cecile (Richards) brought it up, this isn't just a women's issue. Men care about this issue, too. Republicans care about this issue. Democrats care about this issue.
And I think there are a lot of Republican women out there who see this happening and are upset that their party, who they support for reasons that, you know, aren't related to this, is really taking a step backwards when it comes to women's rights.
And I've said this on the show before, Lawrence, but this is an economic issue, not a social issue. And it's something you, I think, again, if we can just get these legislatures not to pass these bills sort of in the dark of night and sneak them into things like budgets, I think if you have a national conversation about this, you'll find that people support the right to choose. Yes, it's an ugly issue. It's something that upsets people. But we've made great strides, you know, for women in this country, and one of them is that we can control our reproductive systems. And I don't think anyone wants to go backwards on that.
