USA – Democrats diverge on outreach to anti-abortion swing voters

Democrats diverge on outreach to anti-abortion swing voters

By ELANA SCHOR
Feb 18, 2020

NEW YORK (AP) — In a party that’s shifted leftward on abortion rights, Democratic presidential hopefuls are offering different approaches to a central challenge: how to talk to voters without a clear home in the polarizing debate over the government’s role in the decision to end a pregnancy.

While Bernie Sanders said this month that “being pro-choice is an absolutely essential part of being a Democrat,” his presidential primary opponent Amy Klobuchar took a more open stance last week in saying that anti-abortion Democrats “are part of our party.” Klobuchar’s perfect voting score from major abortion-rights groups makes her an unlikely ally, but some abortion opponents nonetheless lauded the Minnesota senator for extending a hand to those on the other side of an issue that’s especially important for Catholics and other devout voters.

Continued: https://apnews.com/f1bcf5ca695fdbb9214980727ebb22ca

USA – Democrats Discuss Abortion Rights in Depth at Debate

Democrats Discuss Abortion Rights in Depth at Debate
The candidates had their most significant discussion about abortion in any debate yet, tackling an issue whose absence from previous debates has angered advocates.

By Stephanie Saul
Feb. 7, 2020

In their most substantive debate statements to date on abortion, several of the leading Democratic presidential candidates reaffirmed on Friday night that if elected, they would put forward only Supreme Court nominees who supported Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision establishing a woman’s right to abortion.

Historically, many presidential candidates have shied away from an outright litmus test on abortion or any other issue, arguing that Supreme Court justices should not be selected based on their political positions but on their experience and jurisprudence. But that has changed this campaign cycle.

Continued: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/us/politics/abortion-litmus-test-debate.html

USA – Why Democrats who oppose abortion rights are finding it harder to remain in the party

Why Democrats who oppose abortion rights are finding it harder to remain in the party

By Sarah Pulliam Bailey
Jan. 31, 2020

President Bill Clinton famously wanted to make abortion “safe, legal and rare.” Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton used that same phrase and added, “and by rare, I mean rare.” And President Barack Obama invited voters across the aisle to work to reduce the number of abortions.

But those kinds of rhetorical olive branches to voters who oppose abortion rights have been mostly absent from the 2020 Democratic campaign.

Continued: https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/01/31/why-democrats-who-oppose-abortion-rights-are-finding-it-harder-remain-party/

On Abortion Rights, 2020 Democrats Move Past ‘Safe, Legal and Rare’

On Abortion Rights, 2020 Democrats Move Past ‘Safe, Legal and Rare’
The Democratic presidential candidates don’t want to simply defend abortion rights. They want to go on offense.

New York Times
By Maggie Astor
Nov. 25, 2019

The Democratic presidential field has coalesced around an abortion rights agenda more far-reaching than anything past nominees have proposed, according to a New York Times survey of the campaigns. The positions reflect a hugely consequential shift on one of the country’s most politically divisive issues.

Every candidate The Times surveyed supports codifying Roe v. Wade in federal law, allowing Medicaid coverage of abortion by repealing the Hyde Amendment, and removing funding restrictions for organizations that provide abortion referrals. Almost all of them say they would nominate only judges who support abortion rights, an explicit pledge Democrats have long avoided.

Continued: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/25/us/politics/abortion-laws-2020-democrats.html

USA – The November Democratic Debate Covered Abortion Only Briefly

The November Democratic Debate Covered Abortion Only Briefly

By Leila Barghouty
Nov 21, 2019

Abortion access took a last-minute run in the spotlight during Wednesday’s Democratic Debate in Atlanta, Georgia, a state that recently passed one of the country’s most restrictive anti-choice laws. Each candidate took a different approach to addressing abortion access in the U.S.; Sen. Cory Booker tied the issue to voter suppression, calling back to Georgia’s highly contested gubernatorial election back in 2018. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Amy Klobuchar, however, all stressed their stances that abortion access is a fundamental right.

“I believe that abortion rights are human rights,” Warren said outright, responding to moderator Rachel Maddow’s question on whether or not there’s room in the Democratic party for anti-choice politicians. Warren took things a step further, however, stressing that she believes abortion rights are directly intertwined with income inequality in the U.S..

Continued: https://www.bustle.com/p/the-november-democratic-debate-covered-abortion-only-briefly-19371994

21.11.2019

Democratic candidates and abortion

USA – Abortion rights group to host presidential forum on reproductive rights

Abortion rights group to host presidential forum on reproductive rights

By Jessie Hellmann
10/17/19

NARAL Pro-Choice America will host a presidential forum focused on reproductive rights and abortion, the group announced on Thursday.

The forum will take place in the second to last week in January in Des Moines, Iowa, a key primary state.

Continued: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/466284-abortion-rights-group-to-host-presidential-forum-on-reproductive-rights

17.10.2019

Naral Pro-Choice America

Kirsten Gillibrand gave her opponents a history lesson on abortion politics at the debate

Kirsten Gillibrand gave her opponents a history lesson on abortion politics at the debate
Democrats have similar positions on abortion. The New York senator asked how hard they’ll fight.

By Anna North
Jun 28, 2019

Many candidates in this week’s Democratic debates talked about the future of abortion rights in America. But Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand was one of few to talk about the history.

The exchange started with a question to Sen. Bernie Sanders about how he would preserve abortion rights if the landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade were overturned before he became president. Sanders responded that his Medicare for All bill would cover abortion for anyone who wanted it.

Continued: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/6/28/18942612/democratic-debate-june-2019-2020-kirsten-gillibrand

28.06.2019

Democratic White House candidates face grilling on abortion

Democratic White House candidates face grilling on abortion

AFP•June 22, 2019

Columbia (United States) (AFP) - Democrats running for US president in next year's election sat down with voters on Saturday to outline their stance on abortion, a long-simmering issue newly inflamed by attempts to curtail it nationwide.

With abortion now among the most-discussed topics in the presidential race, the candidates aimed to impress an audience cheering "Who decides? We decide!" at the conference put on by family planning organization Planned Parenthood.

Continued; https://news.yahoo.com/democratic-white-house-candidates-face-grilling-abortion-020817131.html

As Passions Flare in Abortion Debate, Many Americans Say ‘It’s Complicated’

As Passions Flare in Abortion Debate, Many Americans Say ‘It’s Complicated’
“It has become so loud, going both ways. And the divide is only getting bigger,” said Jeannie Wallace French, a Democrat who opposes abortion.

By Jeremy W. Peters
June 15, 2019

PITTSBURGH — Abortion is an issue that Lynndora Smith-Holmes goes back and forth on. “Six of one, half dozen of the other,” she said the other day as she finished her lunch break. “Does it go back to people having abortions in back alleys? Haven’t we overcome that?” she asked, questioning the restrictive laws passed recently in states like Alabama and Kentucky.

At the same time, Ms. Smith-Holmes, who works for a day care center in the Allentown neighborhood of Pittsburgh and votes Democratic, said there should be limits. And she is not comfortable with the idea of taxpayer money going to fund abortions — a position that has become almost impossible to hold in the Democratic presidential primary. “Who’s paying for these?” she wondered.

Continued: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/15/us/politics/abortion-debate-pennsylvania.html

USA – This One Question Always Trips Up Pro-Choice Politicians

This One Question Always Trips Up Pro-Choice Politicians
Allow me to help.

By Christina Cauterucci
April 17, 2019

The interviews and town halls of a presidential campaign cycle can be mind-numbingly predictable. It’s usually easy enough for politicians and their teams to guess what issues will be on the table and prepare some responses in advance. At best, candidates will deliver cogent and/or inspiring arguments that will generate headlines and motivate voters. At worst, they’ll give boring, canned-sounding answers that won’t hurt them at the polls.

Bernie Sanders’ statement on abortion rights at a Fox News town hall on Monday night hit neither of those marks. Instead, he spewed forth a misinformed, ill-prepared sound bite that validated a dangerous set of lies about abortion care. Conservative news outlets are eating it up, using Sanders’ response to argue that left-wing politicians support a medical procedure that does not actually exist.

continued: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/04/third-trimester-abortions-debate-question-answer.html

17.04.2019