ICYMI: Democrats Warn a GOP President Could Sharply Curtail Abortion Even Without a National Ban

WASHINGTON — Pundits, the media, and voters are rightfully concerned with the GOP’s plan to ban abortion nationwide. Most candidates running for the Republican presidential nomination are on the record supporting a national ban — Nikki Haley included. But Haley has stated that because Congress doesn’t currently have the votes to pass a ban, voters should be less concerned about her anti-abortion record. Jenny Lawson, the executive director of Planned Parenthood Votes, spoke to The Messenger’s Dan Merica about Haley’s disingenuous pivot which intentionally downplays presidential power in order to appear moderate and get votes:  

The Messenger: Democrats Warn a GOP President Could Sharply Curtail Abortion Even Without a National Ban

• When Nikki Haley was asked about a federal abortion ban at the first Republican presidential debate last month, the former South Carolina governor tried out a novel response: She is “unapologetically pro-life” but there isn’t the political will for such a ban.
• To abortion rights supporters, however, the argument was as pernicious as it was disingenuous, ignoring the impact a president can have on the issue without going through Congress – using tools ranging from executive orders to judicial nominations. 
• “The idea that Americans shouldn't consider a presidential candidate's views on abortion when voting is absurd and nonsensical and the spin further proves that these candidates know they're on the wrong side, that they're stuck on the ropes and trying to get out of it,” said Jenny Lawson, the executive director of Planned Parenthood Votes. “They are saying that about abortion because they know how out of touch their views are with the American public and they want to get out of it.” 
• Where Pence was outraged, abortion rights advocates saw a somewhat novel answer in the ongoing abortion debate – and one that ignored how influential a president acting alone can be on the issue.
• The president has tons of things that they can do to influence whether abortion is accessible in this country,” said Lawson. “There's tons of things they can do. And it's really important beyond just signing a bill that a Republican president can undo the tremendous amount of progress that the Biden-Harris administration has done.”
• Lawson said that she believes “most voters see through” Haley’s argument and that even if it reaches voters, “her rhetorical attempt to sound reasonable is offensive” and the Republican position on abortion is a “deal breaker for many many American voters and increasingly so.”  

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Planned Parenthood Votes is an independent expenditure political committee registered with the Federal Election Commission.