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Planned Parenthood goes on offense in Wisconsin [1]
['Daily Kos Staff']
Date: 2023-08-23
On Tuesday in Wisconsin, Planned Parenthood launched its first campaign ad of the 2024 cycle—a preemptive strike before Republican 2024 hopefuls take the stage in Milwaukee for the first GOP presidential debate. Former President Donald Trump has opted to skip the debate, citing his dominance of the field.
Planned Parenthood’s ad aims to inform and remind Badger State voters of Republican candidates' dedication to banning or further restricting abortion, an issue that continues to animate voters after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion.
The ad should find a favorable audience in Wisconsin, too. In April, Judge Janet Protasiewicz, who openly supports abortion rights, notched a stunning 11-percentage-point victory over her opponent, who was supported by leading anti-abortion groups. Legal abortions in the state have effectively stopped since the Supreme Court ended the right to abortion.
The ad, which can be seen below, begins by noting that Republican presidential candidates have pledged to "pass a national abortion ban." The ad then says that nearly 8 in 10 Americans agree that abortion decisions should be left to a patient and their doctor, a claim that is largely supported by independent polling. The ad then rolls tape on the most high-profile GOP candidates.
Former Vice President Mike Pence kicks things off, saying, "Every Republican candidate for president should support a ban on abortion."
Soon after that, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis pledges to be "a pro-life president" and says that he wants to sign "pro-life legislation.”
Nikki Haley, a former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina governor, says she would “of course” sign a "consensus" bill if it reaches her desk.
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina bluntly promises, "I would sign the most conservative, pro-life legislation you can bring to my desk."
And then there’s Trump, who spoke in characteristically vague terms: "We're gonna get it done. I know the issue very well ... and we will get that taken care of.”
Abortion will no doubt be a hot topic at Wednesday's debate, and almost everyone on stage will likely be flaunting their forced-birther bona fides in hopes of wooing the state's substantial evangelical voting bloc.
Trump, on the other hand, might get a pass on the question in his Tucker Carlson interview, which is scheduled to run at the same time as the debate. Although Trump has shied away from committing to sign a national abortion ban, he has bragged about overturning Roe v. Wade. "I am honored to have done what I did," Trump said of eviscerating Roe, during his CNN town hall in May. "The fact that I was able to terminate Roe v. Wade," he said, "I’ve never seen anything like it."
Expect to see that footage in another ad down the line, but for starters, Planned Parenthood’s opening salvo is setting the GOP baseline on abortion.
American political parties might often seem stuck in their ways, but they can and in fact do change positions often. Joining us on this week's episode of "The Downballot" is political scientist David Karol, who tells us how and why both the Democratic and Republican parties have adjusted their views on a wide range of issues over the years. Karol offers three different models for how these transformations happen—and explains why voters often stick with their parties even after these shifts. He concludes by offering tips to activists seeking to push their parties when they're not changing fast enough.
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[1] Url:
https://dailykos.com/stories/2023/8/23/2189008/-Planned-Parenthood-ad-slams-Trump-DeSantis-and-the-rest-ahead-of-debate
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