When President Joe Biden gave bumbling remarks about abortion on the debate stage this summer, it was widely viewed as a missed opportunity — a failure, even — on a powerful and motivating issue for Democrats at the ballot box.

The difference was stark, then, on Tuesday night, when Vice President Kamala Harris gave a forceful defense of abortion rights during her presidential debate with Republican Donald Trump.

Harris conveyed the dire medical situations women have found themselves in since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the national right to abortion in 2022. Harris quickly placed blamed directly on Trump, who recalibrated the Supreme Court to the conservative majority that issued the landmark ruling during his term.

Women, Harris told the national audience, have been denied care as a result.

“You want to talk about this is what people wanted? Pregnant women who want to carry a pregnancy to term, suffering from a miscarriage, being denied care in an emergency room because health care providers are afraid they might go to jail and she’s bleeding out in a car in the parking lot?” Harris said.

  • Optional@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    Trump also falsely claimed that some Democrats want to “execute the baby” after birth in the ninth month of pregnancy.

    “falsely claimed” needs to get punted into space. What a slimy capitulation.

    • CatsGoMOW@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      I 100% agree, and IANAL, but it’s my understanding that it is for legal purposes… even though we all “know” it’s true, asserting that someone lied opens a can of legal worms.

      • LillyPip@lemmy.ca
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        2 years ago

        The only legal excuse for this is the slander/libel laws, which only apply in cases where calling someone a liar is untrue. If you’re calling out verifiable lies as lies (e: and you can bring receipts, which they can), that’s not slander.

        They’re just pussies.

  • CondensedPossum@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    I’ll believe the democrats’ “forceful defense” of abortion rights when they actually legislate to protect it. Until then they are complicit in denying women their rights.

  • Coelacanth@feddit.nu
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    2 years ago

    I don’t think Kamala demolished Trump as thoroughly as some people seem to claim, and I think she could have been way stronger and more direct on a lot of issues and talking poins. There is no denying however that her responses, stances and delivery on abortion was stellar. The whole “they didn’t want that” part was very powerful.

    • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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      2 years ago

      You can’t talk about issues with Trump on stage, otherwise he will just grab the whole spotlight. She did as good as you p possibly can, while debating Trump.

      She should probably be holding some townhall type events on major news stations so she can talk about the issues, without a raging narcissistic right beside her.