Presidential debate: Kamala defends abortion rights, Trump reiterates some falsehoods
Both Trump and Harris attacked each other over their stands on abortion during the animated Tuesday night debate that was hosted by ABC News
Vice President and Democrat Kamala Harris came out forcefully, defending abortion rights for women as she got the better of her Republican rival Donald Trump in a widely anticipated presidential debate on Tuesday (September 10).
Kamala on the offensive
Rebutting Trump’s arguments, Harris condemned state-level abortion bans and shared stories of pregnant women unable to get emergency medical care or forced to carry pregnancies to term or due to restrictive laws.
But both Trump and Harris attacked each other over their stands on abortion during the animated Tuesday night debate that was moderated by ABC.
“Donald Trump certainly should not be telling a woman what to do with her body,” said Harris, the White House’s public face for efforts to improve maternal health and ensure some abortion access.
She slammed Trump for his role in a judicial ruling which rolled back abortion rights.
Trump's rebuttal
Trump, who has commended the US Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade, again insisted, falsely, that most legal scholars wanted the earlier ruling overturned.
The former President then alleged, also falsely, that the Democrats’ stance on abortion was so extreme that they supported “execution after birth”.
Kamala on abortion right
Harris was pounced on Trump’s claims, saying: “Nowhere in America is a woman carrying a pregnancy to term and asking for an abortion. That is not happening. It’s insulting to the women of America.”
She went on: “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?”
Major campaign theme
Reproductive rights are a major issue in the 2024 US elections, with as many as 10 states set to vote on abortion rights.
Harris has made the issue a major theme of her campaign. Many polls show that Americans largely support access to abortion.
But Harris hedged on providing details about what type of restrictions – if any – she would support vis-à-vis abortion.
She said she wants to “reinstate the protections of Roe,” which prohibited states from banning abortions before fetal viability -- considered around 20 weeks of pregnancy.
On his part, Trump would not say if he would sign a national abortion ban if he is re-elected as the president.