. WATCH: Kamala Harris Repeats Herself Multiple Times While Not Giving Brennan ‘Precise’ Answer on Abortion Limits - News Times

WATCH: Kamala Harris Repeats Herself Multiple Times While Not Giving Brennan ‘Precise’ Answer on Abortion Limits

By News Here - 18:07

Vice President Kamala Harris was asked repeatedly for a “precise” answer, and repeatedly refused to give it, on the question of how late into a term abortions should be allowed.

For Sunday’s Face the Nation on CBS, moderator Margaret Brennan sat down with the Vice President for an extended interview and asked about abortion and Roe v. Wade ahead of the 2024 election.

Democrats across the country are campaigning on the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, which overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade case after nearly 50 years, and both Republicans and Democrats are pushing for laws at the state and national level in the wake of that decision.

Earlier this week, Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn surprisingly claimed on Fox News that Democrats “have supported abortion up to the last minute before — and after — birth.” Many other Republican politicians and conservative pundits have argued that Democrats do not support any term restrictions on when an abortion can be performed before birth.

Brennan asked Harris first on Sunday whether Democrats should be more “realistic” in making campaign promises about new laws to restore what Roe v. Wade protected because “the math doesn’t add up” on the ability to pass such a law.

“Don’t you need to level with the American people and say this is not a realistic promise to make for 2024?” asked Brennan.

“Congress has the ability to put back in place the rights that the Supreme Court took from the women of America,” Harris replied, the first of several times she would repeat that comment.

When Brennan pointed out that Democrats don’t have the votes, Harris responded that that is what elections are for, and the topic moved to the vice president’s views.

“What is it that you believe? I mean, what week of pregnancy should abortion access be cut off?” asked Brennan.

“We need to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade,” answered Harris.

As Brennan continued to seek an answer on the question, Harris repeated that answer four more times.

“We need to put back the protections that are in Roe v. Wade into law,” said Harris.

“We need to put back in place the protections of Roe v. Wade,” Harris said.

“We need to put into law the protections of Roe v. Wade,” Harris said.

“I believe that we should put the protections of Roe v. Wade into law,” Harris concluded.

The other part of her answer, on Congress having the ability to restore what the Court “took from the women of America” was repeated only two more times.

“Since the Supreme Court took it, Congress has the power and ability to pass legislation to put those protections back in law,” Harris said, and that it’s “about going back to where we were before the Dobbs decision.”

As the two went back and forth, Brennan brought up Republican claims about supporting abortion up until birth, which Harris called “ridiculous” and Brennan somewhat mysteriously said is “statistically not accurate” despite it being a question of policy not rate of incidence. Brennan then pressed again, saying that, considering the claims and the nature of the laws and the fact that Roe was “nebulous” about timeframes, then should Democrats be more precise on the issue.

“I am being precise,” said Harris without changing her answer to include any non-nebulous specific limits on abortion at any point during pregnancy.

On Friday, ex-president Donald Trump also talked about Roe v. Wade, saying that the Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs “probably” cost Republicans at the ballot box.

BRENNAN: You have been very active on the issue of abortion and rallying behind the idea of this federal law to restore what was upheld in Roe v. Wade. But to do that, Democrats need 60 votes in the Senate, they need a majority in the House they don’t have, they need the presidency. The math doesn’t add up. So don’t you need to level with the American people and say this is not a realistic promise to make for 2024?

HARRIS: Congress has the ability to put back in place the rights that the Supreme Court took from the women of America.

BRENNAN: In theory. It doesn’t have the votes to do that.

HARRIS: But that’s why we have elections. And that’s why we are seeing, around this country, that when this issue is on the ballot, from Kansas to California, people vote in favor of upholding basic freedoms. The vast majority of Americans agree that the government should not be making this decision for the women of America.

BRENNAN: What is it that you believe? I mean, what week of pregnancy should abortion access be cut off?

HARRIS: We need to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade.

BRENNAN: Which was–

HARRIS: We’re not trying to do something new–

BRENNAN: Well, that was nebulous, because it was about viability, which could be anywhere between 20 to 24 weeks–

HARRIS: — No, no, no, no, no. Let me be very clear–

BRENNAN: — That’s, that was in the Women’s Health Protection Act that the White House also endorsed–

HARRIS: — Let me be- let me be very clear. From day one, the president has been clear, I have been clear. We need to put back the protections that are in Roe v. Wade into law. Since the Supreme Court took it, Congress has the power and ability to pass legislation to put those protections back in law and Joe Biden will sign that bill. So, that is what we want.

BRENNAN: But does it need to be specific in terms of defining where that guarantee goes up to and where it does not, at which week of pregnancy?

HARRIS: We need to put back in place the protections of Roe v. Wade

BRENNAN: — You know why I’m asking you this question though, because —

HARRIS: We’re not trying to- we’re not trying to do anything that did not exist before June of last year. We are saying–

BRENNAN:– It wasn’t crafted into law. And that’s why I’m asking you for the specifics there, because Republicans say the lack of a precise date in cutting it off – you know this – they say that allows Democrats to perform abortions up until, you know, birth.

HARRIS: Which is ridiculous–

BRENNAN: Which is statistically not accurate–

HARRIS:– And it’s ridiculous.

BRENNAN: — I understand that–

HARRIS: — And it’s a mischaracterization of the point. No, the point is–

BRENNAN: But- but do you need to be more precise?

HARRIS: I am being precise. We need to put into law the protections of Roe v. Wade. And that is about going back to where we were before the Dobbs decision.

BRENNAN: But if- if there is the possibility through legislation to provide any kind of guarantee at the federal level, any kind of protection like the Republican proposal, 15 weeks protection–

HARRIS:– The Republicans are also–

BRENNAN: — Is it worth doing something?

HARRIS: — Members of the Republican Party are also proposing a national ban. The thing that–

BRENNAN: I’m talking about the Lindsey Graham bill, as you know, and- and those proposals of giving some access, though that’s 15 weeks. Why do you think it shouldn’t be specific? You know, out in- out in New Mexico, for example, the governor there says it shouldn’t be nailed down to a week because it should be a private matter between a woman and her doctor. There shouldn’t be a precise number put on that. Is that what you believe as well?

HARRIS: I believe that we should put the protections of Roe v. Wade into law.

Watch the clip above via Face the Nation and CBS News.

The post WATCH: Kamala Harris Repeats Herself Multiple Times While Not Giving Brennan ‘Precise’ Answer on Abortion Limits first appeared on Mediaite.

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