Republican Officials Openly Insult Women Nearly Killed by Abortion Bans
Red states would rather let a patient die than let her terminate a dangerous pregnancy. And they’re barely pretending otherwise.
BY DAHLIA LITHWICK AND MARK JOSEPH STERN
JAN 09, 202412:13 PM
For many years before S.B. 8 passed in Texas and was then swept into existence by the Supreme Court, and before Dobbs ushered in a more formal regime of forced childbirth six months later, the groups leading the charge against reproductive rights liked to claim that they loved pregnant women and only wanted them to be safe and cozy, stuffed chock-full of good advice and carted around through extra-wide hallways for safe, sterile procedures in operating rooms with only the best HVAC systems. Then Dobbs came down and within minutes it became manifestly clear that these advocates actually viewed pregnant people as the problem standing in the way of imaginary, healthy babies—and that states willing to privilege fetal life would go to any and all lengths to ensure that actual patients’ care, comfort, informed consent, and very survival would be subordinate.
We are only beginning to understand the extent to which pregnant women are dying and will continue to die due to denials of basic maternal health care, candid medical advice, and adequate treatment. The issue of emergency abortions, though, has already rocketed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which agreed on Friday to decide whether federal law compels hospitals to terminate dangerous pregnancies regardless of state bans. No matter how SCOTUS rules, the fallout is already all around us. The stories of Kate Cox in Texas, devastated would-be mothers in Tennessee, and a horrifying prosecution of a mother who miscarried in Ohio all surface the brutal reality of the post-Dobbs zeitgeist: Any woman who seeks to terminate a pregnancy is wicked, any woman who miscarries is evil, and any woman who—for reasons of failing health, circumstance, or simple bad luck—does not prove to be an adequate incubator deserves whatever she gets. Every unborn fetus is the priority over the pregnant person carrying it and must be carried to term at all costs. So goes the moral calculus of the death-panel judges who now determine how to weigh the competing interests between real, existing human life and a state’s dogmatic fixation with a fetus that, by definition, must be seraphically innocent.
One need only look at red states’ scramble to defend their draconian abortion bans to witness this perverse moral hierarchy in action. In the wake of Roe v. Wade’s demise, the victims of these laws are no longer hypothetical: They are flesh-and-blood women, directly and viscerally injured by the denial of basic health care, and some of them have even had the gall to fight for their rights. Republican attorneys general have responded with furious indignation, openly demeaning these women as liars, wimps, partisans, and baby killers.
A recent filing by the office of Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan T. Skrmetti, a Republican, captures the dynamic all too well. Skrmetti has been fighting a lawsuit filed by a group of Tennessee women denied emergency abortions under the ultranarrow medical exception to that state’s ban. The women plaintiffs suffered an appalling range of trauma, including sepsis and hemorrhaging, because they could not terminate their pregnancies. The attorney general’s response to their complaint is a scathing, shockingly personal broadside against the victims of the ban. He accused them of attempting to draw “lines about which unborn lives are worth protecting” by imposing a medical exception “of their own liking.” He mocked them for asserting that ostensibly minor conditions like “sickle cell disease” might justify an abortion. And he insisted that the lead plaintiff, Nicole Blackmon, lacks standing, because she underwent sterilization after the state forced her to carry a nonviable pregnancy and deliver a stillborn baby. The attorney general viciously suggested that, if Blackmon really wanted to fight Tennessee’s ban, she could have tried for another doomed pregnancy.
This is the landscape of reality for women in Red States.
As Jessica Valenti says:
There ARE NO EXCEPTIONS in these Red States
You can’t find one.
I dare you to find the exception that was allowed an abortion.
Tiff4Mahogany_44 🇺🇦🇺🇸 NATO MEMBER (@tiff4mahogany) posted at 5:06 AM on Wed, Jan 24, 2024:
If both parties are the same, why aren’t protesters protesting at both parties’ events?
(https://x.com/tiff4mahogany/status/1750112755766480932?t=Ux7_cudla09dydsNV1eUXQ&s=03)
The Hill (@thehill) posted at 7:26 AM on Wed, Jan 24, 2024:
Senate negotiations over a border policy proposal tied to aid for Ukraine are snagged on the White House’s immigration parole authority, according to GOP senators who have publicly weighed in on the talks https://t.co/08unjyHszM https://t.co/gcIgpIlFJI
(https://x.com/thehill/status/1750147961076510721?t=qqi5EALf7cjRjw_wfh9xxA&s=03)
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (@RevDrBarber) posted at 7:35 AM on Wed, Jan 24, 2024:
Why does the media call Haley “moderate”? She is just as extreme as Trump in her policies & positions on voting rights, healthcare, labor rights, abortion, & living wages. A polite Southern smile doesn’t make extremism “moderate.”
(https://x.com/RevDrBarber/status/1750150358133858698?t=VAyaISaLco5B7DHJYiovAA&s=03)
Stephen Neukam (@stephen_neukam) posted at 10:06 AM on Wed, Jan 24, 2024:
NEW: Republicans are deeply frustrated with Comer’s management of the Biden impeachment probe.
“A parade of embarrassments,” one GOP lawmaker called it.
“I don’t know how Republicans impeach … based on his clueless investigation,” another source said.
https://t.co/mRT0sWL0VP
(https://x.com/stephen_neukam/status/1750188326919754229?t=GrlcYLVl4HXRPgwa-dQFFg&s=03)
Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) posted at 11:00 AM on Wed, Jan 24, 2024:
A record 21.3 million Americans have signed up to Affordable Care Act coverage for 2024.
Nearly 5 million more people signed up for Obamacare policies for this year compared with last year, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
(https://x.com/kylegriffin1/status/1750201828883448136?s=03)
Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) posted at 9:55 AM on Wed, Jan 24, 2024:
Tired of the “old people should remove themselves from the arena” rhetoric. It’s ageism. Plenty of impactful people are over 80, including Rep Waters, Dr Fauci, Rep Clyburn, Sister Helen Prejean, Dolores Huerta, Not all elders are qualified; not all young people are qualified.
(https://x.com/shannonrwatts/status/1750185682583335148?s=03)
Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) posted at 10:27 AM on Wed, Jan 24, 2024:
Sen. @timkaine: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are going to remind voters every day that it was Donald Trump who took away your abortion rights and Republicans under Trump will go even further https://t.co/DVQYPzrXD1
(https://x.com/BidenHQ/status/1750193557883757053?s=03)
I think they’re lying to the pollsters.
Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) posted at 7:34 AM on Wed, Jan 24, 2024:
Exit polls are showing that one Achilles heel for Trump is Republicans with college degrees, many of whom say they will not vote for Trump under any circumstances. The more education a Republican has, the less likely they are going to be all-in on Trump.
(https://x.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1750150033205256640?s=03)
Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) posted at 8:55 AM on Tue, Jan 23, 2024:
CBS announced that Sunday’s Chiefs vs. Bills game was the most-watched Divisional Round game ever, with a whopping 50.393 million viewers. https://t.co/3bsT4ST3xp
(https://x.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1749808188806107294?t=Ae_hYOlNIzd0osnZDgoQaw&s=03)
BMB Empower Network (@BmbEmpower) posted at 0:35 AM on Wed, Jan 24, 2024:
“Putting Kamala Harris as VP into perspective. See the red box? Until then, she would have been enslaved. Blue box? Until then, she couldn’t vote. Yellow box? Until then, she had to attend a segregated school. The green one? Until then she couldn’t have her own bank account.”… https://t.co/baqporsfTm
(https://x.com/BmbEmpower/status/1750044592748032197?t=Qr4P9yokmRo1K1kWFlUapQ&s=03)
👀👀👀 for the lie. See none. This is truth😂😂😂
https://twitter.com/niknup21/status/1749841224574378042?s=19
This is Old School parenting. This would have easily happened when I was younger.
The look👀👀👀 the mother gave the DJ🤣🤣🤣
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8sErFtF/
this this this!!
Tim (@trouble_man90) posted at 6:30 PM on Sun, Jan 21, 2024:
Leftists wanted democrats to lose the 2016 election, the 2018 midterms, the 2020 election, the 2022 midterms, and now to lose the 2024 election. If they had their way, republicans would’ve had complete control of the government for the past 8 yrs. Stop entertaining them.
(https://x.com/trouble_man90/status/1749228092625707394?t=kmlBCBVOqnGw7DlZQROR3A&s=03)
Scott Maxwell (@Scott_Maxwell) posted at 5:15 PM on Sun, Jan 21, 2024:
It’s hard to overstate how epic this collapse was.
Ron DeSantis’ biggest problem was Ron DeSantis.
The more he introduced himself to voters, the less they liked him.
And it became evident: The best day of the DeSantis 2024 campaign was before it began.
https://t.co/7qL7DR6cXb
(https://x.com/Scott_Maxwell/status/1749209213643952166?t=RByZp0cCfKSvWL4BJRv5-w&s=03)
The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) posted at 7:00 PM on Sun, Jan 21, 2024:
Anyone who does not want to see Trump as our next president need to rally behind President Biden. The ability to criticize the Biden administration is a political luxury. We cannot afford luxuries in this year’s election. It’s Biden or Trump. @TheRickWilson has more on @MSNBC. https://t.co/w5cZneBKXY
(https://x.com/ProjectLincoln/status/1749235597066088861?t=tpP87RGJi0zxRRw-pZoz6A&s=03)
Kat 4 Obama (@Kat4Obama) posted at 6:18 PM on Sun, Jan 21, 2024:
“DeSantis never appeared to want to save the GOP. He was more interested in making it a more ravenous, angrier and intolerant party. That worked for Trump, but didn’t work for the governor with all the charisma of burned toast.” https://t.co/1PjKoy5tli
(https://x.com/Kat4Obama/status/1749224996537549158?t=QQgADFld5Qpp0J5QnuhB_w&s=03)
Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) posted at 4:16 PM on Sun, Jan 21, 2024:
You take the precipitous downfalls of Youngkin & DeSantis — who beltway media anointed brilliant culture warriors — and all of a sudden Democrats look pretty smart on how they’ve engaged (and/or refused to engage) in the culture wars. But Politico will never write that headline.
(https://x.com/KaivanShroff/status/1749194285885325783?t=3I0RkMZ8zZqvZSQSY1EKHA&s=03)
Lauren Windsor (@lawindsor) posted at 6:27 PM on Sun, Jan 21, 2024:
NEW: At Friday’s March for Life breakfast, @RepAndyHarrisMD told my colleague “Rose” how Republicans could pass a federal abortion ban if they win majorities in Congress this year.
One key: Don’t ever say the word ‘ban.’ https://t.co/oehKMX21J7
(https://x.com/lawindsor/status/1749227167756570790?t=Ds-oI5oXOE55KYoCnKk1dQ&s=03)
Inside with Jen Psaki (@InsideWithPsaki) posted at 11:54 AM on Sun, Jan 21, 2024:
.@jrpsaki: “If Trump is successful in tanking this deal, Democrats should not let voters forget. Trump’s fearmongering about immigration will continue & voters will need to be reminded that Republicans had a chance to do something about border security & Trump wouldn’t let them.” https://t.co/tjNEBesBds
(https://x.com/InsideWithPsaki/status/1749128287878545422?t=e6Zh7jEhASHFO2Lv-dtVQg&s=03)
BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) posted at 5:30 AM on Mon, Jan 22, 2024:
Make no mistake: No Labels is just a group pretending to be anti-trump that actually does want to help elect him, but they know they can’t get money from moderates by openly admitting that shit.
A vote for No Labels is a vote for trump.
Want to defeat trump?
VOTE BIDEN.
(https://x.com/mmpadellan/status/1749393976170258770?t=obUMNbblffQ53YImfZL8zg&s=03)
18 GOP-held Biden districts targeted to flip blue (@Needle_of_Arya) posted at 5:29 AM on Mon, Jan 22, 2024:
400 years of white supremacy inevitably produced very inferior white people at the end of the process; their “effort” to be “elite” began & ended with being born into the correct family with a certain narrow phenotype
this practice is the complete opposite of “meritocracy”
(https://x.com/Needle_of_Arya/status/1749393834578936015?t=yQo4HK6zELyaAAfmcRa8Tw&s=03)
#JoeMama🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🌻 (@Mama4Obama1) posted at 9:11 PM on Sun, Jan 21, 2024:
You love putting these miserable ass people on your show to trash President Biden. Put on people that support him!!! This guy upset about Gaza? Tell him to protest against HAMAS . The people responsible for what’s happening there.
(https://x.com/Mama4Obama1/status/1749268440039174593?t=nL_oPJuUN0sqlrAAyCJx8A&s=03)
Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) posted at 10:50 AM on Sun, Jan 21, 2024:
In our focus group of Michigan voters, Thasin tells @margbrennan he “was a champion” for President Biden, but now feels Biden has “disowned” and “disenfranchised” Muslim Americans with his stance on Gaza.
“I was never a single-issue voter…but for me this is a deal-breaker.” https://t.co/4cwmuYbNbo
(https://x.com/FaceTheNation/status/1749112120996708682?t=sOi237p2gu6TSlSaeAqakw&s=03)
anyone_want_chips (@anyonewantchips) posted at 9:51 AM on Sun, Jan 21, 2024:
When Neil Gorsuch refuses to recuse from a SCOTUS case that would directly benefit billionaire Philip Anschutz who’s been showering Gorsuch with dove shooting weekends at his sprawling mountain resort – the Supreme Court ethics code is a fucking joke. https://t.co/rBnRcnLApC
(https://x.com/anyonewantchips/status/1749097436826525960?t=JxcwipaoRCT2ZlC-M0KFPg&s=03)
18 GOP-held Biden districts targeted to flip blue (@Needle_of_Arya) posted at 7:11 AM on Mon, Jan 22, 2024:
I’m reminded of this horrible story about a Black nurse who had to overhear a dementia-fueled confession from an elderly WW about how she told a lie about being “looked at” by a Black boy so as to trigger a pogrom against the family because she was jealous of the boy’s sister.
(https://x.com/Needle_of_Arya/status/1749419561797980659?t=GDXjbv7ZPQGqWx98xLFmsQ&s=03)
Don’t insult the Black community like this. When we saw that first small trailer, Black people were absolutely excited. Black people and magic! We were psyched.
THEN, they did the extended trailer and we realized that the movie was REALLY about.
Black people, myself among them, said – I’ll pass.
There are Black fans of magic and supernatural in film and series all over the different platforms. We were to see, what we thought, was a movie about Black people – being centered – with magic.
Don’t insult our intelligence by trying to gaslight us into thinking that the premise of this movie is anything but the garbage will believe it to be.
Variety (@Variety) posted at 5:04 PM on Sat, Jan 20, 2024:
“There were Black people who were triggered by seeing something that they weren’t ready to admit to themselves.” Justice Smith talks about the focus group reaction to “The American Society of Magical Negroes.” https://t.co/oJnYuv8UyB https://t.co/Iy27rbDs80
(https://x.com/Variety/status/1748843908727968075?t=aabs6OZT6VHEHWcOla1XHg&s=03)
Biden/Obama/HRC/Harris Democrat (@KTforBiden) posted at 11:20 AM on Mon, Jan 22, 2024:
The dummies really think they are punishing Biden/Dems. They are too stupid to realize Biden will be fine, living a good life, while Americans suffer under GOP rule, not for just 4 yrs, but for the rest of our lives! If trump get to select any more SC justices, WE HAVE ALL LOST!
(https://x.com/KTforBiden/status/1749482250255688064?t=46H-jp2SResj-SuB5j3qFQ&s=03)
Biden/Obama/HRC/Harris Democrat (@KTforBiden) posted at 11:25 AM on Mon, Jan 22, 2024:
I don’t want to hear about another DAMN COUNTRY!
If left wing Fauxgressives allow trump to win, THIS COUNTRY IS DONE!
Don’t let paid chaos agents tell you to not vote. The “what has Biden done” questions are BULLSHIT. They know, which is why they’re trying to steal YOUR VOTE!
(https://x.com/KTforBiden/status/1749483447851032605?t=CDYN6Lt77YWF3knVhMqe-Q&s=03)
Oni Blackstock, MD, MHS (@oni_blackstock) posted at 0:09 PM on Mon, Jan 22, 2024:
Thrilled to share @uche_blackstock’s wonderfully rich essay from her memoir, “Legacy”.
In this excerpt, she discusses the legacy of the Flexner Report which closed 5 of 7 Black medical schools in the US and disappeared 25000-35000 Black physicians.
https://t.co/UJQZiA3GIQ
(https://x.com/oni_blackstock/status/1749494589910630529?t=WDhKhu1hgXu8JeDIVfWRng&s=03)
RIP
Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) posted at 0:07 PM on Mon, Jan 22, 2024:
The King Center has sadly just announced the passing of it’s Chairman, Dexter King. Dexter was the youngest son & the 3rd child of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr & Coretta Scott King.
My condolences to all of Dexter’s family & friends. May he RIP, may his legacy live🕊️
📸: Prabook https://t.co/aLGS1JYQRa
(https://x.com/TheRevAl/status/1749494082701852757?t=hD3tylC63mvIAsIdWwImnA&s=03)
Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) posted at 1:11 PM on Mon, Jan 22, 2024:
Kentucky GOP bill paves the way for ‘deadly physical force’ against the homeless https://t.co/jtB3eESE4a
(https://x.com/TeaPainUSA/status/1749510170969768070?t=VxG8dgeaeJlCywFGerOEBQ&s=03)
If you are interested in Gov Tech, here is information for you
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8saC7R1/
Good Morning Everyone 😊😊😊