Republican strategist Scott Jennings and former Obama administration official David Axelrod clashed Tuesday night over a Minnesota law regarding abortion following the vice-presidential debate between Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota and Republican Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio.
Walz signed a bill in 2023 stating a right to abortion was recognized by the state constitution with no restrictions, and also signed a bill that year reversing requirements that physicians provide care to infants who survive an abortion attempt. “The View” co-host and former Trump administration official Alyssa Farah Griffin bemoaned Republicans accusing Democrats of supporting infanticide, after which Axelrod and Jennings dove into a debate over the impact of the legislation.
“I wish that Republicans would stop saying, ‘Oh, they’re allowing babies to be killed once they’re born,’” Farah Griffin said. “Why not talk about the fact, which is actually a valid point, babies are now being resuscitated at 23 weeks, they’ve lived in the NICU at that point. That’s where you could start the conversation if you want some restrictions on abortion. I feel like J.D. Vance is actually right to say Republicans are completely in the wrong space around the issue of reproductive rights, But he didn’t offer the right solutions.”
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Axelrod said Vance showed “solicitude” for “victims” of pro-life policies supported by the Republican ticket. Jennings then brought up infants who survived attempts to carry out late-term abortions.
“There were eight deaths among infants who survived abortion attempts during Tim Walz’s tenure as governor, it happened, they don’t want to talk about the fact that it happened but there were children-” Jennings said.
“Let me ask you a question since you’ve deeply researched this, what were the condition of these of these babies when they were born?” Axelrod said, talking over Jennings’ effort to explain that the infants initially survived the abortion attempt. “What was the participation of the families … and you think that families casually tossed them aside?”
Records from the Minnesota Department of Health noted eight cases of infants dying after initially surviving late-term abortion procedures during Walz’s term as governor, Just The News reported.
“Tell me what their condition was,” Axelrod demanded. “Could they have survived, was it a case of families not wanting children to suffer when they were told that they are doomed?”
Former Biden presidential campaign aide Ashley Allison also piled on Jennings, claiming he was being “disrespectful” by bringing up babies who survived attempts.
“This is what Kamala Harris and Tim Walz believe: That it’s none of your business what women do with their body and so stay out of our doctor’s offices and stay out of our bedroom,” Allison lectured Jennings.
“I guess I’ll have to speak up for the babies. They’re not here to speak for themselves,” Jennings responded.
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