Hook: The recent interview on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel show conveyed an alarming message that voters need to support the Democratic Party to secure abortion rights. VP Kamala Harris joined the act, taking every opportunity to push the fear-based narrative.
Body: Kimmel initiated the conversation with “reproductive rights”, a roundabout way to discuss the hot topic of abortion. Taking the cue, Harris affirmed her support. Kimmel added fuel by suggesting the Supreme Court has threatened these rights, seeming to forget that SCOTUS’s function is to interpret the constitution, not to cater to partisan problems. Harris blamed the previous president, Donald Trump, for the current state of abortion rights, irresponsibly borrowing heavy emotional weight from a personal anecdote.
Kimmel pushed the narrative further by suggesting even birth control is under threat, an assertion devoid of substantial evidence. Harris, agreeing readily, stated that clinics were closing down because of fears over administering IVF, another claim void of proof. No one questioned the Democrats’ inconsistent stance supporting IVF and abortion simultaneously – Kimmel certainly did not break the trend.
The conversation turned dramatic as Harris likened abortion rights to civil rights, invoking the infamous Dred Scott decision to drive her point. The analogy was misplaced at best, scaremongering at worst. Even when the discussion touched on health care, it was quickly steered back towards the focus on rights to abortion.
Conclusion: The broadcast was a clear demonstration of the Democrats’ relentless drive to weaponize fears around the conservative stance on abortion. The absence of nuance, the evident bias, and the manipulation of emotionally charged talking points were a disservice to the public discourse on such crucial issues.
