NBC News reporter Dasha Burns rushed to defend the Democratic Party when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) argued that some Democrats support “infanticide.”
In a wide-ranging interview, Burns asked DeSantis if, as president, he would veto legislation that bans abortion nationwide. She was trying to challenge DeSantis on whether he believes abortion is a states’ rights issue.
“We will be a pro-life president and we will support pro-life policies,” DeSantis responded.
“I would not allow what a lot of the left wants to do, which is to override pro-life protections throughout the country all the way up really until the moment of birth in some instances, which I think is infanticide,” he continued.
Exclusive: DeSantis talks Trump, 2024, pro-life policiesyoutu.be
That’s when Burns interjected to defend Democrats.
“I’ve gotta push back on you — on that — because that’s a misrepresentation of what’s happening. I mean, 1.3% of abortions happen at 21 weeks or higher [sic],” she said. “There’s no evidence of Democrats pushing for abortions up until—”
“But their view is that all the way up until that, there should not be any legal protections,” DeSantis fired back.
“There is no indication of Democrats pushing for that,” Burns claimed.
It’s true that abortions rarely happen beyond fetal viability.
But it’s not true, contrary to Burns’ claims, that “there is no evidence” that Democrats support abortion beyond viability, or about 23-24 weeks gestation.
For example, Democrat Tim Ryan, who lost his U.S. Senate bid last year, refused to endorse any limit on abortion. According to Ryan, “You got to leave it up to the woman.” Ryan, of course, doesn’t represent every Democrat. But in a post-Roe v. Wade America, this is the most common Democratic talking point: a refusal to state at what point abortion should be illegal because that may be seen as enacting restrictions on women.
Perhaps that biggest argument against Burns’ claim is the Democratic Party’s renewed push to pass the Women’s Health Reproduction Act after Roe.
The legislation not only would permit women to abort their unborn children before “fetal viability” for any reason, but it would allow doctors to perform abortions beyond fetal viability if they believe the “continuation of the pregnancy would pose a risk to the pregnant patient’s life or health.” The bill does not define “health,” leaving open the possibility that doctors could legally perform late-term abortions because the pregnancy poses a “risk” to the mother’s mental or social health.
The bill was reintroduced to Congress in March.
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